HOW TO FIT A HANDLE & LATCH

Ever tried fitting a handle on a new door, its probably just as hard as hanging the door itself. Well hopefully if you follow these step by step instructions, you could master it yourself and save yourself a few bucks in the process. 

Tools required:

Drill, 25mm flat bit, 19mm flat bit, 
sharp 15mm wood chisel, sharp pencil,set square. (A steady hand).         

This is a latch and keep which you will need to purchase.

To start measure down from the top of the door 100cm and mark with a sharp pencil. 

Then use a combination square and find the centre and mark with pencil.

Now you will have a cross which marks the spot to drill.

Now using a good,fully charged drill with the 25mm flat bit, place the point of the bit on the cross and drill into the door making sure the drill is steady and straight.

 (If your unsure how deep to go into the door then just drill 10-15mm each time and try the latch in the hole until the correct depth is achieved.)

 Now blow out the hole of all dust.

Now place the latch in the hole. Hold the latch straight in line with edge of door and draw around neatly.

Now take your sharp chisel and carefully chisel around the pencil lines. Be careful not to go too deep near the edge of the door or it will split the timber.

Make sure you clean out the timber to the correct depth, thus enabling the latch to sit in the impression flush and snug to the door edge.

Next step is to hold the latch on the side of the door in line with the cut out and dead flush with the door edge. Now place your pencil in the latch hole a mark the door.

Change the flat bit in the drill to the 19mm flat bit. Now drill a hole in door but only as far as when the point is showing through the other side. Now place the point on the other side where it first poked through and continue drilling till it passes all the way through.

Now screw the latch in place with the screws supplied.

Next place the square bar which will be in the handle pack you choose and slide it through the latch hole,then place your desired handles on either side and screw them on making sure there level. (fixing handles on can vary depending on the style and make you buy. Most have fitting instructions supplied)

Hopefully you've managed to come this far with minimal damage.
Now you've made it to fitting the latch keep.
Close the door too and mark where the latch is striking the frame.
Also draw a line down the frame when the door is closed tight to the rebate.










 Take the keep and rest it on the latch like so. Now mark the keep in line with the door edge.

 Place the keep on the door case and match up the lines like so.Then draw around the keep and carefully chisel out.
Try the keep for size and depth then draw around the middle edge like so.
Also chisel this out at a depth of around 2cm.

Now screw keep in place with screws.


Close the door too and let it catch in the keep. Check to see if its a good fit. If not adjust the keeps tab by prising it inwards slightly. Try door again.


And there we have it. Hopefully you've managed to do it without much difficulty. Congratulations grab a well deserved beer.