PVC lock help

[samaudio]

Hello, apologies if this is a very basic question...

Our front door is a standard pvc with multi point lock.
When you close it it doesn’t automatically lock but you lock it manually with a thumb turn from inside or key from outside.

I’d like to replace the lock with one that locks as soon as it’s shut (like how a standard Yale lock does). I can’t seem to find these, and I’m not sure what they are called..

Can anyone help?
Thanks

 

[crank39]

Yes the general term is a slam lock but my supplier calls them AV and have fitted one to my composite door

Mines a 'winkhaus' make but I'm sure there's others

https://www.locksonline.co.uk/Winkhaus-AV2-Automatic-Locking-2-Hook-Multipoint-Lock-Series.html

It will entail a complete mechanism swap though including frame strikers as well, the new mech might have the hooks in a different location so the strikers will need to be repositioned leaving holes where the originals were, new holes will need routing in the frame to accommodate the hooks, pvc door frames are generally steel reinforced so routing will be slow and time consuming, its a job best left to a service engineer, I'd imagine a few hours(3) work

 

[samaudio]

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful.

Sounds like quite a big job, I was hoping to do it myself but I guess not?!

 

[rsgaz]

Would a split spindle achieve what you wanted?

With a split spindle, when you pull the door closed, pressing down on the handle on the outside does nothing.
So if you were going out somewhere, you'd still want to pull up the handle and use the key to lock it properly (and overnight inside with the thumbturn). But for general daytime use, no-one can just open the door from the outside.

 

[samaudio]

Many thanks, I really appreciate your advice. that might just solve the problem very easily and cheaply! I’ll look into it.

 

[crank39]

That will work but only if you have a split follower mechanism

 

[samaudio]

That will work but only if you have a split follower mechanism

Thanks, but I’m not sure what that is, could you explain what a split follower mechanism is?

 

[crank39]

Ok so if you take your handles off(2 screws)and pull the spindle out, take a look at the square hole where the spindle went through, if its a split follower it should resemble something like my crude drawing below....

Basically by having this in two halves you can use a split spindle like rsgaz suggested which means the inner and outer handle operate independently of each other, the inner handle works as normal, lift to engage locks, down to release including retracting the latch, outer handle is slightly different in that it also engages locks when lifting and retracts when pushing down BUT it doesn't retract the latch, for this you need to turn the key just like opening a Yale lock, this set up is commonly known as a lever/pad set up, i.e. lever handle inside and pad handle outside

 

[Notch7]

Its annoying when front doors are lever lever.

 

[crank39]

It's a shortcoming of a pvc door unfortunately, i think lever pad was always an option but not many people have it that way and have learned to live with a lever lever set up, this new slam lock I have will get me into all sorts of trouble, me thinks it' time to plant a key outside somewhere lol!

 

[Doggit]

Now I've only come across a split level handle setup on front doors, so is it possible to convert a back door scenario (where the door doesn't lock behind you) to split leveler system, so that it does.

 

[samaudio]

Great, really helpful. Thanks a lot for that explanation. I’ll check it out today.