DIYer Help… New Door Lock leaves small hole exposed

Do-It-Yourself Help Center from the Locksmiths at City Lock Locksmith Service in Boulder Colorado

Your lead Locksmith at City Lock wants to help the DIY’er with as many solutions to common problems that can be resolved without an unnecessary service call. All you need is to have minor to moderate DIY skills.

City Lock, a Boulder Locksmith service, is often contacted regarding the unsightly hole can result when replacing a decorative pitcher-grip handle latch-set. This is because manufacturers redesign their product line from time to time. Only a few products do have a slight accommodation for minor relocation for the new lower screw that secures the “heel” or base of the exterior grip handle. The head of the screw and its hole generally go clear through the door. It is the interior that needs concealment, as the new outside trim probably will cover the old hole on the OUTSIDE surface of door.

City Lock will often conceal an exposed hole like this with a dowel pin, if the door is solid wood. In fiberglass and Steel skin doors, a pair of  screw covers will be mounted back-to-back, if the lock replacing the pitcher handle is to be replaced as we recommend; with a Lever x Lever set.

The solution escaped us for some time, until a client came in just this past week to address this very issue. Between us, a perfect resolution emerged…. a cabinet knob baguette ( Back Plate ). These are an optional trim piece for cabinet knobs. Emtek happens to make these plates in shapes that math their door lock rosettes. This hides the extra screw-hole, and actually dresses up the interior of the door a bit nicer than a plain little round screw cover. City Lock is a major dealer for Emtek Products among many other select lines.

If you are not the DIY’er type, we are happy to come to you.