Installing a Deadbolt – Part 2

Part 1 left off with my successfully installing the deadbolt hardware into our master bedroom door, which leads out to the deck:

The next day I figured it would be a piece of cake to drill the hole in the door frame for the deadbolt to slide into.  I measured where the hole should be only to realize it needed to be over about a half inch and up a little.  I used the small hole saw that came with the deadbolt kit:

At first it worked great.  But then the hole saw stopped and wouldn’t go any further.  What the hell?  I then dug out a spade bit [which I NOW realize is what people use to correctly drill holes in door frames…]:

It also stopped dead, although it allowed me to see the problem.  A nail:

What are the odds that a door frame nail would be exactly where I needed my deadbolt hole to be???  I was trying to figure out the best way to work around it when hubby suggested drilling into the front of the door frame and seeing if I could pull out the nail.  Genius!  Wood filler and paint took care of the hole:

       

Here’s the offender – notice [1] how LONG it freak’n is, and [2] the chop marks from my saw bits:

With the nail removed I was able to finish drilling the deadbolt hole.  After some more measuring I realized my original placement was the correct one… GAWD, is nothing ever easy?!?  I chiseled the hole wider:

Then chiseled out a space for the metal plate to sit.  I used Scotch tape to secure the plate to the door frame about 1,000 times before getting it right:

       

After screwing the plate in and confirming the deadbolt slid home, I removed the plate and filled the voids with LOTS of wood filler.  After it dried I used my utility knife to fine tune it:

       

Finally it was ready for the plate again:

       

Since then I have used more wood filler to continue dressing it up.  And painted the area.  It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough.  I can’t remember why I ended up using so many different types of screws:

       

The bedroom door now has a deadbolt which slides home like butter:

       

Front & back:

       

One of my pet peeves is deadbolts you can’t close unless you shove or pull on the door.  I am happy to report that all FIVE deadbolts in our house slide home like butter, while the door is closed, without needing to push or pull 😊