ATL: Do wood doors splinter when being drilled for a Deadbolt?
Ask The Locksmith Question:We have a new deadbolt lock that needs to be installed in a fine solid wood front door. A hole needs to be drilled for the deadbolt. One locksmith refused to do this saying the door might splinter. Is this so? Do you have experience in this? Or should we contact a carpenter, as the other locksmith suggested?
While I suppose anything is possible is this wide world, I personally have never seen a door, which are generally intended for locks, to "splinter" when being drilled for a DEADBOLT. Doors are, for the most part, hardwoods that have been properly cured and aged. They rarely splinter or break in any way if being drilled with the proper equipment, and with the proper skills and abilities. Even the lower end softwood doors do not, as they too have been properly cured and aged.
In my personal opinion? Any locksmith who states something like what was stated to you is either a) lazy (just didn't want to do it), or b) incompetent, or c) afraid of his own liabilities based on his known incompetence. But that's just my opinion. :)
You can certainly call a carpenter if you'd like, that is a definite option for you. A locksmith would be a better bet in my opinion simply because we spend a lot of time fixing/adjusting strikes in deadbolt installations in new construction, as well as hand mortising new locks into new doors for construction companies. A carpenters focus, in many cases, is the expediency of the drilling aspect (get it in, get it working, mostly), not the finer points of being certain the lock you want installed throws all the way, works smoothly, and is optimally the most secure it can be in that placement.
Whether you choose a locksmith or a carpenter, they should come prepared with the correct equipment for the job, the skills and abilities to use that equipment, and the skill and ability to do a proper installation, not simply drill a hole. Even if the door is drilled perfectly, and doesn't splinter (which any marginally competent locksmith or contractor should be able to do in their sleep), it does you no good if the lock itself is sticky, off balance, off alignment, if the strikes are not properly set/aligned, and/or the throw not drilled deeply enough (situations we see daily, done by both "locksmiths" and contractors). They should also come with full state licensing, bonding and general liability insurance.
These are the things that you should be looking for when calling for locksmiths or carpenters.
I'm sorry the original locksmith gave you such a timid and unhelpful answer...
Let me know if we can be of assistance, or can clarify a point, or answer any further questions.
Cheers!
Kim
