How To Install Locks On A Bi-Fold Door
If you have small storage areas with bi-fold doors, you usually want to keep them safe from visitors or small children. One way to keep them from getting inside closets, laundry rooms, or small storage areas with bi-fold doors is by installing a lock. Here are some tips for installing bi-fold door locks.
Gather Tools
For this project, you will need:
- safety glasses
- Phillips screwdriver or power drill
- hammer
- awl or steel punch
- 3-inch surface bolts with screws
- felt tip marker
- lock mechanism.
Determine the type of lock to buy. If you need a temporary lock for get-togethers, opt for top-mount child-proof plastic safety locks. Surface-mount bolt locks provide a permanent lock solution. Consider the thickness of the odor when buying locks.
Prepare the Door
In most cases, the door will need adjusting to get the best clearance for installation. For child-proof top-mount locks, loosen the nut with a Phillips screwdriver on the bottom edge of the door, and keep rotating until it lowers enough without forcing the upper door slide off the track.
For the surface-mount bolt lock, the top of the door should be near the door frame so the lock can engage. Install the Lock To install the plastic top-mount lock, fold a section of the door back into the matching door jamb, and slide the lock on the hinged portion of the doors on the top edge. Shut the doors, and slide the lock in place at the seam, and slide the lock the opposite direction to open.
To install a surface-mount lock, insert bolts one at a time on the top section of the edge of the strips. Shut the door, and set the lock on the face of the strip on the edge of one door. The operating knob should be on the bottom end of the bolt. Press the bolt down until it touches the stop, and push the lock up to make it even with the upper door edge.
Make marks for placement of the screws with the felt-tip marker, and lay the lock aside. With the awl or steel punch and hammer, use the marks as guides to make starter pits for screws. Fasten the bolt on the door surface driving the screws in with a screwdriver, or power drill.
Shut the doors, push the lock up until the bolt end reaches the top door jamb, and make an outline of the bolt end on the jamb. Make markings for placement of the lock plate on the jamb with the hole at the center. Make starter pits, screw in the plate, and repeat the process for the other door.
Your closet or storage area should be safe with a bi-fold door lock. If you don't trust your skills, or need a key made, contact a locksmith, such as one from Irvine Lock & Key.