How to Lock Your Door Without a Lock — 7 Ways

Do you want to keep a door locked even though there isn’t a lock on it? Don’t be alarmed; it’s definitely possible! Several simple methods exist for doing this. Use a door wedge, tie the handles, take the handle off completely, barricade the door, or purchase a portable door lock as alternatives to using a lock to lock a door. Consider installing a door lock (typically $50–200) if you require a longer-term fix. Each of those options can be effective, and when two or more are combined, they perform even better. You probably already know about the concept of blocking off doors and wedge-bolting them shut. However, these seem like concepts that, with the right amount of pressure, could be easily subverted. So, are you prepared to see how these concepts can be turned into reliable techniques that will safeguard your home? Be sure to read the expanded door locking guide below after that!

7 Ways to Lock Your Door Without a Lock

1. Barricade

Making a barricade is possibly the simplest way to secure your door without a lock. For those who don’t know, a barricade is an unplanned obstruction intended to stop motion.

Let’s consider the situation where you feel unsafe while sleeping in a strange place. You can now arrange anything you like in front of the door. It’s crucial to keep in mind that this only functions if the door swings inward, which is probably the case since doors almost always open into a room.

Any heavy object would be the obvious choice in this case, such as a dresser. It would take a lot of force to move it if someone tried to get inside. The alternative is to locate something loud if you don’t have anything heavy.

You could, for instance, set up a side table or your luggage next to the door with cutlery and glasses on top. If someone tried to enter, there would be a loud crash that would wake you up and send the intruder fleeing.

2. Doorstop Or Wedge

A doorstop or wedge is among the simplest ways to stop a door from moving. This must be positioned on the door’s swing-in side, just like the barricade was.

There are usually a number of things you can use in its place if you don’t have a specially designed wedge on hand. For instance, you can typically create a homemade wedge out of paper or card and make sure to ram it into the door gap as firmly as you can.

If the bottom gap is quite large, another example of something you could use is a shoe. The fact that shoes are typically thinner in the front than the back makes them ideal for wedges.

3. Remove the Handle Spindle

This usually only works for interior doors because exterior doors have handles that are more secure, but it is a great way to keep people from being able to get inside.

Most doors will have a handle on either side, with a spindle (a squared bar) connecting them. Through the latch assembly, that spindle passes. You can open the door by turning the handle, which causes the spindle to turn and pull in the latch.

In a pinch, you should be able to do it with a knife, but you can remove the door handle with a screwdriver easily. After removing the spindle, remove the door handle. Because of this, the exterior door handle is completely useless.

It’s important to note that this also means you can’t exit the door until you reattach the spindle and handle.

4. Wrap the Overhead Hinge Or Handle

Many commercial buildings will have an overhead fire door closure system. By doing this, it is made sure that the door cannot be left open unless something is preventing it. The scissor-style hinges above the door open and close.

When they are shut, you can wrap something around these. A belt is also a good option, but this could also be a long piece of fabric like a scarf. No one will be able to open it from the outside, so make it as tight as you can. Be aware that you won’t be able to open it either, just like with the method described above.

Another approach is to tie up the door handle with a scarf, belt, or something comparable. If the door has a coat hook, this works well. For instance, you can wrap your belt around the handle and coat hook. The handle won’t move if someone tries to turn it that way.

5. a Bent Fork

This one can be done without using any tools; it just takes a little bit of strength and possibly something to bend the fork, like pliers. The fork needs to be split in half first, as close to the head as you can get.

The tines must be bent in at a 90-degree angle with the fork’s top quarter inch. You want it to cling to the opening where the latch fits. Shape your fork accordingly to fit your latch hole and door size.

When the fork is bent, you can slide the door closed by securing it to the hole. The fork handle is then inserted through the tines. In the event that the door is attempted to be opened, this prevents the forkhead from coming loose.

The lock isn’t the strongest, but in a pinch it works surprisingly well. If you don’t have any tools on hand, you can usually accomplish this task by using some patience and a hard, blunt object to bend the tines.

6. Wedge a Chair

Our final temporary fix and a tried-and-true method for keeping that door closed is this. This is a straightforward procedure. As tightly as you can, you wedge the chair’s back into the handle.

On inward swinging doors, this will function because the chair will be pressed into the ground when the door is opened from the outside. This works best on carpeted surfaces because if the chair is not secured tightly enough, it may slide.

A chair can also be utilized for an exterior swinging door. This frequently doesn’t work with conventional chairs that have large wooden legs, but it can be ideal for steel chairs. It’s best to experiment with the various chairs you have.

It’s a straightforward process here. The chair leg, which is typically the back leg, should be passed under the handle while the front leg or back of the chair should extend beyond the door frame.

When someone from the outside attempts to open the door, not only will the handle be jammed, but even if they can turn it, they won’t be able to do so because the chair is stuck on the other side of the door.

7. Barricade Bar

Here, we’ll look at ways to secure your door without a lock that involve purchasing and installing something. A barricade bar is the first remedy we’ll examine. This is not only a great substitute for a lock, but it can also be a fantastic addition to a lock.

They won’t be able to get past a barricade bar if you don’t have a lock or if your lock is picked. This is a sturdy metal bar that spans your door and is secured to two fixed points on either side, as you have probably guessed.

It requires proper installation, but it can usually be done with just a few screws. This is great for those looking for a highly effective long-term solution, but it’s not the best option if you’re in an emergency.

Conclusion

It definitely takes a bit of ingenuity to lock a door without a lock. But as you have probably seen, it’s not impossible. I hope the information above has provided you with some useful tips on how to lock your door without a lock.

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