Learn How to Lock a Door Without a Lock From Our Security Expert!

Now, confess, a big part of what made you click on this article is to see whether the author is barking mad or a magical genius who knows how to lock a door without a lock?

Sorry to disappoint you; I am a home security expert and have seen various cases over the years where you may have to end up locking your door with a lock. 

Intrigued, are we? Continue reading to find out more!

Now, don’t get me wrong! The best way to secure any door, whether we talk about French Doors that open outwards or securing your home’s front door from being kicked in, is to reinforce them with solid and sturdy locks. 

Yet, at the same time, locks like promises are made to be broken.
Additionally not every door has a lock (hotels, hostels, motels, etc.).

Let us now take a look at specific situations in which it could be helpful to know how to lock your door without a lock or key:

• If your front door lock is compromised, the best thing to do is to call a locksmith and have him replace it. However, as we know by now, locksmiths rarely arrive on time. So, then how do you keep your home secure in the meantime? You are now seeing the light, I presume?
• A similar situation arises when you lose or misplace your home keys and have to wait for the locksmith to arrive and change all of your door locks. How do you lock your door in the interim?
• Another time when knowing how to lock a door without a key or a lock is useful is while traveling. Many hotel suites, motel rooms, and Airbnb homestays do not offer you the convenience of locked doors, especially when it comes to the bathroom.
• This can create quite a conundrum for you while traveling as you no longer feel secure while sleeping in your rented accommodations. 
• Similarly, you no longer feel confident leaving behind any expensive sports gear or camera equipment in your hotel or motel room. Yet, no one wants to carry all this heavy baggage while engaging in sightseeing or other tourist activities. 
• It’s also essential to know how to lock a door without a key or a lock if you frequently travel for work, leisure, or business. You never know where you may end up staying. It’s always helpful to have a trick or two up your sleeve to secure the door to any room without a lock.

We have discussed the different scenarios in which it might be useful to know how to lock your door without a lock. It’s time now to look at some of the best ways to do so.

How to Lock a Door without a Lock from the Inside

We will look at the various ways in which you can lock a door without a lock from the inside:

1. Wedge a DIY Doorstop

A doorstop usually stops a door from closing, but it can also be used to prevent a door from opening on the inside. 

All you need to do is carve or fashion yourself a triangular-shaped doorstop from wood or metal. It’s important to make it from a sturdy material as it has to withstand the force of a door being pushed or kicked from the outside. 

• A doorstop is a triangular piece of wood or metal that is inserted in the space between the door edge and the floor. In case of an emergency, you can fashion one from cardboard, too, but it won’t have the same strength. 
• Alternatively, you can also fold a thick sock and wedge it in the space between your door and the frame or the floor to create a slightly effective stopper. 
• When firmly wedged between the door and the floor, it stops an inward opening door from being forced open. 
• It’s an extremely easy and cost-effective way to secure a door from the inside. 
• At the same time, the wedge can be broken, or it may slip out from under the door in case of repeated kicks and blows. 

Since this way isn’t entirely foolproof, let’s explore some other techniques to secure or lock your door from the inside.

2. Fork It Right

Another smart hack that you must have seen doing the rounds on social media is using a fork to figure out how to lock your door without a lock.

I must say that I was a tad bit skeptical at first, but then I tried it out myself and found it to be a neat little trick. So, let’s see how to secure a door using a fork:

• Use a sturdy metal fork with prongs that are at least 2 inches long. Also, make sure that the fork handle can slide in or fit in between the prongs. You will need two similar forks to test this theory. 
• Do not use your wife’s fancy silverware, as this process will damage the fork irrevocably. 
• We will be fashioning a makeshift lock from the fork. 
• So, first, take the fork and insert it in the latch hole that is present in any standard door. Mark how deep it goes in with a marker. This shows the depth of the latch hole.  
• Now, put the fork in a vise till the point where the prongs had fit in the latch hole. 
• Use a hammer to bend the fork prongs at a 90-degree angle at the point where they had fit inside the latch hole. 
• Next, take a metal saw and saw off the fork handle. 
• Check that the sawn-off handle fits between the prongs of the fork. 
• Now, place the bent prongs inside the latch hole and close the door to fix it in place. 
• Take the fork handle and slide it in between the fork prongs till it’s immovable. 
• Now turn your door handle to see if your door is locked or not. 
• I have tried this hack out myself and can tell you that it works. However, my suggestion is that you should watch a few videos on YouTube before attempting to make this temporary lock.

3. Go Old School with a Chair Under the Doorknob

Unless you have been living under a rock all your life, you must have seen this old-school trick in a show or movie. 

All you need to do is to drag over a sturdy chair and place it under the doorknob or handle. Make sure that the chair fits snugly under the door handle. This ensures that no one is able to turn the handle during the night.

This trick works for a door handle that opens downwards, not upwards. The chair will still provide protection by deterring any intruders or slowing them down, at least.  

Even if someone does move the handle during the night, you will have sufficient notice to place yourself in a defensive position. 

