What does deadbolt installation actually involve?
A deadbolt is the lock that does the real work on an exterior door. The knob or handle latch keeps a door closed. The deadbolt, a solid steel bolt that throws about an inch into the frame, is what resists being pushed or kicked open. Deadbolt installation means fitting that bolt, its cylinder, and its strike so the whole assembly works as one piece. On a plumb door in good shape, that is straightforward. The trouble starts when the door has swollen, the frame has shifted, or someone drilled the holes a quarter inch off.
We do two versions of this job. The first is a new deadbolt on a door that has none, which means boring the door, cutting the edge for the latch, and setting a strike in the frame. The second is deadbolt replacement, where an existing bolt is worn, corroded, loose, or no longer matches the keys you want to carry. Replacement is usually quicker because the holes already exist. But a stretched bore or a misaligned strike can still need correcting before a new bolt will throw smoothly.
This page is about deadbolts specifically. If you are adding hardware more broadly, such as several doors, side entries, or a mix of lock types, our lock installation service in Malibu covers that wider scope.
Single cylinder or double cylinder: which deadbolt fits your door?
A single cylinder deadbolt has a keyway outside and a thumb turn inside. You lock and unlock it from indoors with one hand and no key. A double cylinder deadbolt has a keyway on both sides, so you need a key to operate it from inside as well.
People ask for double cylinder deadbolt installation for one reason: glass. If there is a pane in the door or beside it, a burglar can break it, reach through, and turn a thumb turn. With a keyed inside cylinder, that reach gets them nothing. Malibu has a lot of glass, including sliders, sidelights, transoms, and French doors that frame the view, so the question comes up naturally here.
The tradeoff is real, and we will say it plainly. A keyed inside cylinder means that in a fire or other emergency, someone has to find a key to get out. If the key is not kept close to the door, that can cost time nobody has. Some landlords, insurers, and building or fire rules restrict double cylinder locks on exits, especially in rentals and homes with several occupants. Check yours before you decide. We will install what you are permitted to have.
- Choose single cylinder when the door has no glass within arm's reach of the thumb turn, when several people live in the home, or when fast exit matters more than the glass risk.
- Choose double cylinder when glass sits close to the lock, the rules where you live allow it, and everyone in the household knows exactly where the inside key is kept.
- Consider a different fix when you are unsure. A single cylinder bolt with security film on the nearby glass, or a bolt positioned farther from the glass, often solves the same problem without the key-inside risk.
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Call (213) 577-1366How does Malibu's salt air change which deadbolt you should choose?
Coastal Malibu is a true microclimate. The marine layer and fog settle in for long stretches, and salt air carries moisture onto every exposed piece of metal. Locks, hinges, and strike plates on oceanfront doors corrode noticeably faster than the same hardware inland. Damp air also swells wood doors, which changes how a bolt lines up with its strike from one season to the next.
That shapes how we choose and set a deadbolt for a coastal door:
- Material and finish: we lean toward solid brass or stainless components and finishes made for exterior exposure, rather than thinly plated parts that pit and seize.
- Clearance: the bolt should enter the strike with a little room to spare, so a swollen door does not bind in the wet months.
- Fasteners: strike plates and screws should be a compatible metal, and the screws should be long enough to bite into the framing behind the jamb, not just the thin jamb itself.
- Hinges: we look at them before we touch the lock. A corroded hinge lets a door sag, and a sagging door will misalign even the best deadbolt.
How we install or replace a deadbolt, step by step
Every door is a little different, but the sequence is consistent.
- We talk through the door: what it protects, whether glass sits nearby, who needs keys, and whether a landlord, association, or insurer has rules about double cylinder locks.
- We inspect the door and frame. That means thickness, condition, hinge wear, whether it closes squarely, any soft or rotted wood, and the size and state of any existing holes.
- We pick the hardware with you: single or double cylinder, security grade, finish suited to your exposure, and whether the new cylinder should match keys you already carry.
- We prepare the door. For a new install, that means boring the face and edge to the right size and backset. For a replacement, we confirm the existing bores are sound and correct them if they are worn or oversized.
- We fit the latch and cylinder, then set the strike in the jamb and drive long screws into the framing behind it.
- We test with the door open and closed. The bolt should throw fully, with no rubbing, no lifting the door to line it up, and smooth key action from every side that has a keyway.
- We hand over the keys, explain how the lock works, and tell you about anything else we noticed, such as a sagging hinge or a failing strike on another door.
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Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of deadbolt installation in Malibu?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the same phone call can describe very different jobs. What we can do is tell you what moves the cost, so nothing surprises you.
- New install versus replacement: a door that needs boring takes more work than one with good holes already in place.
- Hardware grade and finish: a heavier-duty bolt with a corrosion-resistant finish costs more than a basic one, and on an oceanfront door the better finish tends to earn its keep.
- Single versus double cylinder: the double cylinder adds parts and a second keyway to fit.
- Door and frame condition: stretched bores, split edges, or a soft jamb may need reinforcing before a new bolt will hold properly.
- Number of doors and key matching: several deadbolts keyed alike take more planning than one.
- Time of day and travel: Malibu is about 17 miles from our Westwood storefront, and after-hours calls are part of the picture.
- Whether the existing lock is actually the problem: sometimes a sound bolt only needs new keys, which is usually the more economical route than replacing hardware.
