Finally switched to keyless entry and here's what I noticed

Totally get what you mean about those old doors - sometimes it feels like every “universal” lock is made for post-1950s houses. I’ve seen a few of the eco-friendly smart locks, but honestly, I’m a bit skeptical about how much greener they really are. They still use batteries, right? On the insulation front, as long as your retrofit isn’t leaving gaps around the lock, you should be fine. It’s always a balance with these older homes... nothing’s ever quite standard!

I hear you on the battery thing - my “eco-friendly” lock still chews through AAs faster than I expected. Honestly, I’m not convinced it’s any greener than a regular deadbolt, but at least I’m not losing keys every other week now. My door’s from the 1920s and nothing lined up right… had to chisel out a bit just to get the plate flush. Didn’t notice any drafts, though, so fingers crossed it stays that way. These old houses really do keep you guessing.

That’s a common issue with older doors - nothing’s ever quite square, and retrofitting modern hardware can get tricky fast. I’ve seen a few folks try to add weatherstripping after chiseling, just in case, but if you’re not feeling a draft, you might be in the clear. Out of curiosity, did you have to adjust the strike plate or hinges at all, or was it mostly just the lock area giving you trouble? Sometimes those old frames shift over the years and throw everything off...

Sometimes those old frames shift over the years and throw everything off...

That’s exactly what happened with mine - turns out the top hinge was just a hair out of alignment, probably from decades of settling. Had to shim it a bit before the new deadbolt would even think about lining up. Didn’t bother with extra weatherstripping since, like you said, no draft yet, but I’m keeping an eye on it as the seasons change.

That’s a classic issue with older doors - settling just shifts everything out of true over time. I’ve found that sometimes a small hinge tweak makes a world of difference for those new locks. If you ever notice sticking as humidity changes, a quick adjustment usually does the trick. I’d just keep an eye on the paint or finish too; sometimes shimming can leave tiny gaps that show up later.

I’ve found that sometimes a small hinge tweak makes a world of difference for those new locks.

Yeah, I can second that. My 1920s front door needed a shim after the smart lock install, but then the paint line looked off from certain angles - drives me nuts. Humidity’s a real pain too; last summer the door swelled enough that the deadbolt wouldn’t seat. I ended up sanding just a hair off one edge and it’s been better, but it’s always something with these old houses.

I totally get the frustration with old doors and smart locks. When I put in my keyless deadbolt, I thought it’d be a quick swap - nope. The mortise was just a hair too tight, so I had to chisel it out a bit, and then the strike plate didn’t line up right because the door frame’s not square (thanks, 1935 construction). Ended up fiddling with the hinges and adding a thin cardboard shim behind one, which helped, but now the door sits ever so slightly crooked. Drives me a little nuts if I stare at it too long.

Humidity’s brutal here too. In July, the lock sometimes sticks unless I pull the door hard while turning. I keep thinking about planing the edge, but I’m worried I’ll take off too much and end up with a draft in winter. It’s like a never-ending balancing act - fix one thing and something else pops up. Old houses definitely keep you on your toes...

“I keep thinking about planing the edge, but I’m worried I’ll take off too much and end up with a draft in winter. It’s like a never-ending balancing act - fix one thing and something else pops up.”

That’s the classic old house struggle - nothing’s ever quite square or plumb, and every fix seems to create a new quirk. Here’s a few things I’ve seen work in similar situations:

- Before planing, try tightening the screws on the top hinge or swapping them for longer ones that bite into the framing. Sometimes that’ll pull the door just enough to help with sticking.
- If you do end up planing, take off the bare minimum - like, a hair at a time. Mark where it sticks with chalk or lipstick so you’re only shaving what’s needed.
- For drafts, weatherstripping is your friend. Even if you have to plane a bit, you can usually close up any gap with a good adhesive strip.
- Humidity’s always going to mess with old wood. A dehumidifier near the entryway in summer can help a surprising amount.

Honestly, I’ve seen doors that look a little crooked but work perfectly. Sometimes it’s better to live with a bit of “character” than chase perfect lines and end up with bigger headaches.

Honestly, you nailed it with the “never-ending balancing act” bit. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit - fix one thing, and suddenly you’re dealing with a door that sticks in July and lets in a breeze come January. It’s like these old houses have a sense of humor.

I’ll say this: you’re not overthinking it. Being cautious about planing is smart, especially if you live somewhere with real winters. I’ve seen folks get aggressive with the hand plane, only to regret it when the cold air starts sneaking in around the edges. The chalk trick is underrated, by the way - makes it so much easier to see exactly where you need to shave a bit.

