Whether you want to replace a lock or remove a lock to repair, removing a door lock with the right tools and clear instructions is something you need to know.
Whether you want to replace a lock or remove a lock to repair, removing a residential door lock is something you can easily do yourself. Removing a door lock with the right tools and clear instructions is easy. Learn how to remove the knob, cylinder, and mortise locks.
A knob door lock refers to a door turn-knob that has the lock built right in. Most commonly, these are found on interior doors within a home.
Sometimes, knob door locks (along with a deadbolt) will also be used for an exterior door, but they are not recommended as the primary lock for any external door due to how easily they can be removed or forced.
To remove your knob door lock, you’ll need to start by making sure you have the right tools for the job:
The first step is determining whether your doorknob has visible screws on the rose plate. If it does have exposed screws, these should be on the interior knob (the one you use to lock the door).
If your doorknob has visible screws, your job will be easy. Grab the Phillips-head screwdriver and start unscrewing the two visible screws.
Once you’ve unscrewed those screws, you should be able to remove the interior and exterior doorknobs.
Pick up the Phillips-head screwdriver and unscrew the two screws on the faceplate.
Once you’ve removed the screws from the faceplate, grab the latch and pull the entire thing out.
How to Remove a Door Knob with Visible Screws?
Can’t find any visible screws on your doorknob?
All knob locks have what’s known as a slot with a latch, which holds the knob in place. You can find the space on the shank of the inside knob (the one you use to lock the door).
This is usually a small, rectangular hole. If you don’t see the spot, try turning the knob to either side until you can locate it.
Now that you’ve located the slot, you’ll need a flat-head screwdriver (or a small pin, paper clip, or nail) to press the release button inside the slot (these tend to be very small).
Push your chosen tool into the hole and depress the button. At this point, the interior knob should release from the door easily.
Next, you’ll need to remove the rose plate. The best way to do this is to use a small, flat-head screwdriver to pry the rose plate away from the door carefully. Usually, a small slot on the rose plate allows you to do this.
Now that you’ve removed the decorative rose plate, the interior rose plate (with screws) should be exposed. Pick up your Philips-head screwdriver once more and loosen these screws.
Move on over to the faceplate now and unscrew that. Once completed, remove the latch altogether.
Finally, grab the remaining exterior doorknob and pull.
How To Remove A Door Knob Without Visible Screws?
Cylinder locks are extremely common, and this type of lock is still relatively simple to remove. In three quick steps, you can remove an existing cylinder lock for re-keying or replacement.
To remove a cylinder lock, you’ll need just a few basic tools:
Start by using your Phillips-head screwdriver to remove any visible screws from the interior side of the door. These are the screws that hold the lock and the door together.
Next, you’ll need to use your flat-head screwdriver to turn the lock’s spindle counter-clockwise until it stops. This should be done by inserting the flat-head screwdriver (you may need to try a few different sizes) into the lock itself.
Once the spindle stops turning, you should find that the square tab within the spindle is perfectly aligned with the rest of the lock.
At this point, you should be able to use your flat-head screwdriver to carefully push on the tab that’s holding the spindle into place. When you do this, the spindle will pop out of its housing.
With the spindle gone, you’ll now have access to the lock’s housing. Look carefully inside the housing (a flashlight might be helpful here) until you locate another small tab.
Use your flat-head screwdriver to push down on this tab, releasing the cylinder. However, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to use an Allen wrench to push on the cylinder until it slides or pops out.
As you work on removing the cylinder, be careful not to press too hard with the screwdriver on the tab, as this can cause permanent damage to the point that the lock will no longer be usable.
How to Remove a Lock Cylinder Without the Key?
Mortise locks have a pocket (called a mortise) cut into the door. The lock is encased in this pocket, making it a more secure locking method.
Removing a mortise lock requires the following:
This screw will be on the shank of the inside knob (the one you use to lock the door).
The two-door handles are screwed into each other through the spindle. Be sure to unscrew them; do not just pull.
Unscrew the exterior doorknob rose plate on the door using a Philips-head screwdriver.
Unscrew the top and bottom screws on the faceplate of the mortise lock using a Phillips-head screwdriver.
Grab the latch bolt and pull the mortise lockout using your hands or plyers. It should come out after a few goods pull.
If the mortise lock can’t be easily removed, grab a large flat-head screwdriver and use that to pry it out. Insert the screwdriver into the hole where the spindle was. The screwdriver should fit snuggly in the hole.
With your screwdriver perpendicular to the door, take a hammer and tap it toward the strike place a few times.
How to Remove and Repair a Mortise Door Lock?
There you have it: a few simple steps to removing a knob door lock, a cylinder door lock, and a mortise lock at your home. This is a basic DIY skill that any homeowner will benefit from knowing, especially if you ever need to replace a lock or have it re-keyed.
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