How to Replace an Old Kitchen Cabinet Lock

Kitchen cabinet locks that no longer function can be replaced.

If you have a kitchen cabinet with a lock that doesn't open or lock properly and is frozen in place, you can replace the lock without having to call a locksmith or replace the cabinet door. This is project doesn't require extensive lock-picking or carpentry experience to complete. With a few common tools and a replacement cabinet lock, you can have a new lock in a snap.

Things You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Drill
• Metal bit
• Needle-nose pliers
• Tweezers
• Cabinet lock

Instructions

1. Put on safety glasses and insert a metal bit into a drill. Tighten down the chuck.

2. Drill directly through the keyhole in the cabinet lock, pushing the bit through the cylinder to free the old lock. This will allow the cabinet to open if it was previously locked shut.

3. Grasp the C-shaped retaining ring around the back of the lock, using needle-nose pliers to pull it off the lock. If the pliers are too large, use tweezers. The cabinet lock should now be free to pull out of the cabinet door.

4. Insert the key into the new replacement cabinet lock and turn to the unlocked position. Insert the new lock into the cabinet door.

5. Fit the C-shaped retaining ring over the back of the new cabinet lock. Snap it into place so it sits in the same position as on the old lock.

6. Close the kitchen cabinet door and test the lock by locking and unlocking with the key.

References

• "Locksmithing: From Apprentice to Master"; Joseph E. Rathjen; 1994
• "Care & Repair of Furniture"; Albert Jackson, et al.; 1995