Mortise Lockset

What To Do If You Need To Replace Or Add A Mortise Lockset

A Mortise lockset is a particular kind of locking mechanism that was popular on homes built prior to the early 20th century.  Also known as mortice locksets in the United Kingdom, the use of these style locks declined after the bored cylindrical lock was invented in 1909 because Mortise locksets were more expensive and labor intensive to install.  (A mortise is a term for a rectangular cavity that had to be cut out of the door in order to put this type of lock in.)

In recent years Mortise locks have been gaining in popularity in the US for commercial construction and for front doors in the high end home construction market.  The reason for this is that the body of the hardware on Mortise locks are sturdier than on cylindrical locks, so this type of lock is able to support a heavier decorative handle.  You can even find Mortise locks on pieces of antique furniture such as china cabinets. 

The internal mechanism of a Mortise lock can be accomplished in two ways: with a cylinder or with a lever.  In the US the cylinder is more common, while in other countries they mostly use the lever.

Suppliers of Mortise locksets include such manufacturers as Omnia and Baldwin.  Their products in general are high quality and you should not have a problem if you purchase one of their locksets.

Repairing or replacing a mortise lock is one of the few home improvement projects you should not try at home because it requires true specialized knowledge.  Unlike changing other hardware, it is not merely a matter of unscrewing the old one and screwing in the new one.  Remember that the Mortise requires a cavity to be cut out of the door.  You need to have advanced woodworking skills to do this, because you can severely damage the structure of the door if done wrong. 

For this reason, you should absolutely hire a professional if you need to add or replace a Mortise lockset.  (Even putting stress on the cavity can weaken the structure of your door.)  To find a professional who knows how to do this, search for a contractor who has true carpentry skills as well as being able to install hardware in general.  If you are installing Mortise locks to improve the appearance of your home, it only makes sense to have it done the right way the first time.