How To Install A Furniture Lock On A Cabinet With Your Own Hands

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• What is a furniture lock? Varieties of products
• How to choose the right one?
• Installing a zip lock on furniture
• How to open a zip lock if the key is lost?

The installation of a furniture lock usually takes place at the factory. Most types of furniture are equipped with this function: most often they are cabinets, furniture fronts, table drawers. The lock can be useful not only so that no one can get to the contents of the box, but also so that the cabinet doors do not open themselves, for example, if the furniture is uneven. It is quite convenient and looks aesthetically pleasing.

What is a furniture lock? Varieties of products

When choosing a lock, it is important to consider the thickness of the furniture doors; the way in which the installation will be made also plays a significant role, since different types of locks may require a tie-in or do without it.

Furniture fittings and locks can be of different designs and are made from different materials, lightweight and durable. After all, for furniture it is important that the device not only be able to protect against burglary, but also look decorative.

Cabinets with locks are no longer a rarity, they will help protect things from a thief if he climbs into the apartment, fix the doors, protect the contents of boxes and shelves from curious little children who can eat or ruin something.

Locks from children to furniture are usually distinguished by a simple device, an adult can open them without difficulty, but kids cannot cope with such a task. This will make it possible to protect not only things, but also the child himself, if, for example, breakable objects are stored in the closet, with which the child can cut himself. Such locks are sometimes called postal locks. They should not be confused with small hinges that are used to protect the mailbox. The types of locks are as follows:

• Mechanical: common, opened with a key.
• Electronic: - to open, you need to dial the code.
• Magnetic: a special key is required to open. It closes with a magnetic field, it needs electricity to work.

Devices and installation method differ. There are the following types:

• The most common furniture lock is a mortise lock. It is often used for sliding wardrobes and other types of furniture, does not strike the eye, does not take up space and does not interfere with opening doors.
• The second most popular are overhead locks. Most often they are installed on glass doors, since it is not possible to insert a lock into them, but the opening of the doors will be limited. Fixation takes place with bolts, in this case the glass will have to be drilled. Magnets are used less often, then drilling is usually not necessary.

In addition, simple locks can be used that are easy to open. They protect cabinets from children and unintentional opening. Such devices include:

• Latch lock.
• Zip lock from children.

How to choose the right one?

When choosing a lock, first of all, you should pay attention to what it is made of: the reliability and durability of the product depends on the quality of the material, as well as the safety of things in the event of a break-in of an apartment.

In addition, they pay attention to the design of the product and the installation method, since for furniture made of different materials, the lock is selected individually. For example, an element designed for a wooden product cannot be placed on a glass door, and vice versa.

You need to take into account the way the doors are opened. Most products are suitable for swing doors, but for a sliding one you will have to look for a device that will not interfere with opening and will be able to secure the sashes. A wide range of affordable furniture accessories is presented on the website

Installing a zip lock on furniture

Installation of such products is usually straightforward. If you have a tool, you can install the furniture lock on the cabinet yourself. To do this, you need to have a drill, a special "forstner" drill, if there is none, you can replace it with a feather drill. It will not hurt to have a screwdriver, a piece of plywood and what to draw the material with.

The installation of a furniture lock on a drawer takes place in four stages. Each of them must be treated carefully, since in particular the success of the operation will depend on the first two. The correct marking of the place plays an important role. You need to drill carefully and in the right place, after which the lock will need to be properly secured. In addition to the lock, you will need to install a strike plate, which is why it is important that all the holes clearly correspond to each other, otherwise the lock will either not work or it will not be able to close correctly.

When making the markings, take into account the width of the device body; you will need to observe the parameters of the cylinder and other parts of the lock. A small recess is made in the place of drilling with an awl in the wooden case of the furniture door. It is needed so that the drill fits clearly in the center. A piece of plywood will be attached to the back of the product, so it is more convenient to drill from the outside.

Tip: In order not to damage the appearance of the door, it is better to drill slowly, using a low drill speed.

Having prepared the hole, you can insert the lock. After that, it is necessary to outline the places for the screws; this is also done with an awl. To make the castle larva look attractive, a decorative ring is put on the castle. It is not always easy to put it on, but it is not necessary to press down with great force, since the ring can deform.

The insert of the furniture lock into the cabinet is completed by the installation of a counter corner. Be sure to take into account the design features of the box: it can be internal or external. If the structure is external, the corner can be evenly placed along the edge, if it is internal, the thickness of the door is taken into account.

The device is fastened in the same way: a place is drawn, then a small hole is punched with an awl and drilled out. The device is screwed on with screws. After installation, it is necessary to check the operation of the lock, to clarify whether it was skewed at the time of installation. If the corner starts to cling, you can fix the problem by bending it over. The most convenient way to do this is with a file, you can use a grinder.

How to open a zip lock if the key is lost?

Any mechanical lock can be opened using physical force. This may be required not only for the thief, but also for the owner of the box who has lost the key. If it is important that the lock is not damaged, you can try using a hairpin, flexible metal object. Mail locks do not function as protection against burglary, so they open quite easily.

Do not try to open the device with a soft wire: this will not work. Better to take a paper clip without a soft braid. The hardness of the material plays an important role. Having found a suitable object, straighten it, make a straight rod, bend it with the letter "G". The second paperclip also needs to be straightened and then bent at a 90 degree angle. This device will act as a lever. It is necessary to find the lock pin with a master key, loosen the cylinder with a lever, try to turn the larva with these not cunning tools. If the integrity of the lock does not matter, you can simply break it off.

Conclusion: before installing a zip lock, decide if you need it. This device is more decorative, it is able to protect from children, fix the sash, but if you lose the key, the lock can cause some inconvenience. It will not protect against intruders.

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