Unlocking Misalignment: A Guide To Fixing Door Lock Keyhole Issues

If your key is getting stuck in the door lock or your deadbolt won't retract, your keyhole might be misaligned. This could be because the door has settled over time, or the latch doesn't match up with the hole in the strike plate. If the misalignment is not visually apparent, you can try the lipstick test to diagnose the problem. Start by rubbing red lipstick onto the edge of the deadbolt. Turn the knob to retract the latch, close the door, then release the knob so the latch just barely touches the strike plate. If the lipstick mark is too high, tighten the hinges at the bottom of the door with a screwdriver. If the mark is too low, raise the latch by tightening the hinges at the top of the door. Tightening all the hinges may fix the issue if the misalignment is minor. If not, you may need to adjust or replace the strike plate.

Test for misalignment with the lipstick trick

If your key is not smoothly entering the keyhole, it could be that your door lock is misaligned. To test for misalignment, you can use the lipstick trick.

First, open the door and apply lipstick to the latch or deadbolt. Any colour will do, but bright red lipstick works best. You can also use grease pencil, a Sharpie, paint, chalk, or even peanut butter.

Next, turn the knob to retract the latch, close the door, and release the knob so the latch barely touches the strike plate. The resulting imprint will indicate where the strike plate needs to be mortised.

If the lipstick mark is too high, tighten the hinges at the bottom of the door with a screwdriver. If the mark is too low, raise the latch by tightening the hinges at the top of the door. If the misalignment is minor, tightening all the hinges may solve the problem.

If the mark is more than 1/8 inch above or below the strike plate hole, you may need to reposition the strike plate.

Tighten door hinges

If your keyhole is misaligned, it could be because your door has settled over time, causing the latch to no longer reach the strike plate. Here are some ways to fix this issue by tightening the door hinges:

Tighten the door hinge screws

Use a Phillips screwdriver to tighten the screws holding the hinges to the door and the door frame. This may be enough to draw the hinge tighter and solve the problem.

Replace hinge screws

If the hinge screws won't tighten, they may be stripped in their holes. Try replacing them with longer screws. Hinge screws are usually 1 inch or shorter, but you can replace them with 2-inch screws.

Tighten the latch-side door jamb

If tightening the hinges doesn't work, try tightening the latch-side door jamb. Identify the points on the door jamb that conflict with the door and mark them with a pencil. Drill a pilot hole, then switch to a fluted countersink bit and drive a screw into the pilot hole, drawing it in as tight as possible. Use a brass screw or another type that blends in with the door jamb.

Shim out the door's hinges

If the latch still doesn't reach the strike plate, you can try shimming out the door's hinges. First, remove the door's hinges. Then, adjust the position of the door by inserting thin pieces of material, such as cardboard or wood, behind the hinges before screwing them back into place.

Adjust the strike plate

If the strike plate is misaligned, the latch won't catch and the door won't close properly. Here are some ways to adjust the strike plate:

Measure the Misalignment

If the door won't close or the deadbolt doesn't lock the door, measure the distance between the latch or bolt and the strike plate's catch hole. Open the door and observe how it closes. See if the latch bolt is resting too far up, down, back, or forward. The exact measurement is less important than the orientation of the alignment. If the misalignment is slight, it will be easier to adjust the strike plate.

Widen the Catch Hole

If the latch bolt is only slightly off, you can file or cut the catch hole of the strike plate to expand it along the proper dimension. Be careful not to widen the hole too much, as this could compromise security. It is preferable to widen the hole at the top or bottom of the strike plate, as there is more material above and below than at the front or back.

Move the Strike Plate

If the strike plate is severely misaligned, it is better to move the strike plate rather than grind out a large amount of metal. If the strike plate needs to be adjusted along two axes, the new screw holes will not overlap with the old ones. In this case, you will need to drill new screw holes. If the new screw holes are close to the old ones, you can use longer screws to secure the strike plate.

Use an Adjustable Strike Plate

You can also purchase an adjustable strike plate, which can be adjusted without drilling new screw holes or widening the catch hole. However, even with an adjustable strike plate, the screw holes will be stripped every time you adjust it, so it is still best to adjust sparingly.

Adjust the Hinges

Before adjusting the strike plate, check that the hinges are tight. Loose hinge screws can cause the door to hang awkwardly, so the lock misaligns with the strike plate. If the hinges are damaged, they may need to be adjusted or repaired before the strike plate can be adjusted. You can also try packing paper behind the hinges to lift or lower the door slightly.

Reposition the strike plate

If the door latch doesn't catch, close the door slowly to observe how the latch bolt meets the strike plate. The latch bolt may be positioned above, below, or to the side of the strike plate. You can identify the misalignment by checking for scars on the strike plate.

If the latch doesn't align, you can adjust the position of the strike plate. First, determine the direction of the misalignment. In most cases, the strike plate needs to move down, unless tightening the hinge screws brings the door back up.

If the latch is off by 1/8 inch or less, you can try filing the inside edges of the strike plate to enlarge the opening. Alternatively, you can replace the strike plate with an adjustable door strike.

For misalignments greater than 1/8 inch, you will need to remove the strike plate and use a chisel to extend the mortise as necessary. Here are the detailed steps:

• Remove the strike plate and use a sharp chisel to enlarge the indented section that holds it.
• Hold the strike plate in the correct position and drill new 1/16-inch holes to accommodate the screws.
• Use wood filler to fill in any gaps in the indented section that remains visible after moving the strike plate.
• Reinstall the strike plate and test the door lock.

If the latch still doesn't reach the strike plate, you can try shimming out the plate or adding another strike plate on top of it.

Remove the strike plate and extend the mortise

If the misalignment is more than 1/8 of an inch, you will need to remove the strike plate and extend the mortise.

First, remove the strike plate. Then, use a chisel to extend the mortise as necessary. You can use a sharp chisel to enlarge the indented section that holds the strike plate. Next, reposition the strike plate and drill new 1/16-inch holes to accommodate the screws. Finally, fill in any remaining gaps in the indented section with wood filler and refinish the area.

If the latch still doesn't reach the strike plate, you can try shimming out the plate by adding another strike plate on top of it. Simply remove the screws and run them through both plates.

Frequently asked questions