Not all doors are fitted with locks, interior doors which are not designed to be locked for example, other times it may be that the lock does not work properly. There are ways to “lock” such doors, at least in the sense that they cannot be opened from one side until you allow it. In this blog post we bring you some practical ideas as to how you can lock a door without a lock.
Using Wedges to Stop Doors From Being Pushed Open
One way to keep people out is by using some kind of object to act as a wedge placed between the bottom end of the door and the floor. This of course is only an option if your door opens inwards so that it must be pushed open from outside.
- Use door wedges you can buy designed to be used in order to keep doors from being pushed open any further than you wish them to be, you can use such wedges to lock a door shut from inside.
- If you need to, you can improvise and use the ends of shoes, coins or even clothing as wedges.
Chair Against the Back of the Door Technique
It is something you see in movies but it really does work.
- Take a sturdy enough chair, place the top end of it under the door handle and two of its legs firmly on the floor. It will then act as a diagonal beam holding the door in place.
- Make sure the chair is firmly in position and will not budge an inch.
Removing Door Handles
Many doors have handles which allow the door to be opened only when they are pushed down or twisted.
- Remove the handles to make it harder for others to open the door.
- Since you have the dismantled handles at your disposal you will be able to work the door easily when you want to open or close it.
Add On Locks
There are a multitude of add on locks and latches you can fit onto a door which does not have a lock and thus turn it into one which you can firmly lock from one end. Some such products need no installation, others are quite easy to install. Make sure you choose an add on door lock or latch that will fit onto your door and door frame.
Barricading a Door
If you want to barricade a door shut you can simply position heavy objects, such as cupboards, behind it. Another common way to barricade doors is by securing a wooden beam across the door with both its ends secured (by nails for instance) to the door frame, wall or a piece of heavy, unmovable furniture.
From the tips we brought it becomes apparent that doors without locks can quite easily be kept from being pushed open. It is much more difficult to keep one from being pulled open, if this is what you need to do you should opt for a long term solution such as fitting the door with an add on lock or, better still, replacing the door with one that is designed to be locked.
