Sliding patio doors are one of the most common ways into a home, and one of the hardest to secure. Most popular smart locks, from Schlage to Yale to Eufy, are deadbolt replacements made for standard hinged doors with round 2-1/8" holes. They simply won't fit a sliding door. Here's what to look for instead.
Why most smart locks don't fit sliding doors
A standard smart deadbolt needs a round hole through the door and room for a bolt to extend sideways into the frame. Sliding doors have narrow aluminum or vinyl frames, no room for a deadbolt, and usually lock with a hook that swings up into the frame instead of a bolt that slides across.
That means a sliding door needs a smart lock with:
- a slim panel that fits a narrow frame,
- a hook mortise lock designed for sliding doors, and
- a short backset, often around 28mm or 35mm (about 1-1/8" to 1-3/8").
How to tell what your sliding door has
- Look at the edge of the door: a long, narrow faceplate with a hook or latch means it already has a mortise lock.
- Measure the backset: from the edge of the door to the center of the key cylinder or handle.
- Measure the frame thickness: front to back, where the lock will sit.
- Check the frame width: the lock panel must fit the flat part of the frame.
Our Find Your Fit page has diagrams and a quick quiz to help.
Prodillo smart locks for sliding doors
- Prodillo MS01: our slim-profile smart lock for sliding and hinged doors from 1-3/4" to 3-1/2" thick, with fingerprint, keypad, NFC card, app, voice and key entry.
- Prodillo Z10: hands-free 3D face recognition with built-in WiFi, for sliding and hinged doors.
- Prodillo Hook Mortise Lock: a two-point hook lock body for sliding doors, in 28mm or 35mm backsets, if your door needs a new lock body.
Tips for securing a sliding door
- Add a security bar or pin in the track as a second layer, especially on ground-floor doors.
- Check the door can't be lifted off its track when it's locked. Anti-lift blocks are inexpensive.
- Use the smart lock's entry log to see when the patio door was opened, which is handy if kids or pets use it.
- Add the WiFi Gateway if you want to check or lock the door from your phone.
Not sure your sliding door will work? Email a photo of the door edge and handle to support@prodillo.com and we'll confirm before you buy.
