Though their locking mechanisms vary,they are all intended to be recessed into the door. Not only does this give greater security, it allows a neater finish to the door. Some mortise locks are fitted with handles and latches, others, usually called deadlocks, are without these features and consist only of a bolt and its locking mechanism. Mortise locks for sliding doors are available and these are fitted with hooked bolts which lock in position over a catch on the striker plate.
Doors and locks
No matter how thief-proof your locks are, they give only an illusion of security if they are flitted to flimsy doors. Sometimes, locks which would deter a master criminal are flitted to doors which can be broken down by one hefty push. Mortise locks have the advantage that even if a housebreaker removes a door panel he cannot open a mortise bolt from inside, except with the proper key. However, before flitting the lock, the householder should examine the door not only to see if it is sturdy, but ‘also to see whether it will take a mortise lock. Mortise locks are recessed into a solid base and for this reason cannot be fitted to some types of hollow door. All solid doors are suitable for modification and most hollow doors are fitted with a solid wood panel in the lock area, which is capable of taking a recessed lock. If your home is equipped with hollow doors, you must check on the presence of this plate by tapping the door round the proposed location of the lock. If it sounds hollow then it is unsuitable, unless you add a solid wood core to the lock area. If it sounds solid it is probably suitable, but to make sure, bore one or two holes from the edge of the door to a depth of 100mm.