Lock Replacement in Fort Collins, CO

Replacing locks on older Fort Collins doors

The Laurel School National Register Historic District, listed in 1980, spans 217 acres, and the city calls it its largest historic district, with architecture from the 1870s to the 1930s. Doors from that span may still carry original mortise locks, set into a deep pocket cut in the door edge, rather than today's standard deadbolts. Fitting a modern deadbolt to one can mean boring new holes through old wood, so a replacement mortise lock, or a new cylinder in the existing case, may suit the door as it is.

The Whitcomb Street Landmark District, designated in 2013, holds thirteen homes from the original 1873 plat and the Loomis Addition. On doors that old, measure the thickness and the existing cutouts before choosing hardware, and keep any original parts.

Design review in landmark districts

Owners of locally designated properties, which can include Whitcomb Street homes, must complete landmark design review for most exterior projects, as Chapter 14 of the Municipal Code requires. A replacement entry door may count as exterior work, so ask the city's historic preservation staff before ordering parts. This is general information, not legal advice.

Newer homes and worn hardware

Census Bureau estimates for 2024 show 21.5 percent of Fort Collins homes were built in the 2000s, more than in any other decade, so many locks there have seen years of daily use. Signs that one has reached its end:

• A key that must be jiggled or pulled back to turn, even after cleaning.
• A latch that sticks or will not spring back.
• A loose or cracked housing, or a finish worn through to bare metal.

If the only concern is who holds keys, lock rekeying may be all that is needed. Replacement is also the moment to move to a sturdier deadbolt, a heavier strike plate or one key for every exterior door.

What to send

Include the neighborhood, the door material and whether the house sits in a landmark district. Photos of the lock face, the inside trim and the door edge show what will fit. If a lock only sticks or drags, lock repair may be enough. The Fort Collins page names the city's historic districts.