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Having a pocket door can be quite advantageous if you don’t have too much space available for regular sliding doors inside the house. It will also help you move around if you have larger furniture inside the house.
With these types of doors, you will also be able to have more than enough privacy and additional security measures whenever necessary. However, one question remains, how will you be able to lock the pocket door from both sides, especially if you need to leave the house unattended for hours at a time?
Fortunately, this article can help you out by giving you some tips that’ll teach you how to lock a pocket door from both sides. Just continue reading to learn more.
What is a Pocket Door?
Before discussing the locking mechanism involved, let us first talk about what the term means.
A pocket door is a specific type of design that hangs from the top of the wall. It slides along the track, mounted from inside the wall itself. When opened, the door and then disappears into the wall slab and stays conveniently out of the way.
How to Lock a Pocket Door from Both Sides
1. The Pocket Door Lock
First, you have to get a pocket door lock. One benefit of getting this particular tool is that it is stable and quite durable. It should not get easily damaged over time. Additionally, you will not have to replace it regularly with a new one, which can be quite taxing on the finances.
To find the best pocket door lock, it would be best to consult reliable review sites for potential products that you can buy online. These review sites will give you an idea as to the features and benefits that you can get from each product so that you can compare them without difficulty.
The Square and Round Locks
There are also two different types of locks available; the round and square ones. The traditional round locks fit at least a two by 1/8 inch door. If you would like to renovate your doors for a pocket door lock, this piece of information will be helpful.
If you’re going to use a round lock, make sure that you get the exact measurements. This way, you won’t have a problem with the installation at all.
The square lock requires notches at the end of each door. It would help to use a simple door slab for initial construction and quick installation. The square lock features an easy to navigate lever for the opening and closing mechanisms.
For more information regarding the square and round locks, it would be best for you to consult the various hardware websites available online. They will have all the information that you need for sure.
2. Use a Thumbturn
Aside from getting the pocket door lock, you can also use thumbturns to lock the door inside and out. A thumbturn refers to a small metal implement that retracts the latch every time you turn it. In short, you would have to turn the knob around to lock and unlock it.
These types of locks are straightforward to handle, especially if the implement is large enough to give you proper grip.
3. Working Keys
You can use keys to lock the pocket door from both sides. Insert the key into the hole and turn it just like you would a thumbturn. This action will push or retract the locking latch quickly. You can have it made along with the door construction as well. You can also buy working keys along with pocket door locks from the market.
You may also like: How to Install a Retractable Screen Door
Additional Information: Other Benefits of Locking a Pocket Door from Both Sides
Aside from the safety and security factor, there are many other advantages of locking the pocket door from both sides. You must consider buying some of the implements mentioned above. Here are more benefits that you can get from instantly locking pocket doors from the inside out.
It Provides Privacy for Both Sides of the Door
One of the main reasons why people use pocket doors is to help divide a more substantial space into at least two equally measured rooms. The living and dining room/kitchen, for example. If you are going to use this kind of door as a divider, it would be best for you to have dual locking mechanisms for both sides of the door. It provides additional privacy and security for the people who would want to go into the kitchen and living room at the same time.
If you have a dual lock door, you will not have to walk around to the other side anymore to close it down.
It’s Safe for Both Indoor and Outdoor Use
Traditionally, pocket doors are also safer for indoor use. People can easily manipulate pocket doors from the outside because of the removable emergency latch.
However, if you have a dual locking door that uses a key, for example, no one will be able to manipulate the locking mechanism from the outside quickly. Only that one key can access both locks from each side. This feature serves as another security measure that can increase the safety of your pocket door even before you begin the installation.
The Size
To further secure your locks, choose something more prominent than usual. By doing this, you will prevent unscrupulous entities from trying to manipulate the clasps easily. You can quickly apprehend them even before they succeed in their endeavor.
The size adds to the security measure because it will increase the degree of difficulty by which the lock can open from the outside. If you’re not used to handling more significant locks, you will end up not being able to open your pocket door at all.
Durability and Strength
Most of these double door locks have durable material. From stainless steel to other heavy metal tools, it will not easily break down if the others use it to lock the door from the inside out.
It is essential to choose the right kind of lock for these types of purposes. You have to consider all the critical factors such as size, material, and locking mechanisms before making the purchase.
It would also help you to consult the official manufacturing websites to ensure that you would get the right specifications for your locks in the future. This way, you will not end up having to replace the product regularly because of faulty advertising. It would be best for you to go with locking mechanisms that have been recommended by people that you know and trust.
By doing this, you will be able to find the best double door locks that you can have for your home as soon as possible.
Conclusion
These are just some of the many ways for you to use a pocket door lock easily. With this additional information regarding how to lock a pocket door from both sides, you will also have the opportunity to make sure that you can keep your family safe inside the house without difficulty.
It is even safe to use outdoors, so you don’t have to worry about unknown entities having easy access. All you have to do is to make sure that you find the right type of padlock, and everything else will follow. Why wait? Go ahead and give it a shot. I am sure that you will get the best from the market right away.
Make sure that you check out all the specifications of the lock first before making your final purchase. This action will ensure the quality of the product and its overall safety when in use.