Door Compatibility Guide & Common Terms - Switching to Smart Locks
By igloohome | 2 July 2018
Everyday we speak with customers who wonder if their doors are suitable for smart locks. While you can get the specifications on our website, we thought we'd dive deeper into door compatibility. If you're looking to install an igloohome smart lock, then this post will explain further for clarity.
Here's what we'll cover:
1. Common Door Lock Terms
When you first come into contact with these door lock terms, you might be swarmed with more questions than ever. We'll familiarise you with these terminologies so you know what to look out for prior to your purchase.
'Door thickness'
Term: Door thickness
What we mean: The depth of the door
It is important to check your door thickness to determine which product best suits you. For instance, you may have taken a liking to the Mortise but if your door isn't between 40mm - 60mm, it might be a challenge to install it. Having this measurement will make your selection easier too.
'Clearance from gate'
Term: Clearance from gate
What we mean: The distance of the gap between your main door and metal gate when both are closed.
If you live in Singapore or Asia, you might be familiar with this. Most houses come equipped with a main wooden door and a metal gate. To enter, you'll need to unlock the metal gate right before you unlock the main door to the house.
We require the measurements of the gap to ensure that the product does not come into contact with the gate when both are closed. A suitable distance is confirmed before product installation can commence. You wouldn't want to damage your smart lock every time you close these doors.
'Clearance from door edge'
Term: Clearance from door edge
What we mean: The distance from the edge of the door and the horizontal length of the entire product.
As pointed out in the illustration above, you'll need to have the measurements for both horizontal arrows. Of course, this is dependant on the product you're looking at too.
For illustration purposes, we featured the Mortise, which has a handle that will affect the length of the product as compared to the Deadbolts. This means you'll need to consider where the handle ends to get an accurate measurement of the clearance. Note that you should check for both sides of the door.
Ideally, your door should be of a flat surface as seen in image below:
Should your door have grooves or patterns (pictured below), you can email us with images for us to evaluate the compatibility:
'Clearance for height'
Term: Clearance for height of lock
What we mean: The distance for the full vertical length of the lock.
You'll only be required to provide this measurement to ensure that the clearance area for the lock is unobstructed for a smooth installation.
'Door closer'
Term: Door closer
What we mean: The metal-looking piece that is usually attached from the top of your door frame to the door.
Nowadays, most doors come equipped with door closers. This device essentially helps you close the door automatically after someone has unlocked it. This, however, does not mean that your door is locked.
At igloohome, we require all doors to have a door closer installed prior to your lock installation. Warranty for our products will not be covered should you not have a door closer present during installation. Although this policy is only compulsory in Singapore, a door closer is highly recommended regardless.
The reason is simple: door closers offer a level of control over the force at which the door closes. It cushions the impact of any accidental slamming and prevents damage to the smart locks. It also ensures you of the product's optimal lifespan.
Should you require a door closer, our installers are happy to assist. A fee will be charged and the amount is dependant on what your door needs.
'Bolt assembly'
Term: Bolt assembly
What we mean: A metal piece that is placed in the door after drilling (as shown above).
The bolt assembly helps hold the lock in place. Most doors follow industry standards and require a 60mm bolt assembly. In cases where holes have been drilled in your door prior to your igloohome installation, a 70mm bolt assembly may be required.
2. Types of lock mechanisms
After you've cleared the measurements for the different requirements, it's good to take a look at your current lock mechanism. Not all doors are made the same. The chart below may help you better identify which lock mechanism you're currently using:
Existing mortise lock
A mortise lock basically needs a rectangular pocket to be cut into the door for the lock cassette to fit in.
Existing deadbolt lock
A deadbolt lock, on the other hand, is usually installed on the door separately from the door handle.
Existing roller mortise lock (long handlebar)
A roller mortise lock can most often be found on condominium doors. These doors come pre-installed with handlebars that run vertically down.
We've covered the basics of door locks previously too. For more information, simply read this post.
3. Door types
All igloohome products are compatible with wooden doors. We'll be taking a look at some of the most common ones in Singapore:
Single Leaf Wooden Door
Photo Credit: Joanne Chong
These doors are most commonly found in HDB flats and apartments. The single leaf wooden door is largely used as the main door for most Singaporean households. They are single panels that fill the entire doorway.