I’m a big fan of weatherstripping, too. Even if you end up with a slightly bigger gap than you’d like, a decent adhesive strip can save you from drafts without making the door impossible to close. It’s not always pretty, but it works.

One thing I’d add: don’t underestimate how much those hinge screws matter. I swapped mine for 3-inchers last year and it pulled the door back into alignment way more than I expected. Sometimes it’s the little tweaks that make the biggest difference.

And honestly, a door with a little “character” isn’t the end of the world. Perfectly square doors are overrated - half the time, nobody but you will notice if it’s off by a hair. If it opens, closes, and keeps most of the weather out, that’s a win in my book.

You’re doing all the right things by thinking it through before taking tools to wood. That kind of attention to detail is what keeps these old places feeling solid instead of falling apart at the seams.

Totally relate to the “character” comment - seems like every old door has its own quirks. I was nervous about planing too, but taking it slow made a difference. Your attention to detail is spot on and honestly, that’s what keeps things working in the long run. Don’t stress the small stuff - if it functions, you’re ahead of the game.

I get the whole “if it works, it works” thing, but sometimes those little quirks drive me nuts - especially when you’re trying to blend old charm with new tech like keyless entry. Ever find that the smallest misalignment makes the fancy lock act up? I’m all for character, but I’m not sure I’d call a sticky door “low stress.”

Ever find that the smallest misalignment makes the fancy lock act up?

Oh man, every single time. I swapped out a 1920s knob for a smart lock once and spent an hour just fiddling with the strike plate. Turns out, even a millimeter off and you’re punching in codes for nothing. Sometimes “character” just means more headaches...

Honestly, I get what you mean about the “character” of old doors, but I’ve actually had fewer headaches with my smart lock than the old mortise setup. Maybe I just got lucky with the install? The trick for me was shimming the hinges a bit instead of fighting the strike plate forever. Ever tried that route? Sometimes it’s not the lock, it’s the whole door frame doing its own thing...

Shimming the hinges made a bigger difference for me than I expected, honestly. I used to keep blaming the lock, but once I got the door plumb again, even my old sticky deadbolt started working better. Did you notice any issues with the smart lock battery life after adjusting the door? Mine was draining fast until I fixed the alignment. Weird how much the door frame can mess with things.

Weird how much the door frame can mess with things.

Right? I used to think my smart lock was haunted or something - battery would die every couple weeks, and I’d be cursing at it in the driveway. Turns out, the door was just slightly off and the poor thing was fighting for its life every time I locked up. Once I shimmed the hinges, battery life doubled. Who knew a crooked door could be such a diva?

Had a similar situation here - my latch was just a smidge off and the lock motor was grinding every time. Once I adjusted the strike plate, it was smooth sailing. Makes me wonder how many folks blame the tech when it’s really just the door being stubborn. Did you have any trouble with the weather stripping after shimming the hinges? Sometimes mine gets all bunched up and I have to readjust.

Funny you mention the weather stripping - I've actually had the opposite experience after shimming hinges. In my case, the weather stripping seemed to fit better, almost like the door finally lined up the way it was supposed to. Maybe it's just luck or the type of stripping? I do wonder if sometimes folks over-adjust and that throws everything else out of whack.

I get what you mean about blaming the tech, though. People forget how much a slightly warped door or a misaligned frame can mess with these new locks. Have you ever tried swapping out the weather stripping for a slimmer profile? Sometimes the original stuff is just too bulky, especially after any adjustments. Curious if that's made a difference for anyone else, or if it's just me being picky about how the door closes...

I’ve run into this a few times in my rentals - sometimes after shimming, the weather stripping actually seals better, but other times it bunches up and the door feels sticky. Swapping to a thinner strip helped once, but honestly, sometimes it’s just trial and error. Doors are weird like that...

sometimes after shimming, the weather stripping actually seals better, but other times it bunches up and the door feels sticky.

Totally get this. My old front door is a beast - nothing’s square, so swapping to keyless was a project. Ended up using three different types of weather stripping before it finally stopped dragging. Sometimes I think these old doors just want to keep us guessing... trial and error is the name of the game.

Ended up using three different types of weather stripping before it finally stopped dragging.

That trial and error is so real. Sometimes I’ll layer thinner foam strips in tricky spots, then use a silicone bulb seal just where the draft sneaks in. Ever tried adjusting the strike plate too? Sometimes that tiny tweak makes everything line up smoother.