Professional Deadbolt Installation: Which Lock Type Is Right for Your Door?
Not every door is set up for the same hardware, and choosing the wrong lock type is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes homeowners make. A standard single-cylinder deadbolt works well for most residential exterior doors with solid frames and adequate spacing from the door edge. For doors that sit inside a door frame rebate (the lip that overlaps the door), a jimmy proof deadbolt installation is often the smarter call: these rim-mounted locks interlock directly with the strike plate bracket, making prying or shimming attacks dramatically harder. Our technicians assess your door's construction, jamb depth, and hinge configuration before recommending any hardware.
For higher-traffic or older doors — particularly in pre-war Ardsley homes with thicker door slabs — a mortise lock is frequently the gold standard. Unlike a bored cylindrical lock that fits into a drilled hole, a mortise lock is set into a deep rectangular pocket cut into the door's edge, combining a latch bolt, deadbolt, and often additional security pins into a single reinforced unit. Installing or upgrading to a mortise lock requires precision routing and precise measurement; it's not a DIY-friendly project. Our experienced team handles the full process, from cutting the mortise pocket to aligning the strike plate perfectly, ensuring the door swings and locks smoothly every time.