Double Leaf Wooden Door
Photo credit: Locknsafe
Another common type of door is the double leaf wooden door. You'll notice that there is another panel instead of a single one that fills the doorway. It's not just the additional panel that makes the difference, you'll have to look at the door from a closer angle:
Photo Credit: YingVannie
Notice the lip on the vertical edge that juts out? Double leaf doors tend to have this gap for the doors to close properly. During installation, a rebater will be required to fill the gap and even out the door edge. This is for placement of the bolt assembly and the securing of the strike plate.
If you reside in Singapore, no additional fee will be charged should you need to install your igloohome smart lock on such doors.
Currently, our products are not compatible with glass and sliding doors. If you wish to install a smart lock on your HDB metal gate or any other door type, feel free to contact us for more information.
4. Door Compatibility & Product Specifications: Mortise
In this section, we'll touch on the Mortise.
To determine if your door is compatible, follow these steps:
a) Measure door thickness
As illustrated, your door will need to be between 40mm - 60mm.
b) Determine clearance from gate
Clearance from door to metal gate should be more than 70mm.
c) Determine clearance from door edge
Clearance from the edge of the door should be at least 190mm till the end of the handle of the Mortise.
Also, note that the door edge to the end of the Mortise body should be 110mm.
d) Determine clearance for height of lock
The Mortise will need a clearance of 305mm or more for its height.
The entire area must be completely flat and unobstructed on both sides of the door when you are measuring for these requirements.
The Mortise will replace your existing lock mechanism. Here's a comparison chart to give you a better idea of what your door might look like before and after the installation:
If you have an existing long handlebar on your door, you'll be required to remove it. The Mortise is not recommended in this case as both handles will interfere with each other.
One last thing to note is that left- or right-hand installation does not matter. The Mortise's handle can be tweaked to suit your needs.
5. Door Compatibility & Product Specifications: Deadbolt 2S Metal Grey
If you've decided to get an add-on to your door, the Deadbolts are your best choices. While all the Deadbolts share similarities, there are some disparities in measurements.
The Deadbolt 2S Metal Grey should comply with these specifications:
a) Measure door thickness
Before installation check that your door has a thickness of between 35mm to 60mm.
b) Determine clearance from gate
Gate clearance distance should be a minimum of 30mm, much lesser as compared to the Mortise. This is because the Deadbolts do not have a handle and will be sitting above your existing one on the door
c) Determine clearance from door edge
If you're installing on a new door with no existing holes drilled, ensure you have at least 110mm from the door edge.
If you're replacing an existing deadbolt lock, measure the edge of the door to the middle of the keyhole. If the existing bolt assembly is 60mm, you'll need 110mm from the door edge. If you measured 70mm, then you'll require 120mm of clearance.
The point of contact for the external battery is illustrated in the image above, located at the very end of the lock.
The Deadbolt 2S Metal Grey will either replace your existing deadbolt lock or sit above an existing mortise set as it does not have a handle attached. Here's what your door should look like before and after installation:
6. Door Compatibility & Product Specifications: Retrofit Lock
We understand that there are some who don't want to drastically change their doors. The solution is a retrofit lock, designed to fit over existing hardware to eliminate the need to drill or alter your door.
Your existing lockset should comply with these requirements:
a) Euro cylinder lock
These cylinders can be unlocked via keys from the outside, and thumb turns or keys from the inside.
If yours is key-operated, then it should be able to accept having both keys in the cylinder at the same time.
Key and thumb turn dimensions
They should comply with these measurements.
b) Handle located above the lock cylinder
c) Backset clearance of 32mm and above
d) Door swings inwards
You can also do this quick compatibility quiz to see if your lockset works with the Retrofit Lock.
This is what your door should look like after installation:
We encourage all customers to refer to this guide when checking for door compatibility. However, this list is not exhaustive. Should you not find your queries answered, feel free to write to us via email at info@igloohome.co with images of your door attached.
Disclaimer: This door compatibility guide was written for the Singapore market. Product specifications reflected above apply for all igloohome products purchased from an authorised reseller/distributor and our online store.