Totally get the struggle with mixing old and new hardware. My front door’s got this gorgeous antique knob, and I just couldn’t bring myself to swap it for a keypad. Ended up mounting the smart lock on the back door instead—less visible, still convenient. And yeah, I’ve definitely forgotten where I hid my spare key more than once... feels like a rite of passage with these old houses.
I totally get wanting to keep the old hardware—some of those antique knobs just have way more character than anything new. When I did my place, I actually tried to retrofit a smart lock behind the original plate, but it was a pain and didn’t look right. Ended up doing something similar and put the tech on a side door. Curious—did you have any trouble with the door alignment or thickness when installing the smart lock? Some of these old doors are way chunkier than modern ones...
Yeah, those old doors can be a real headache with modern hardware. When I put a smart lock on my 1920s front door, the thickness was actually too much for the screws that came in the kit—ended up making a run to the hardware store for longer ones. Also had to chisel out a bit more room for the deadbolt mechanism since the mortise was just a hair too tight. Wasn’t impossible, but definitely not as plug-and-play as they make it sound. Worth it in the end, though—no more digging for keys in the rain.
That’s interesting—my door’s from the 50s and I ran into a similar thing with the screws.
Did you notice any drafts or insulation issues after chiseling out more space? I’m always worried about making the door less weather-tight.“ended up making a run to the hardware store for longer ones”
Did you notice any drafts or insulation issues after chiseling out more space? I’m always worried about making the door less weather-tight.
- Totally get the concern. I was paranoid about drafts too.
- After chiseling, I did a quick test with a candle—no flicker, so no major air leaks.
- Added some weatherstripping just in case. It’s cheap insurance.
- Honestly, the old wood swelled a bit after a rainy week, so it’s probably tighter now than before. Go figure...
- If you’re worried, a bead of caulk around the strike plate area can help. Not pretty, but it works.