If the chair is too short, you can place other objects like books underneath it to increase its height.

4. Create a Barricade

Another old trick that comes under the category of how to lock a door without a key or a lock system involves creating a barricade on the inside.

You just need to push a dresser, a sofa, or any other piece of heavy furniture in front of the door to create an effective barricade. This will stop anyone from opening your door while also creating a loud sound or crash that will wake you up in the case of an attempted invasion.  

This way, you will be in a better shape to resist an invasion and also gear up to fight if required.

5. Install Portable Door Locks

If you are a frequent traveler, then I would suggest opting for sturdy portable locks that help you lock your door on the inside without having to install or screw anything in place. They are small and easily fit in your traveling bag to ensure that you and your belongings stay safe wherever you go.

Given below are my top three recommendations for portable door locks:

• Addalock is one of the most convenient, economical, and easy to use locks available on the market. You install it alongside the door handle and fix it in place so that no one can open the door, even if they have a key. 
• You can buy this at your local hardware store or order it online on Amazon for just $14.99. 

Another extremely strong lock that applies modern physics to secure your hotel room door by providing considerable strength and resistance is the travelers security lock. 

Easy to carry, assemble, and install, this lock fits in the space between the door and the door frame. It then has to be screwed in place to secure the door to the frame, where it exerts considerable tensile strength to prevent any intruders from opening or breaking down the door. It’s a smart and secure solution to the problem, i.e., how to lock a door without a key or a lock?

You can order it online and get it delivered before your next trip.

Another simple yet smart device that prevents your door from being forced open is The Door Bull. It’s extremely easy to install and secures the door to the floor and door frame. It’s something you would get for your home, instead of a hostel or hotel room, as it requires certain parts to be installed on the door frame and floor, too.

6. Use a Portable Door Jammer or Bar

Another simple answer to the problem of how to lock a door without a lock from the inside is to use a portable door jammer like the one shown above. Adjustable in length and fitted with a rubber stopper, this bar applies the principles of friction to adhere firmly to the floor. Furthermore, it is angled to reinforce a closed door from the inside. When someone tries to open your door, the lock resists as it is upheld by the floor.

 7. Create a Rope or Belt Tether to Anchor Door Handles

When it comes to double doors with handles or even a single door that opens out, you can secure their handles by tying them with a piece of rope and tethering them to a heavy piece of furniture inside. 

If anyone tries to get inside by opening the doors, they will either be unable to open them or will have to drag a piece of heavy furniture as they pull open the doors, alerting you to their presence. 

In the case of a single door with a door handle, you can even tie it to a hook on the back of the door to prevent anyone from turning the handle while you are asleep.

Now, after taking a look at how to lock a door without a lock from the inside, let’s explore the different ways to secure your door from the outside.

How to Lock Your Door Without a Lock from the Outside

When traveling or staying in a strange place, you usually need to figure out how to lock your door from the inside. However, there are multiple scenarios where it becomes equally important to know how to lock your door without a lock from the outside. 

The most common cases are when your lock is broken or when you lose your keys. Both these situations leave you at the mercy of your building supervisor or locksmith, who will take their own sweet time in making their way to you. So the question is, what do you do in the meantime?

Here are some crafty ways that must be included on your list of how to lock your door without a lock from the outside:

1. Remove the Door Handle/Lock on the Outer Side

If the lock on your exterior door isn’t working properly, you can prevent anyone from opening your door from the outside by removing your outer handle and lock. 

Take a screwdriver and unscrew everything, taking apart all the parts of your door lock. Keep them aside for when the locksmith visits. ake sure you remove all the screws and components while dismantling the lock. You should leave nothing behind that can be used to open the door. 

The main aim here is to make it hard or nearly impossible for someone to open your door from the outside. As you wait for the locksmith to arrive, try installing a temporary latch system to secure your door on the inside. 

You can even add a security bar on the inside to further reinforce your door.

2. Install a Door Alarm

While this may not fall in the category of how to lock a door without a lock, installing a door alarm is a smart way to keep your home secure. 

This way, even if your door is unlocked, the alarm connected to the door and door frame screeches loudly anytime an intruder tries to make his way into your house. This alerts you to an attempted robbery or breach and also alarms the burglar, who beats a hasty retreat. 

According to a study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where over 400 burglars were interviewed, 83% said they would try to find out if an alarm was present before attempting a burglary. Another 60% said they would pursue another target if they found an alarm.

Additionally, 31% said that they would make their escape upon discovering an alarm during a burglary. While only 13% said they would continue with the attempt upon discovering a door alarm.

Summing Up

While this article may have started in jest, let us end it in earnest. Here we have discussed different strategies for how to lock your door without a lock.

Whether your door has a lock or not, security is not a matter to be taken lightly. My advice is to educate yourself and learn these simple hacks that will enable you to stay safe now matter where you are. 

Now, the next order of business is to explore these hacks yourself and see which one works out best. If you have any exciting questions, tips, or tricks for our readers, do post in the comments below.