What kind of lock should I put on my front door?
For most Toronto homes, the answer is a deadbolt plus a knob or lever for the latch. The deadbolt does the security work. The knob or lever just keeps the door closed. Here's how the common setups compare:
| Setup | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Deadbolt + knob or lever | Two separate locks, each with its own hole | Most front, side and back doors. Easy to replace parts later. |
| Handleset | A decorative outside grip with a thumb latch, linked to a deadbolt above it | Front doors where looks matter. Spacing between the two holes is usually 5-1/2 inches. |
| Mortise lock | One box-shaped lock set into the door edge, with handle and bolt together | Older and heritage homes. Often worth keeping and servicing. |
| Keyed lever only | A lever with a key, no deadbolt | Interior doors like a home office or a room in a shared house, not exterior doors. |
If you want to skip keys altogether, see smart lock installation. The door prep is mostly the same.
What do ANSI/BHMA Grade 1, 2 and 3 mean on a lock?
ANSI/BHMA grades come from standard tests for strength and wear. They tell you how much abuse a lock can take. Grade 1 is the toughest. Grade 3 is the most basic.
| Grade | In plain terms | Where it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Built to commercial standards. Heaviest parts, strongest against force, longest lasting. | Front and side doors, rentals with lots of tenant turnover, doors that were forced before |
| Grade 2 | Solid residential quality. Holds up well to daily use. | Most house and condo doors |
| Grade 3 | Entry level. Lighter parts that wear faster. | Low-traffic or interior doors. Not our first choice for an outside door. |
Some newer boxes show a three-letter rating like "AAA" or "BAB" instead. That's BHMA's residential rating for security, durability and finish, in that order. A is best in each.
One thing a grade doesn't tell you is how hard the key is to copy or how well the lock resists picking. For that, look at high-security keys and locks from brands like Medeco, Mul-T-Lock or ASSA.
A Grade 1 deadbolt held in with short screws is still weak. Make sure the strike plate is screwed into the wall framing with long screws, not just the door trim.
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Call (647) 367-8113Can you install a lock on a new door that hasn't been drilled?
Yes. Many doors from big-box stores come pre-bored, but custom, steel and replacement doors often don't. To prep a door we:
- Mark the backset (2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inches) and the height to match your frame
- Drill the 2-1/8 inch face bore and the 1 inch edge bore with a jig so they meet square
- Chisel the edge so the latch and bolt faceplates sit flush
- Cut the strike pockets in the frame and line them up with the bolt and latch
- Test the door from both sides, closed, with every key
Steel and fibreglass doors need different bits and more care than wood, and a steel door with a foam core can't be patched if the hole goes in the wrong place. That's a good reason to have it done once, properly. We also add deadbolts to doors that only ever had a knob, which is common on side doors of older bungalows.
Can all my new locks work with the same key?
Usually, yes. Locks that share a keyway can be keyed alike, so one key opens the front, back, side and garage entry doors. Buying several of the same brand is the easiest way. A Schlage key won't fit a Kwikset lock, so mixing brands usually means swapping cylinders or picking one brand.
If you're keeping some locks and adding others, we can set the new ones to your existing key or rekey the whole set to a new one. Our lock rekeying page explains how that works.
How much does lock installation cost in Toronto?
We confirm the price before we start, and there's no call-out fee. What changes it:
- Whether the door is already drilled or needs full prep
- The number of locks and whether they're keyed alike
- Door material: wood, steel or fibreglass
- Whether you bought the hardware already or want us to quote for supplying it
- Extra work, like moving a strike or fixing an old oversized hole
Whether you're booking residential door lock installation in North York, Scarborough or downtown, the price works the same way.
What happens when you call?
Tell us about the door
House or condo, wood or steel, already drilled or not, and how many locks you want installed.
Pick the hardware
Use a lock you already bought, or we talk through grades and styles and give you a price for supplying one.
Fit and align
We drill or adjust the door, cut the strike pockets and make sure the bolt throws all the way with the door shut.
Key and hand over
We key the locks alike if you want, test each one from both sides and hand you every key.
Page reviewed October 2026 by the LocksmithGT team.