How to Attach a Padlock to a Door

Remove the deadbolt from the door by unscrewing the screws, normally two, that are holding it in place, in order to create a hole for the padlock hasp. Alternatively, you can drill a 2 1/8-inch hole in the door with a keyhole saw in the location where you want the padlock.

Put the bolt through the bolt hole in the hasp. Slide one of the cover plates over the bolt, all the way up until it touches the hasp.

Set the hasp in place so the cover plate is over the hole in the outside of the door, and the bolt goes all the way through. The head of the bolt should be on the outside and the threaded end of the bolt should be on the inside of the door.

Place the second cover plate on the bolt. Adjust it so it sits directly over the hole in the door, on the inside. Thread the nut onto the bolt and tighten it so it holds the hasp as well as the outer and inner hole cover plates in position. The fit should be snug, so there is no wobble in the hasp or cover plates.

Fold the hasp over the bolt, so the bolt is completely covered. The hasp should snap securely in place.

Attach the padlock staple to the door frame. Use the hasp as a placement guide. Screw all the staple screws down tightly. When the hasp is in place, it covers the screws so they cannot be removed when the lock is engaged.

Close the door and fit the slot of the hasp over the padlock staple. Slide the padlock through the hole in the staple and lock it in place to complete the task.