Replacing lock cylinder in back door

RoyMi6 · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:43

Currently we have a lock in the back door that requires a key for opening it from both the inside and out.

I'd like to replace the lock with a "thumb turn" so that from the inside we don't need a key, but the outside you do.

It's a double glazed, PVC door with multi-point lock and no openings/windows near it - so no danger of someone being able to reach the thumbturn from outside.

How do I go about doing this? How do I go about making sure this kind of thing would fit?

SickAsAParrot · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:46

Just make sure the dimensions of the existing lock (namely the '35' and '45' mm sections) are the same.

It's 1 screw to undo and it just pulls out.

RoyMi6 · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:48

I take it the cylinder will have to be in the unlocked position to come out?

peige · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:49

Yes, you have to twist the key a little to move the locking lob into a place where you can pull the lock free. Undo the screw, put key in and twist a little and it should pull out.

RoyMi6 · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:50

Perfect, amazingly straight forward for something you use to secure your home

Will have a bash at checking the existing cylinder tonight.

valve90210 · 28 Oct 2015 at 16:55

I had a to change a cylinder a month or so ago as the one in my front door failed. It literally took me 2 minutes to change it!!

I whipped the cylinder out and took it up to Screwfix (There were people at home so the house was safe). Ordered the lock I thought I needed and was able to check it against it then and there. Got home and put the new cylinder in. Couldn't be any more simple.

BigBoy · 28 Oct 2015 at 20:06

I bought three thumb turn euro cylinder locks all keyed alike from www.lockandkey.co.uk very easy to navigate and find the lock you want in a variety of price ranges and styles.

Gaijin · 28 Oct 2015 at 21:35

It's amazing how many people will pay a locksmith to change euro cylinders when it's one of the simplest jobs ever. Particularly when you move house.

AshD93 · 28 Oct 2015 at 21:47

I always found with thumb locks that randomly they take two full turns to lock or unlock. It's not only ours that have the problem.

If anyone knows why, let us know as we can't work it out!

BigBoy · 28 Oct 2015 at 22:06

The thumb side is geared so you cannot accidently unlock the door and not realise.

wonder_lander · 28 Oct 2015 at 22:11

Check out the excellent "Ultimate Handyman" on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ultimate+handyman+cylinder

AshD93 · 28 Oct 2015 at 22:15

BigBoy said:
The thumb side is geared so you cannot accidently unlock the door and not realise.

This is both sides where it randomly takes two turns. No correlation to how many turns it took to lock or unlock previously. It's almost like it misses the door mechanism on the first turn.

RoyMi6 · 29 Oct 2015 at 11:24

wonder_lander said:
Check out the excellent "Ultimate Handyman" on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ultimate+handyman+cylinder

Ha, I actually came across his videos shortly after posting this - it's knowing the right terminology to use that's key as I didn't know what a euro cylinder was to start with.

Easily removed the existing lock last night to check dimensions then fired in an order for a replacement.

Great wee thing to do in our new house so we don't need to hunt down the house keys every time we want to put the bins out.

LeeUK · 29 Oct 2015 at 11:29

Make sure you replace it with a high security unsnappable cylinder lock such as the Avocet ABS.

Don't just go to Screwfix and get the £5 cheapo jobbie.

RoyMi6 · 29 Oct 2015 at 12:23

Well, the front door is a better target anyway - rotten wood and loads of slack.

Never really looked into locks before, but looking at the ABS website it seems to suggest I could replace my locks so that they all use the same key...

At present I have a "double key" eurocylinder in my back door.
On the front door is only a "double key" mortise lock.

Could I have a ABS euro cylinder thumb turn/key in my back door that uses the same key as a replacement mortise lock for my front door with added "yale lock" type thing? I.e. one key for three locks to my house?

AHarvey · 29 Oct 2015 at 12:29

I've the ABS locks on my front and side door, one key for the lot and the keys are cheap to get a replacement too.

If you order from them in one go you can request they all have the same key regardless of the lock type, in fact you can order locks later on and you just provide a serial code for the key and they will make sure the new lock works with old keys. Or that's how it used to be.

One thing to consider when buying locks, and something that 98% of people forget, is that you need to check what your minimum security requirements are on your home insurance

LeeUK · 29 Oct 2015 at 12:30

Don't know how you change a mortise lock into a euro cylinder lock, but other than that yes you could have all locks running off the same key.

Gaijin · 29 Oct 2015 at 19:49

RoyMi6 said:
Could I have a ABS euro cylinder thumb turn/key in my back door that uses the same key as a replacement mortise lock for my front door with added "yale lock" type thing? I.e. one key for three locks to my house?

You can, but bear in mind that if you lose a key then you have a few locks to replace!

Also, if you want to give a back door key to a relative or neighbour but dont want to give access to other doors for some reason then you can't.

AHarvey said:
One thing to consider when buying locks, and something that 98% of people forget, is that you need to check what your minimum security requirements are on your home insurance

Definitely - I know a few don't like thumbturn locks.

Another thing with ABS locks is that due to the magnets, you'll pull half your change when you take your keys out of your pocket!

Mark M · 30 Oct 2015 at 10:15

Are thumbturns not a security concern? Someone breaks in through a small window but then can get pretty much anything they want out through the back door? I guess if there is no easy access to the back of the property then its probably not too big an issue.

RoyMi6 · 30 Oct 2015 at 12:32

Done a lot more research into this.

Loving the idea now.

LeeUK said:
Don't know how you change a mortise lock into a euro cylinder lock, but other than that yes you could have all locks running off the same key.

Turns out this is possible - getting a euro sashlock to replace the mechanisim, then obviously needs new door handle with different key hole to match

Gayjin said:
You can, but bear in mind that if you lose a key then you have a few locks to replace!

This is true, but never in 30 years of my life has this ever been an issue before for me or my family. Yeah, keys have been lost, but without context/address of a key what does it really give you?

Gayjin said:
Also, if you want to give a back door key to a relative or neighbour but dont want to give access to other doors for some reason then you can't.

Lucky that this isn't an issue for us as our next door neighbours that have a key are my parents

Mark M said:
Are thumbturns not a security concern? Someone breaks in through a small window but then can get pretty much anything they want out through the back door? I guess if there is no easy access to the back of the property then its probably not too big an issue.

Isn't a robber finding the spare key in your house just as likely?

Saying that, I am going to double check with the insurance company because my opinion doesn't really mean much!