Electric Strike Installation Guide

Published Jan 20, 2015 05:00 AM

Follow this guide and you will install a strike correctly everytime. As we detail in this post, installing electric strikes successfully is mostly good preparation, but when done right provides years of trouble-free use. We use our test door to walk through the practical installation steps needed to get it right. Even if you never will install a strike in your life, do you know if your doors are right enough? In this note, we walk through the steps needed to get it right, everytime.

The Steps

The process of installing strikes correctly is not complicated, but care should be taken to perform each step:

  • Door/Frame Alignment
  • Strike Box/Jamb Prep
  • Strike Prep
  • Power Connections
  • Final Checks

If all the steps are followed, installing strikes can take minutes and involve minimal troubleshooting. We cover the steps in detail below:

Door/Frame *********

****** **** *** **** *** ***** is ******* ** * ******** ***-*********. See ******* / ***** ********* *********** **********.

**********

**** **** ***** *******, *** ******** focuses ** ***** **** *** ****** installation ** * ***-**** ***** *******. While *** ************ ** ********* *** the ****, *********** ** *******'* **** rating ****** ****** ********* *** ***** modification ** * ****** *** ******* here.

Strike *** ***********

*** **** **** ** ** *** the ***** ** *** ****** ****. Even '**** *******' ******* ***** ******* used **** ******* ******** *** ******* frame ************, *** **'* * **** step **** ***** ******* ***** *******. We ***** **** ***** ***** **** two ***** ********* ** *** *****:

  • ******* ******* ******
  • ***** ******* ******

******* ******* ******:*** ******** ********* *** ***** ****** of **** **** ** * **** frame ******* ******* ** **** **** a ******* ******, ** *** *** case **** *** ****. *******, **** a ******* ******* ******** ****** **** sharp ***** *** ******* ** ********* mounting **** ** **** ** *** interfere **** *** ******.

** *** ****, *** ****** ****** was ******** ********** ** ** *** to *** * **** ** ******* the *******. **** ********** **** ****, test ******* *** ****** ** *** frame ** *******, **** ********* **** to ********* ***** ***** *** ***** touches *** ******. *** ******** ** tight *** *** **** *** ****** or ***** ** ** ****, *** the ****** ****** *** ****** **** the ******.

IPVM Image

***** ******* ******:*******, **** ****** *** *** ******* built ** **** **** *******, *** more ******* ************* *** ********. ** many *****, *** ******** ****** *** (called ***** ***) ***** ** ** *** *** to **** **** *** *** *** strike. *** ******'* ************ ****** ********* includes ******** ************ ** **** **** modifying *** *****, *** *** ****** cuts *** ** **** **** * high-speed ****** **** (**********) *** ***** ****** ** **** chisels *** ****. *** ***** ***** is * ******** ******* ** *** prep **********:

IPVM Image

* **** ************* ***** ** *** to *** *** * ******* ****** into * **** ***** *** ** found *****:

Strike ****

***** *** ***** *** **** *******, fine ****** *** ****** *** ******* is ****. **** ******* ******* ***** points:

  • **** **** *************
  • **** ***** ************ (********)
  • ***** *******

** ***** ***** ***** ** *** video *****:

**** **** **********:**** ******** ******* *** '***** **********' for ****** ***** ******* *********. (*** background, *** ******* **** **. **** ****** ******) ******** **** *** ***** ** the ***** ******* ******* ******** ******** of *******, *********, ** **** ***** levers. ** *** **** ** *** strike, *** **** ****** *** ******** of *** ***** ****** ****** ***** a *****:

IPVM Image

**** ****** ************* **** *** * 'fail ******' ******** ********** ** ***** they *** *********, *** **** ** the ******* ********* **** *** ******* with. ** ********* *** ****** *** configured *********, *** **** ** ** shipped.

'**** *****' ************:*** ****** ******* **** *** ** unsightly ** ******** *********, **** ******* strikes **** **** ** ******** **** piece **** ***** *** ******. **** trim, ****** ** '********' ** '*****' ******** ** ******** ** *********** benefit, **** ****** ** ************ ******* sloppy *********** ****.

***** *******:**** ******* **** ** '**** *******' compatible, ******* **** ******* ***** ****** 12 *** ** ** *** ********. Some ****** ******* * **** ******* transformer ** *** ******* **** * single ******* , ***** ****** *** sold **** *** ********* ******** ******** from *** ****. ***** ********** ***** supply ******* ** *********, *** ****** can ** ********** *** ***, ********* involving ******** ** ******* ******* **** pairs ********. *** ***** ***** ** the ******* ****** ******* *** *** strike:

IPVM Image

Final ************

** **** ***** **** ** *** work ** ******** *** *** ****** is *****. ***** *** **** * few **** ***** ** **** ** the ****** ** ******* ********* **** the *****:

  • ********* *********
  • ***** ***********
  • ************/********
  • ***** ******** ******

***** ***** ***** *** ******* ** the ***** *****:

********* *********:******* ********* **** **** *** ** more **********, *** ********* *** ******* one ** ******** ****** ***. *** 'keeper' **** ** *** ****** ** bigger **** *** **** ****'* *******, and *** ********* ******* **** *** opening ** ***** *** ******** **** of **** ****. **** ********* *** 'tamper **********' ** *** ************ ** eliminating ********* **** ** ****** ****** tools ****** *** ******.

