Front Door Deadbolt Not Lining Up

If the screws have been stripped they will not tighten in the holes and you ll need new ones.

Front door deadbolt not lining up.

Lift the door up to relieve the pressure on the hinges and tighten the screws. In most cases it means that the latch or locking bolt are not lining up with the door locks strike plate. Unscrew the strike plate from the door jamb clamp it in a vise then file it down to the chalk mark above right. If it s still not locking file away a little more of the strike plate until the bolt locks properly.

For instance some of the best front door locks are a mixture of mortise locks. In that case take the hinges from the frame. To line up the lock and the strike plate so that the lock goes into the hole easily try filing around the edge of the actual lock and the strike plate. Luckily fixing the alignment of your door doesn t have to be a chore.

Loose door locks door knobs and door handles. Poor alignment can occur because your house has settled or shifted over time the door frame is old or warped or the door is sagging on its hinges. If the door is sagging and will not line up with the latch check the door hinges. A strike plate is usually affixed to the door jamb and facilitates the extension of the bolt or latch.

One possible reason for this is that your door isn t properly aligned. Open the door and look for a telltale kiss on the strike plate.