Lock Installation
Fitting new hardware to a door that has never had it, or bringing an opening up to standard.
7:00 AM – 12:00 AMOakleigh South VIC
Installing a lock in a door that has no existing preparation is a joinery job as much as a locksmithing one. The hole positions, the depth of the mortice and the alignment of the strike all have to be right, because a lock installed slightly out will fight the door for the rest of its life.
The most useful part of an installation is usually the conversation before it: what the door is made of, how it is used, whether it needs to be locked from both sides, and whether it needs to share a key with anything else.
What the work involves
- 01Choosing appropriate hardware
- Selection follows the door and the use. A rarely opened side gate and a daily front entry have genuinely different requirements.
- 02Assessing the existing door
- Thickness, material, stile width, frame condition and how squarely the door sits. Hollow-core, solid timber and aluminium doors each place limits on what can be fitted.
- 03Installation
- Accurate marking, cutting and fitting, with the strike positioned so the latch engages cleanly without being pushed.
- 04Testing and handover
- Locked and unlocked from both sides, checked in the closed position, then walked through with you along with the keys.
Common situations
- A door that has never had a lock, such as a study, garage or internal access door
- A new gate or side entry requiring hardware
- Renovation work that has left an opening without hardware
- Replacing a temporary or improvised fitting with something permanent
- Adding a second point of locking to an entry door
- Fitting hardware to a newly hung door
What you can expect
- A short discussion about how the door will actually be used
- Clarity on any limitation the door itself imposes
- Clean, accurate cutting and a tidy workspace afterwards
- A demonstration of the finished installation before we leave
Local context
A lot of installation work in the south-east comes out of renovations — extensions off older Oakleigh and Hughesdale homes, converted garages, and rear studios where a new opening needs hardware for the first time. New openings are easier to get right than retrofits, provided the door is hung properly before the lock goes in.
Most requested in
Do you recommend a particular brand?
We recommend hardware suited to your door rather than promoting a brand. If you have a preference or need to match existing hardware, tell us and we will work with that.
Can a lock be fitted to any door?
Not always. Hollow-core doors, very narrow stiles and some aluminium sections limit what can be installed. We assess the door before committing to an approach.
Can a new lock use my existing key?
Sometimes, if the cylinder is compatible with your current keying. We can advise once we have seen the existing hardware.
Request a quote
Three short steps. If it is easier to talk it through, 03 4823 0108 reaches us directly during opening hours.
Need a locksmith?
Tell us what’s happening and we’ll help you work out the next step. No pressure, no guesswork over the phone.