Article

Fixing Old and Damaged Lock Holes

Updated October 11, 2026

When the old hole is wrong

Three common cases: a 1-1/2 in face bore under a new 2-1/8 in lock, a chewed edge bore from a forced latch, and paint buildup shrinking every dimension. Diagnose first with the bore checker — the deviation number tells you which fix applies.

Fixes in order

• Bore adapter rings — reduce a 2-1/8 in hole to fit smaller roses. Cheap, invisible, first try.
• Wrap-around plates — sandwich damaged wood around the bore. The standard rescue for split or oversize holes.
• Dutchman and filler — wood patch plus re-bore for butchered edges. Needs a jig and patience.
• New slab — when the door is hollow-core, already split twice, or thinner than 1-3/8 in. Stop spending on plates.

Measure after the fix

Plates change effective dimensions. Re-run the fit checker with the repaired readings before ordering the lock.