Stuck door latch?
- Thread starter Ian H
- Start date
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have you tried taking off the handle?
does the square spindle turn the socket in the latch? If the socket turns but doesn't withdraw the latch it must be broken inside. Sometimes, with wear, they will withdraw but not quite all the way so they still bear on the staple. You may get a bit more movement on the spindle if you unfix the handle.
if you can pass a knife blade under the door he may be able to press the tongue of the bolt back.
otherwise, a big lad like you will have to kick it down. Put a board against the edge of the door and hit that, probably the doorframe will split off and be fairly easy to repair. A door will cost more.
does the square spindle turn the socket in the latch? If the socket turns but doesn't withdraw the latch it must be broken inside. Sometimes, with wear, they will withdraw but not quite all the way so they still bear on the staple. You may get a bit more movement on the spindle if you unfix the handle.
if you can pass a knife blade under the door he may be able to press the tongue of the bolt back.
otherwise, a big lad like you will have to kick it down. Put a board against the edge of the door and hit that, probably the doorframe will split off and be fairly easy to repair. A door will cost more.
I’ve rescued the poor little guy now, he’s 16 and had the internet so could have lasted a week or 2.
I took the handles off and the spindle didn’t turn. The square to round bit inside the door was fractured but I might have done that by forcing it when the handle was on.
I knocked the rest of that out with a screwdriver then I think it opened when I pushed these tabs back:
I have the same latches on all the rooms in the house so would like to know why it failed. Only thing I did different to the instructions was to use a 25mm flat bit rather than a 25.4mm but I can’t imagine that making much of a difference.
This is what it looks like now:
The hole:
And the instructions:
I took the handles off and the spindle didn’t turn. The square to round bit inside the door was fractured but I might have done that by forcing it when the handle was on.
I knocked the rest of that out with a screwdriver then I think it opened when I pushed these tabs back:
I have the same latches on all the rooms in the house so would like to know why it failed. Only thing I did different to the instructions was to use a 25mm flat bit rather than a 25.4mm but I can’t imagine that making much of a difference.
This is what it looks like now:
The hole:
And the instructions:
If the hole is not quite large enough ( latch bonds slightly)a cheap latch will damage slightly with each use until it fails.
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these yellow-cased Altro are a bit more expensive, but seem strong. They have a nice snap to them
https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search?SearchText=tubular latch&fl=brand:altro
they make a matching bathroom bolt too.
https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/search?SearchText=tubular latch&fl=brand:altro
they make a matching bathroom bolt too.
There are some which are tube shaped and require nothing but a drill to install .
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