***** **** **** ********, **** ************, **** * ******** ******* ** rest ** **** *** **** ** closed, *** *** ********* ******** **** surface. *** ****** *** ********* **** two *******, *** ******* ** **** be ********* **** * ******* *******, we **** *** *** '******* *********':

IPVM Image

***** ***********:***** ******* *** ******* ****** ** 'run-to' ****** **** '***-****' *** ******. This ***** **** *** ***** ******** are **** ****** ****** **** *** source (********* * **********), ******* *** frame, **** **** *** ****** ***. Especially **** ****** ******* *** ******* into *** *****, *** ****** ******* to *** ***** *** ** *** box ** ****** ********* ** ****. When ***** * ******** ** ********, they *** ** ****** ** *** out ** *** *****, ***** ** the *** ** *** ******, *** the ***** ***** *** ***** **** into *** ****** ****.

**** *** ***** *** ** *** box, **** *** ** ********* ** the ******'* ********. *** ***** ***** shows *** ******, ***** ******** * factory ****-***** ********* *** **** **** of *** ***** ******:

IPVM Image

************/********:***** ***** *********** *** ****, *** strike **** ****** ** ******** **** the ****** ***, ***** ******* *** to ***** ** ***** *** *******. If *** **** ********** *** **** done ********, **** ****** ** *** of *** ******* ***** ** *** process:

IPVM Image

*** ****** ****** ** *** ***** for *** ******* *********** *** ********* down ** *** ** *** ******. At **** *****, **** *** ********* seated **** *** ******, ** ****** be ******* **** *** ***** **** the ******** ****** ** *****. *** strike ****** ****** ** ****** ** the ******, **** ** ***** ** the ***** ******** *** ****** ****** for *** ******** ****.

** *** ****** ******* ** ** too *** ******* ** *** *** back **** *** *****, ** ** it *** ** '*******' ** *** enclosure, **** ***** ****** ** ********* to **** ** *** *****. **** strikes ******* ***** *** ********* ***** installation ********* ******* ******* ************ ** the ******'* ******. *** *** ** shimming *** ****** ** ** **** it * ***** ***** **** *** frame, *** ********** *** ********* ******. If ***** ********** *** *****, **** we ********* ******** *** ********** ** the ***** *** ********* ** *** door.

***** ******** ******:** **** *****, *** ********* ****** check *** ******'* ********* **** ****. Visually ********** *** ******* ** *** door **** *** ******** ** *** keeper ** ***. ** *** **** latches ** *** ********** **** ******* with *** **** ** *** ****** when *** **** ** ****, **** the ****** *** **** ******** *********.

IPVM Image

*** **** ** *** ************ ** a ****** ***** ******* ** *** frame **** ** ************ ** *** door's *******. ** ***** ********** *** noted, *** ****** ** ********* ****** calling *** *** ********.

Final ********

**** ** ****** ************ ** ********** and **** *****, *** ***** *** basic **** **** ** ********* *** trouble-free ***. ** *** ********* **** a ******** *** ** *** **% preparation ****, **** ******** ********** *** strike ** ** **** *% ******.

Comments (6)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jan 21, 2015

Great read........but.......Would this be a good time to discuss violating the fire rating on the door and having to recertify it if an exit or corridor rating is required? This can be expensive to correct if not taken into account.

(1)
(1)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jan 21, 2015
IPVMU Certified

That's a good point... this tutorial addresses a non-rated frame/strike (most are), but in the case of a fire-rated opening, you rightly point out installing a non-UL/fire rated strike and (arbitrarily?) cutting the frame can create a big problem and safety issue.

I'll add a short disclaimer up front to your point. Thanks for the feedback!

(1)
Avatar
Paul Govero
May 29, 2019
IPVMU Certified

How often are the wiring passages are covered with mortar in a block building?

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
May 29, 2019
IPVMU Certified

Often, in my experience.  Drilling and chiseling mortar is a total pain.  Even when the frames have welded channels or boxes, there's always a place that is overrun with mortar.

Avatar
Ng Choy Mei
Oct 19, 2020
IPVMU Certified

Thank you for the detailed explaining in Electric strike installation.

UE
Undisclosed End User #2
Oct 19, 2020

Thank you for the detailed explaining in Electric strike installation.