# Damaged Deadbolt in Steel Door - Options?



## bodean (Aug 21, 2020)

I have a steel door that goes from my garage to my backyard. I have a Yale Smart Lock (Deadbolt) in it, and yesterday the deadbolt was extended while the door was open, gust of wind caught the door, and slammed it closed, damaging the Yale Deadbolt/Housing (making it extremely difficult to lock the deadbolt now). My question is, do I need a whole new door? Or am I ok with just replacing the deadbolt? You will notice a crack which seems to be wood, and the outside shell of the door is Steel and seems undamaged.
Door in question is https://schillings.com/products/windows-and-doors/exterior-doors/steel-doors/36x80-2-panel-square-right-hand-double-bore-4-9-16-jamb-prehung-steel-door/


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Those have relatively long screws holding them in I think it would be fine. You could try bending the deadbolt housing back with a vice or with a hammer. If it doesn't work there's no harm because you were going to replace it anyways.


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## dicko1 (Oct 25, 2019)

First, I would totally remove the deadbolt. Take it off the door and inspect it looking for bent parts that prevent it from working. Most likely, its binding due to distortion of the wood core of the door and not due to any broken lock parts.

Once its removed and you can better see the damage to the wood core, I would take some wood glue and water it down so its good and runny and get it worked into all the cracks. Use a putty knife or something similar to spread the cracks open so the glue can penetrate deeply. Then, with wood blocks on each side of the door, use a couple C clamps and squeeze everything tight until glue is running out of the cracks and the door is more or less pressed back into shape. Wipe up the excess glue with a wet rag and wait a few days to dry.

Then reinstall the same lock or a new one.

In all honesty, the door will be weakest at the repair and you need to ask yourself if you can live with a compromised door that can now be relatively easily kicked open. It might be time to bite the bullet and just replace the door and lock.


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## bodean (Aug 21, 2020)

The door doesn't look compromised after I took the deadbolt out. I was thinking of just using some caulk(Alex Painter's 10.1 oz. White All-Purpose Acrylic Latex Caulk) for the cracks in the wood then maybe a few ring shank nails 
and install a new deadbolt. Again the outside portion of the door is steel so it seems the durability isn't really compromised. Thanks for the replies.
I will have a general contractor neighbor look at it to ensure its not compromised, but from the looks of it, it is not.
Appreciate the replies


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## tommyboy (Aug 20, 2019)

Something like this?


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