Deadbolt installation from Malibu Colony to Latigo Canyon
Malibu covers a long stretch of coast and canyon, and we serve addresses across ZIP codes 90265 and 90263. Which deadbolt makes sense depends heavily on where on that stretch you live.
Oceanfront is the clearest case. Beachfront homes sit packed along Pacific Coast Highway, and in areas like Carbon Beach and Broad Beach the deadbolt and its hinges live in salt air all year. Corroded deadbolt and hinge replacement on oceanfront doors is one of the most common reasons a Malibu homeowner needs us. A bolt that has started to stick or grind in damp weather is telling you the finish has given up.
Gated enclaves such as the guard-gated Malibu Colony and Serra Retreat raise a different point. A gate decides who drives down the street. It does not decide who tries a slider or side door. Each exterior door still needs its own properly aligned bolt. If you are behind a guard gate, give us the gate details when you call so we can plan the arrival.
Canyon estates off Latigo Canyon and Corral Canyon sit on large lots, often with several buildings and more exterior doors than a typical house, such as guest quarters, pool houses, and side entries. Each is a separate deadbolt decision. If the problem is the entry gate or keypad rather than a door, that is a gate lock repair job.
Canyon mouths also channel hot, dry Santa Ana winds that drive wildfire risk. That is worth weighing when you choose a double cylinder bolt. In an evacuation, a keyed inside cylinder with no key at hand is a real hazard. In wildfire-exposed areas, we usually ask you to think hard about whether the glass risk justifies it.
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Call (213) 577-1366Rebuilds, mobile homes, and vacation rentals
Wildfire has changed what Malibu doors look like. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the January 2025 Palisades Fire on the city's eastern edge, a meaningful share of homes are recent rebuilds with new doors and new hardware. New doors often arrive pre-bored for a standard deadbolt, which helps. But framing settles after a build, and hardware supplied with a new house may not be what an owner would choose. We check alignment on new doors just as carefully as on old ones, and some owners upgrade the bolt before they move in.
Malibu's long-standing mobile-home communities, including Paradise Cove and Point Dume Club, are a different case from site-built houses. Door thickness and construction can differ, so we look at the door before settling on hardware rather than assuming a standard fit.
Near Zuma Beach and around Point Dume, many homes are vacation rentals. If guests use the property, think about how a double cylinder lock behaves for someone who does not know where the key is, because in an emergency a stranger cannot be expected to find it. Owners who manage rentals can read about our vacation rental locksmith work, which covers key control between guests.
Should you rekey, upgrade, or go electronic instead?
Sometimes a new deadbolt is not the right answer, and we would rather say so. If your bolt turns smoothly and the door is solid, but you just do not know who has keys, rekeying the lock changes the keys without replacing hardware and is often the lighter-cost option.
If your concern is forced entry, you may want a high-security lock with a harder cylinder and stronger strike. If you want keyless entry or codes for guests and house staff, look at smart lock installation. Those are separate decisions from a standard deadbolt install, and we will walk you through the differences if you are not sure where to start.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a Malibu deadbolt?
We have been in business since 1987. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile locksmith vans bring the work to your door. When you call, you reach one company, not a dispatch service that passes the job to whoever is available. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. The phone at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.
One more thing worth knowing. California requires locksmith companies to hold a license through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Whoever you hire for a deadbolt, ask for their license number and verify it with BSIS before work begins.
- Since 1987, with a storefront and mobile service.
- One company from phone call to finished door.
- David's oversight on the work.
- Plain answers on single versus double cylinder, including when we think you should not choose double.
Frequently asked questions
How long does deadbolt installation take?
It depends on the door. Replacing a bolt in good bores is usually the shorter job. Boring a new door, or correcting worn holes and a loose strike, takes longer. Once we see the door, we can tell you what to expect before we start.
Can you install a deadbolt on a door that never had one?
Yes, in most cases. We check the door's thickness and construction first. Some thin or hollow doors need extra care or reinforcement, and we will say so before we cut anything.
Is a double cylinder deadbolt allowed on my Malibu home?
We cannot rule on that for you. Rules vary by building type, landlord, association, insurer, and fire authority, and rentals and multi-occupant homes are more likely to restrict them. Check with the relevant party first. We will install whichever type you are allowed to have.
Will salt air ruin a new deadbolt?
It will not ruin it, but it will wear it faster than inland air if the finish is poor. Corrosion-resistant materials and finishes, matching fasteners, and a door whose hinges are in good shape all help. A dry lock lubricant and occasional wiping also help; heavy oil tends to hold grit.
Can my new deadbolt use the same key as my door handle?
Often yes, if the keyway is compatible. That depends on the brands and keyways involved, so we confirm on site. If they are not compatible, we can sometimes rekey the handle lock to match instead.
Should I replace my deadbolt or just rekey it?
If the bolt works smoothly, the door is aligned, and the only concern is who holds keys, rekeying is usually the more economical route. If the bolt is corroded, loose, sticking, or damaged, replacement makes more sense.
Do you serve gated areas like Malibu Colony?
Yes, we serve Malibu broadly, including guard-gated areas. Tell us the community and any gate instructions when you call so we can arrange access.
My door swells in damp weather and the bolt sticks. Will a new deadbolt fix that?
Sometimes the fix is the strike or the hinges, and sometimes the door itself is rubbing the frame. A new bolt will not cure a swollen door. We will tell you which it is, and if the door needs carpentry, we will say so honestly.
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Deadbolt Installation near Malibu
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.