Can a locksmith add a deadbolt to your garage door? A job where we matched it to the handles
Yes. A locksmith can fit a deadbolt to a hinged garage door that only has handles, and choose one that suits the handles already on it. This guide is about that kind of door, the one you walk through, not a roller or tilt door that lifts up.
- Hinged door
- The one you walk through
- Handles
- Choose one that suits the handles already on it
- Not for
- A roller or tilt door that lifts up
A job where we matched it to the handles
The job behind this guide
A customer had just moved into a new house. She wanted a deadbolt on her garage door, so we supplied one and fitted it. The part worth writing about is the match: Magnus chose the deadbolt to suit the handles that were already on that door.
Can a locksmith fit a deadbolt to a garage door that only has a handle?
Yes, if it is a hinged door with handles, like the one in our job. A deadbolt is locked with a key from outside, and on most timber doors fitting one is a normal job. The handles you already have can stay.
We fit deadbolts on doors that don’t have one yet, as our repairs and installation page says. If you want the difference between a deadbolt and the latch in your handle first, see our guide to door locks in Perth.
Which garage doors can take a deadbolt?
A deadbolt is made for a hinged door that swings open on hinges, the kind with a handle you turn. A roller door or a tilt door that lifts up is a different job and takes a different lock, so a deadbolt is not the answer there.
Not sure which kind you have? If the door swings open on hinges like the door into a house, it is the hinged kind. If yours is a roller door, we supply and fit roller door locks; they are listed on our repairs and installation page. For a hinged door that isn’t timber, send us a photo and we’ll tell you what can go on it.
Will a new deadbolt match the handles already on the door?
It can, and on this job it did. Magnus matched the new deadbolt to suit the customer’s existing handles, so she kept the handles she had and the door still looks like one set. Matching is something to ask for when you ring, rather than assume.
Why it matters is simple. You may not need to change the handles at all, and a photo of them when you ring lets us bring a deadbolt that suits what is already on the door.
What happens on the day?
We come to the house in the van with the deadbolt and fit it. The price is agreed with you before we start. If the door or the handles turn out to be different from what we expected, you hear it from us before we go any further.
Amco is a mobile locksmith, so there is no shop to visit and nothing to drop off. Magnus answers the phone himself, so the person you describe your door to is the person who turns up to fit the lock.
What does a deadbolt with a thumb turn do?
A single cylinder deadbolt is locked with a key from outside and a turn knob on the inside, often called a thumb turn. From inside you lock and unlock it by hand, with no key needed. From outside you need the key.
That’s how a lock maker describes it too. ASSA ABLOY Australia’s own listing for a Lockwood single cylinder deadbolt says it is “Operated by key from outside and turn knob inside.” We quote it only to explain the type. We don’t name the brand fitted on this job.
What customers say
Tap any review to read it on Google.
“I highly recommend Magnus from Amco Locksmiths. He was very quick to respond to my enquiry and was able to see me the next day. He showed up on time, had great communication and was very professional and friendly throughout the process.”
Read on Google →“I recently moved to a new house and wanted to change the locks for security. Magnus arrived on time and worked efficiently to do just that, also cutting more windows keys and rekeying the garage remote. He even oiled the squeaky garage door at no cost! I would use Amco again in a heartbeat.”
Read on Google →“Great communication advising when he would arrive. Quick, friendly service and very knowledgeable. Highly recommended.”
Read on Google →“Very friendly and replies fast! Definitely recommend!!”
Read on Google →“I needed an emergency locksmith today (Friday) and Magnus from Amco came to the rescue. Absolutely pleasant man very friendly and curteous. Explained everything including cost upfront. Completed the job professionally. Will definitely recommend Amco Locksmiths and Magnus anytime.”
Read on Google →Straight answers
Do I need to buy the deadbolt myself?
No. On this job we supplied the deadbolt and fitted it, choosing one to suit the handles on the door. Tell us about the door and the handles when you ring, or send a photo, and we’ll bring a deadbolt that suits them.
Can you fit a deadbolt to any garage door with handles?
On most timber doors, yes. Other hinged doors depend on what the door is made of and how it is built. Send a photo of the door edge and the handle, and we’ll tell you before we come out whether a deadbolt will go on.
Can you match a deadbolt to the handles on my other doors too?
Ask us. On this garage door we matched the new deadbolt to suit the handles the customer already had. Send a photo of the handles on the door you have in mind, and we’ll tell you what suits them before we bring anything out.
How will I know what it costs before you start?
Amco agrees the price with you before we start the work, so there is no surprise on the day. After hours work costs more than business hours, and you will know the price for it before we begin, the same as any other job.
The figures for common jobs are in our locksmith cost guide.
I've just moved in. Should the garage door be on my list?
It’s worth looking at. Our customer had just moved into a new house when she asked for a deadbolt on her garage door. When you work through the doors in a new home, include the garage door, not only the front and back doors.
Our guide on moving house and the locks covers the rest of that list.