Personnel Door Installation Video

Please use the video below to assist with the installation of your Latham’s steel security door. Instructions can also be found here.

Take appropriate safety precautions before beginning installation. Consider your surroundings and wear PPE if required. Our security doors are heavy and we recommend a minimum of 2 people to install, so if possible please ensure you have another pair of hands available to help. For this installation, you will require the following tools (see video). As an alternative to fitting shims, we recommend using our wind out lugs to aid installation, in order to secure your door in the aperture.

Using the spindle and a loose handle, open the door leaf. Fit the cylinder to allow for testing of the locking mechanism. Looking at the latching side of the door, locate the sash lock, the main lock in the centre. Insert a key into the cylinder and turn slightly, centring the ‘rotating cam’.

If you have a double door, the cylinder is installed when the door leafs are fitted back onto the frame. Insert the cylinder into the door and screw into place using the hole in the sashlock. Please Note: The longer side of the euro cylinder should always be at the pull side of the door, or exposed hinge side.

Stand the door set up vertically and open the door to at least 90 degrees by using the key to retract the latch. If you don’t want to remove the door leaf, we recommend the use of a win bag. This will allow the door leaf to stay attached during installation. Otherwise, unscrew the hinges and move the door leaf aside with help of another, as the door leaf is heavy. Store it safely, stand up vertically, using packaging to prevent any damage.

Double doors are supplied with a knockdown frame that will require assembly before starting installation. Lay the 4 pieces of the flat frame on the ground and fit the sections together. There are channels that allow each section to slot together precisely. You may find that the frame needs twisting slightly to allow the frame pieces to sit correctly. Locate the tabs that slot between the frame parts, then, using a hammer or mallet, flatten them down to secure the frame together. Ensure the tabs are bent towards the outer edge of the frame. The frame will feel flexible at this point. It will become rigid once fitted into the opening.

If you are using wind-out lugs they should be fitted to the external frame at this point, then position the frame in the opening. We also recommend adding a line of silicone under where the threshold will sit to help prevent possible water ingress. If our stock door size isn’t perfectly suited to your opening, infill panels are available to bridge the gap and should be installed at this stage. For more information, see our ‘How To’ video on infill panels.

With the doorframe in the aperture, check that the frame is sitting plumb horizontally, using a spirit level across the threshold. If you are using a win bag, position it under the door leaf and inflate. This will help lifting the door to position in the aperture.

Use fitting shims to lift up either side of the frame if necessary. If you are experiencing any issues with spacing around your door, please see our video on spacing around doors prior to fixing it.

Next, check that the frame is flush vertically. Place a spirit level on the face of the hinge side of the frame. If you are using the wind-out lugs in your fitting, screw these through the fixing plate holes with the tool provided to tighten the door frame into the aperture and use as a guide to drill into the brickwork. If you are not using the wind-out lugs, use the fixing plate holes as a guide instead.

Once the spacing is suitable, you can then insert the fixings and tighten them loosely, just until they start to ‘bite’. If you are not using the wind-out lugs, ensure you use fitting shims to prevent the fixings from distorting the frame. Re-check that the frame is still plumb vertically on the hinge side and fully tighten the fixings. If you are not using a win bag, at this point, fit the door leaf back onto its hinges. If you are, you can now deflate and remove the win bag.

Close the door gently and check that the gap around the door leaf is equal. The door should close without needing to be forced. If you are fitting a double door, fit the passive leaf first, followed by the active leaf. You can also fit your euro cylinder at this stage. Re-open the door and turn your attention to the frame on the latching side. If the door can close easily, you can drill and fix this side into place. If the door can’t close easily, the frame will need adjusting using the wind-out lugs.

If you aren’t using the wind-out lugs in your installation, you can use fitting shims. Install the latching side of the frame to suit the way the door leaf is sitting. This will prevent spacing and latching issues. While the door is open, test the locking system by turning the key in two complete rotations. Close the door into the frame and repeat. If the door locks and unlocks smoothly, the door is fitted correctly.

Included with your door set will be two types of black seal, one thick and one thin. Apply the thick seal to the door frame with the ‘V’ pointing towards the inside and the thin seal to the door leaf around the full perimeter of the anti-jemmy bar lip. Don’t apply any to the threshold as the thin seal applied to the bottom of the door leaf will create a seal here.

We also recommend the remaining thick frame seal being applied to the bottom edge of the push side of the door leaf. This will assist with preventing driving rain ingress.

If your door is fitted with an adjustable strike plate, you can adjust the latching position by turning the screw inside the lockbox. If you have selected a security-upgraded sash lock, please see our separate installation video.

Fit the cylinder covers over the euro cylinder, ensuring the screw heads are on the inside for security. Fix the 2 thread extensions to the external handle. Insert the spindle into the spindle cavity. Place it into position, with the plastic gasket provided.

Moving onto the internal handle, pull the thumb turn’s hinged spindle down, and make sure this is inserted through the relevant hole when aligning. To finish, use the remaining plastic gasket and align and screw into the external handle.

As a finishing touch, reopen the door and insert the metal dog bolt caps into the appropriate fixing holes and fill the remaining holes with the plastic grommets. Carry out a final check to ensure the door latches correctly.

Our ‘security trim kit’ is recommended with all security installations to protect the fixings from attack, but also as a quick and easy way to finish your door. See our ‘How to fit your Security Trim Kit’ video for installation instructions.

To view our full range of steel security doors, locks and accessories, please visit our website.