What does deadbolt installation in Long Beach actually involve?
A deadbolt is the lock that does the real work on an exterior door. The latch in a standard knob or lever handle is a spring-loaded tongue, and a firm push or a slipped card can often defeat it. A deadbolt uses a solid steel bolt that only moves when you turn a key or a thumbturn. That is why a deadbolt is the first thing most people add or upgrade when they want a door to feel secure.
Installing one is more than fastening a lock to a door. The hole has to be bored to the right size, the bolt has to line up cleanly with the strike in the frame, and the strike has to be anchored into the structure of the house, not just a thin strip of trim. A deadbolt that is slightly out of line will drag, bind, or stop short of fully extending, and it will not do the job you bought it for.
People in Long Beach call us for a handful of different reasons. Some have a door with only a knob lock and want a real deadbolt added. Some have an old deadbolt that sticks, spins, or no longer throws all the way. Some just moved in and want something they know is theirs. Some need a double-cylinder deadbolt because of glass next to the door. Deadbolt installation and deadbolt replacement are different jobs, so the first thing we ask is which one you are facing.
If your existing deadbolt works fine and you only worry about who has keys, you may not need a new lock at all. Rekeying the lock changes what key operates it and is usually the more economical route. We will tell you that on the phone if it fits your situation.
Single-cylinder or double-cylinder: which deadbolt do you need?
The difference is on the inside of the door. A single-cylinder deadbolt takes a key outside and has a thumbturn inside. A double-cylinder deadbolt takes a key on both sides. Both throw the same kind of bolt; the question is how you want to operate it from the inside.
For most front doors, single-cylinder is the sensible choice. You can leave in a hurry without hunting for a key, and so can everyone else in the building if there is a fire. Double-cylinder deadbolt installation makes sense in one particular situation: a door that has a window, a glass panel, or a sidelight within arm's reach of the thumbturn. With a single-cylinder lock, someone who breaks the glass can reach in and turn the knob. With a double-cylinder lock, they cannot open the door without the key.
- Single-cylinder: key outside, thumbturn inside. Fastest to exit, the usual pick for solid doors.
- Double-cylinder: key on both sides. Better for doors with glass nearby, but the key has to stay accessible inside the home.
- Safety caveat: keyed-both-sides locks on exit doors raise fire-escape concerns, and rules about them can differ by building type and jurisdiction. If you rent or live in a multi-unit building, check with your landlord, property manager, or the local fire or building authority before choosing one.
- Middle ground: some people keep the single-cylinder and swap the nearby glass for a stronger material, or add a keyed lock that stays unlocked while someone is home. We will talk through what fits your door.
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Call (213) 577-1366How we install a deadbolt, step by step
Every door is a little different, but the work follows the same order. We do not skip the measuring, because that is where most poor installations go wrong.
- We look at the door and frame: material, thickness, condition, and whether there is already a bored hole. Wood, hollow-core, solid-core, metal, and fire-rated doors are all handled differently.
- We talk through what you want: single or double cylinder, finish, keyed-alike with other locks, and whether the lock needs to work with any existing keys.
- We check the backset, the distance from the door edge to the center of the lock, and confirm the bolt hardware fits that spacing.
- If the door needs a new bore, we mark and drill the face hole and the edge hole with the right tools so the wood is not split and the lock sits square.
- We mount the lock body and cylinder, then fit the strike plate in the frame. We use long screws that bite into the stud behind the jamb, not just the soft trim.
- We check alignment with the door closed and open, throw the bolt repeatedly, and adjust until it extends fully without rubbing or forcing.
- We hand over the keys, show you how the lock operates, and clean up the drilling debris before we leave.
When is deadbolt replacement the better call?
A worn deadbolt can often be replaced in the same bore, with no new drilling. That is the simpler job, and it is usually done with the door's existing holes. Replacement is the right move when the cylinder is stiff or gritty, the bolt no longer retracts smoothly, the lock is loose on the door, or the finish has corroded badly. It also makes sense when you cannot account for every key that was ever cut for the old lock.
Quality matters here. Deadbolts are graded for strength and durability, and a cheap off-the-shelf unit is built to a very different standard than a better one. We can fit a stronger, pick-resistant deadbolt if you want one, and we explain the difference without pushing it. If you are weighing a bigger upgrade, our page on high-security locks covers the options in detail.
If the whole lock has failed, or you want to swap several locks around the house, the broader lock replacement service covers that. If what you really want is a keypad or phone-controlled deadbolt, that is a smart lock installation, which has its own considerations around power, connectivity, and backup keys.
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Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of deadbolt installation?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the same phrase, deadbolt installation, covers several different jobs. Here is what moves the cost up or down, so you can see why we ask questions before we give an estimate.
- New install or replacement: adding a deadbolt where there is none requires boring and fitting; swapping into an existing bore is simpler.
- The lock itself: basic, mid-range, and high-security deadbolts are made to different standards, and the difference shows in the price.
- Door material: solid wood, hollow-core, steel, and fire-rated doors each take different tools and care.
- Single or double cylinder: double-cylinder hardware is a different product, and the placement matters for safety.
- Frame condition: a cracked or rotted jamb has to be dealt with before a strike plate will hold, and that can add work.
- Finish: corrosion-resistant finishes cost more than standard ones, which matters near the water.
- Number of locks and keys: doing several doors at once, or matching them to one key, changes the scope.
- Time and location: a late-night call or a hard-to-reach location is different from a scheduled daytime visit.
