How to Cut a Door Lock Into a Door

Choose a location 4 to 12 inches above the door knob for the placement of the lock. Place a square across the interior face of the door at this location and draw a line perpendicular to the edge of the door. Place the square across the end of the door. Continue the line across the end of the door.

Adjust the backset on a door lock template to match the backset of the lock you are installing. Note that the backset is the distance from the center of the lock cylinder to the edge of the door and usually is either 2 3/8 inches or 2 ¾ inches.

Push the door lock template over the edge of the door. Line up the alignment marks on the template with the lines you drew on the door. Drill a shallow, 1/8-inch pilot hole through each of the two screw holes in the end of the template and into the door. Drive in the two retaining screws into the holes in the template and tighten them with a Phillips screwdriver, securing the template to the door.

Insert a 2 1/8-inch hole saw into a power drill. Center the saw over the large hole in the template and start the drill. Bore through the face of the door using the template as a guide. Turn off the when the pilot bit of the saw protrudes through the opposite door face. Remove the saw from the hole and center it over the large hole in the template on the opposite side of the door. Bore through the remaining thickness of the door. Remove the saw from the door.

Remove the hole saw from the drill and install a 1-inch spade bit. Use the template as a guide and bore through the small hole in the end of the door. Continue boring through the door until the hole connects with the larger hole drilled through the face of the door. Remove the drill from the door.

Remove the screws from the template in the end of the door. Slide the template off the door.