Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [latches]

Hardware used to secure the opening of windows, doors, cabinets and more. If the latch includes a lock, use the lock tag instead.

51 questions
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votes
8 answers

How to (more) securely attach a latch to a frequently-used wooden gate

Our house's front yard is separated from the street with a low picket fence with a spring-operated gate. The latch of this gate has been consistently problematic because it is exposed to the weather and takes a lot of force and vibration from…
Justin Grant
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12
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3 answers

How does one adjust a fence gate when its gravity latch scrapes the house?

I bought a house which has a side fence gate with a latch scratching the side of the house. The damage was already there. It's not that bad, but I'd like to adjust the latch to prevent the damage from getting worse since the latch still scratches…
Alexis Wilke
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7
votes
4 answers

How to prevent push button on screen/storm door latch from freezing?

I came home today and discovered the push button on the front screen door was frozen solid and it wouldn't move even with brute strength banging. I thought, no problem, I'll just go to the back door, but that button was frozen too! I had to ring…
David Bailey
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5
votes
1 answer

Door strike plate with moving part - what is it for?

My friend has an exterior door with this strike plate on its frame. Does anyone know what this type of plate is called, and what purpose it has? The inner part is hinged in a way that allows it to rotate around a vertical axis by just one degree or…
Ben Regenspan
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3
votes
1 answer

What is this worn part on this door handle assembly?

I've been having problems with our Kwikset front door handle. It's a lever on one side, and a press down latch on the other. When you try to open the door, it doesn't retract the bolt all the way. I took it apart, and believe that the problem is…
Frank
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3
votes
1 answer

How to repair a French Door latch that's keeping the door from opening

I have an exterior French door that, in addition to the normal door latch, also has bars that extend both upward and downward as part of the latch mechanism. The door handle is used to extend these bars up and down into the door frame to lock the…
mschaef
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2
votes
2 answers

Possible to put an optional latch midway through a 180 degree gate?

I'm building a gate for the top of the stairs since our 10-month-old is a perpetual flight risk from his room at the end of the short hallway. I'm trying to figure out if I can install three latch catches such that the gate can be in any one of…
Chris Wilson
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2
votes
1 answer

Can I repair and rekey this salty security door?

I bought a new house that has an awesome security door that's missing the latching mechanism. It has a lock but I don't have a key for it, so I'd also like to rekey it. I started trying to take the latch/lock apart, and at some point in that…
Bob
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2
votes
0 answers

Which latch should I get to replace the one on my front (storm) door?

The locking mechanism on my front (storm) door got broken, rendering it useless. What I’d like to do now is replace the latch with a new one, but I can’t find any branding on the door, so I’m not sure what to get. Here are some pictures of the door…
LRitter
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2
votes
1 answer

What could be wrong? My front door latch opens OK from inside, poorly from outside

The following Kwikset lockset on my front door no longer works well. From the inside rotating handle it's fine. From the outside it's sticky, as the bolt does not fully pull in. This particular lockset replaced an older and more sturdier model a…
Bryce
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2
votes
1 answer

My latch allows to double lock from the outside... why, and is it safe?

I am a tenant in the UK. I live on the first floor (2nd floor in US scheme), there is no fire exit and the flat is big enough for a couple. The latch on my flat's door is the Ingersoll 'Classic' Nightlatch that is the first being described on the…
Mysterry
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2
votes
6 answers

Type of exterior door lock that always allows exiting?

I am looking for a lock and handle mechanism for an exterior door that is always openable from the inside. E.g. locking with a key locks the exterior handle from opening the latch, but the interior handle always opens the door. Furthermore,…
cms
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2
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4 answers

Magnetic Mortise Latch for American Style Doors

I am looking to make the door handles for my kids' rooms quieter. Today I went through and oiled everything, but the latch / mortise assembly (??correct term?) that I have in my doors are still pretty noisy. I went in search or something that would…
HelpEric
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2
votes
1 answer

How can I both insulate and get a latch to work on this window? Foam kerf insulation strips

After trying many options, I've finally found something that might work to reduce drafts and noise through these 1925 historic windows: But that latch. Original brass, matches the house, but won't work well with the insulation. Is there a latch…
Bryce
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1
vote
1 answer

How can I reinforce a cracked vinyl gate?

Likely the vinyl is too thin for the load or the wind gust was too strong, but the latch has broken off. Is there a way to reinforce the vinyl? Would a longer latch distribute the load over a larger area? Other ways to fix?
user3919652
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