Deadbolts on Long Beach doors: salt air, old houses, and apartments
Long Beach has a wide range of doors, and the right deadbolt depends on where you live. The coastal marine layer and onshore salt air are routine here, and corrosion of exterior deadbolts, gate latches, and marina hardware is a real maintenance issue within a mile or two of the water. If you live in Belmont Shore, Naples, or on the Peninsula, an exterior deadbolt that looks fine can start to stick and seize after a few seasons of salt exposure. Replacing salt-corroded deadbolts is one of the most common jobs we see in those areas, and we choose finishes and cylinders suited to the conditions. Inland districts are milder, so the same finish choice matters less.
The age of the home matters too. Rose Park and Bluff Park have Craftsman bungalows and 1920s Spanish Revival homes. Old doors there may be thick solid wood, or they may have been planed, patched, or reframed over many decades, so we measure carefully before drilling. Postwar ranch tracts in Los Altos and the El Dorado area tend to have more standard door and frame sizes, so those installations are usually more straightforward.
Downtown, East Village, and Alamitos Beach have dense prewar apartment blocks and newer high-rise condos. In older multifamily buildings, central neighborhoods often have security screen doors in front of the main door. The screen door has its own lock, and the main door's deadbolt is a separate system, so we check how both doors work together before we choose a deadbolt that clears the screen's frame.
We work across Long Beach's ZIP codes, including 90802, 90803, 90804, 90805, 90806, 90807, 90808, 90810, 90813, 90814, and 90815. Our mobile service vans come to you, so you do not need to bring a door anywhere. If you want to know how our mobile locksmith service works, that page explains it. Marina gates and dock boxes around Alamitos Bay face the same salt corrosion as house doors, but those are a different repair, and our gate lock repair page covers that.
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Call (213) 577-1366Renters, student houses, and landlords
Central Long Beach has a high share of renters, and that changes how deadbolt installation works. If you rent, check your lease before changing hardware, and talk to your landlord or property manager. In many cases they will approve a deadbolt upgrade, but you should ask. When a property manager calls us, we ask who is authorized to approve the work before we start.
Student rentals near California State University, Long Beach turn over regularly, and keys from past tenants are often unaccounted for. In those cases, the lighter-cost option is usually rekeying the existing deadbolts rather than replacing them. If the hardware is worn, loose, or only a knob lock, installing a new deadbolt makes sense. We can tell which when we see the door.
Owners with several units can handle this through one visit. Our locksmith for landlords page explains how we handle multi-unit work, including keeping lock sets consistent across a building.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a deadbolt
We have been in business since 1987, and a deadbolt install is a job we have done many times over the years. We run a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so there is a real shop and real inventory behind the van that shows up at your door.
When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us directly. We are one company with no dispatch middlemen passing your job to a stranger. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and if something about your door does not look right, he is the person who decides how to handle it.
We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Locks do not fail on a schedule, and a front door with a broken deadbolt at night is not something to put off. If you simply want to add a deadbolt on a quiet weekday, call anyway. We will tell you what we need to know and what to expect.
What should you ask any locksmith before they drill your door?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), called a Locksmith Company (LCO) license. Ask any locksmith for it before the work begins, and check it with the state. That is good advice for any company you call, including us.
Beyond that, ask what the job will include. A good locksmith will tell you whether the work is installation or replacement, which lock they plan to use, what could change the scope, and who they are. Be wary of anyone who will not explain the work before arriving, or who shows up and changes the story. If you have questions about our process, you can ask them on the phone, and we will answer plainly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to install a deadbolt?
It depends on the door. Replacing a deadbolt in an existing, properly sized hole is a short job. Adding a deadbolt to a door with no bore takes longer because we have to measure, drill, and fit the strike. If the frame needs repair, that adds more. We tell you what we expect once we see the door.
Do I need a double-cylinder deadbolt?
Usually not. A double-cylinder deadbolt, which uses a key on both sides, makes sense mostly when there is glass near the lock that someone could break to reach a thumbturn. The tradeoff is that you need a key to leave, which is a fire-escape concern. Check your building's rules or ask your landlord before choosing one.
Can you add a deadbolt to a door that only has a knob lock?
Often yes, as long as the door is thick enough and has enough solid material at the edge to hold the bolt. Hollow-core doors, steel doors, and fire-rated doors need extra care. We look at the door first and tell you plainly if a deadbolt is not a good fit.
Can you replace a deadbolt that is rusted or stuck from salt air?
Yes. Salt corrosion on exterior deadbolts is a common issue near the water in Long Beach. We remove the corroded lock, check the door and frame, and fit a replacement with a finish suited to coastal exposure. A better finish will not last forever, but it helps.
Will the new deadbolt work with my existing keys?
Sometimes. If the new deadbolt is the same brand and keyway as your existing locks, we can often key it to match. If not, you would carry an extra key, or we can discuss changing the other locks to match. We will tell you what is possible before we start.
Do I need my landlord's permission to install a deadbolt?
If you rent, check your lease and ask your landlord or property manager first. Many allow it, but some have rules about hardware or key access. When we are called out, we ask who has authority over the door.
What is the difference between Grade 1, 2, and 3 deadbolts?
Deadbolts are graded for strength and durability, with Grade 1 being the most robust. Higher-grade locks are built with heavier parts and tested harder. Grade matters most on exterior doors that take daily use. We can show you the options that fit your door and how much security you want.
Do you install deadbolts at night or on weekends?
Yes. We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366. If a deadbolt has failed and you cannot lock your door, call right away. A scheduled upgrade can also be done whenever suits you.
Where are you based, and do you come to Long Beach?
Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, roughly 30 miles from Long Beach, and our mobile vans come to your door anywhere in the city. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Long Beach is one of them.
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Deadbolt Installation near Long Beach
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.