An aluminium door lock has to fit a frame that is far thinner than a timber door. The upright stile of an aluminium door is narrow and hollow, so an ordinary lock case simply won't fit: you need a narrow, short backset lock made for that exact profile, and the old lock is your best guide. This page explains narrow stile locks, aluminium door handles with locks, cylinders and shopfront locks, and what they cost. Send one free, no-obligation request and local suppliers and locksmiths quote you directly.
Types of aluminium door lock
- Narrow stile lock case: a slim mortice case with a short backset, taking a euro cylinder. The standard hinged door lock.
- Aluminium door handle with lock: a slim lever pair on narrow backplates, usually sold with the case.
- Hook bolt lock: for sliding doors, where a hook catches the keep.
- Shopfront locks: a deadlock with pull handles, plus flush bolts on the second leaf of a double door.
- Multipoint locks: one handle works bolts at the top, middle and bottom.
Choosing the right aluminium door lock
Everything depends on the profile. Before you shop, measure the backset (stile edge to the centre of the cylinder), the distance between the handle spindle and the cylinder, the forend width and length, and the spindle size. A photo of the old lock and its forend helps a supplier more than a description. Choose whether you want a latch worked by the handle, a key bolt or both. Aluminium itself copes with salt air, but cheap plated steel parts inside the lock rust at the coast, so ask for stainless steel parts there. On a shop or office door that opens all day, pick a heavier handle and a hard-wearing cylinder.
Fitting and common mistakes
Cutting a bigger hole in an aluminium stile weakens it, so the aim is always a lock that fits the existing cut-outs. Mistakes we see:
- Buying a timber door lock with a long backset that can't fit.
- Self-tapping screws stripped from thin aluminium, so the forend works loose.
- A cylinder too long for the slim stile, leaving it exposed to snapping.
- Ignoring a sagging door, which makes the bolt miss the keep. Check hinges first; see lock repairs.
Aluminium door lock prices and what to ask
Replacement aluminium door locks and narrow stile handle sets are listed at hardware stores from about R115 to R570, depending on whether you buy only the lock or a handle set too. Multipoint and shopfront locks cost more. Ask whether the price covers the handles and cylinder, whether the supplier can match an older profile, and whether a locksmith will fit and adjust the door.
What to include in your request
- Say if it is hinged, sliding or a shopfront
- Send a photo of the old lock and forend
- Measure the backset of the old lock
- Say if you need handles and a cylinder
- Ask for stainless parts near the sea
Aluminium Door Locks for different clients
- Homeowners: a narrow stile lock and handles on an aluminium front door or kitchen door
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: matching replacement locks for the aluminium doors fitted across the complex
- Offices, shops and practices: shopfront deadlocks and pull handles on aluminium and glass entrance doors
- Landlords and letting agents: replacement aluminium door locks for worn doors in flats and rented units
- Factories, warehouses and workshops: slim locks on aluminium office and canteen doors at the edge of a plant
- Farms and smallholdings: replacement locks on aluminium doors of the farmhouse, office and cottages
- Schools, clinics, churches and hostels: hard-wearing narrow locks on aluminium doors in clinics and schools
- Builders, shopfitters and contractors: aluminium fabricators and glaziers ordering narrow stile locks for new doors
Frequently asked questions
Why won't a normal door lock fit my aluminium door?
How much does an aluminium door lock cost?
Can I fit an aluminium door handle with lock myself?
Are aluminium door locks secure enough for a front door?
Aluminium Door Locks by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg