Restoring an Antique Door
A beautiful 100-year-old door and original lock, and thumb latch hardware. The original lock was beyond repair, but I was able to replace it with a modern deadbolt mechanism that closely matched the color and finish of the original hardware.
Do you have an old door on your house from the early 1900s, and the lock is broken or difficult to open and close? If you do, we’re here to help! Before you go out and spend thousands of dollars replacing the door or lock, contact Affordable Locksmith, LLC, and ask us about our antique door and lock services.
New replacement parts are no longer available for those 100-year-old locks. Many parts have been obsolete for many years, and can be extremely difficult to find. Used parts can be found on websites such as eBay, but use caution, these are USED parts and they might be in worse condition than what you have on your door now! Maybe you found something on Amazon or the internet that would be a good replacement. I can guarantee that it will not work properly.
Over the course of 25 years, I have tried every aftermarket lockset out there, and could not find that that is a direct bolt-on replacement. Fixing these old locks is simply not economical anymore. Exact replacement units are not readily available.
In the 19th century and up to the late 1950s, there was no standardized unit of measurement for the lock industry. American lock manufacturers built their own versions of locks in various sizes and shapes.
So, finding something in today’s market that will fit perfectly over the existing footprint of an antique lock is simply a guessing game and most likely not going to happen.
At this point, most people are discouraged and ready to resort to a new door replacement. But wait! Before you ditch and replace that beautiful old door, Affordable Locksmith can offer a solution! After years and years of residential homeowners requesting help with these old locks, I have developed an alternative solution. I have sourced parts from various manufacturers and assembled a kit that includes all modern parts. I call this my modernization kit.
This kit will make the door work better than new and is a fraction of the cost of a new door. So easy to use and operate that a young child and even an adult with severe arthritis can open and close the door easily. Also, this kit will blend in with the doors’ natural aged patina. I offer a keyless touchpad option to enhance the door’s functionality further. My kit comes in 4 color finishes. Bright brass, antique brass, oil rubbed bronze (shown above), and nickel silver.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I hope you found it helpful!
We offer a wide variety of professional locksmith services to the Greater Milwaukee area. Contact us anytime to see how we can help you with your locksmith needs. I look forward to working with you!