Night Latches

Learn more about night latches

A night latch, also known as a Yale lock, is a surface fitted lock for the inside face of an external door. It uses a spring loaded latch bolt that catches the strike plate when the door closes, and you open it from outside with a key.

Typical uses

• Timber front doors: Providing quick-locking day access and night deadlocking.

• Apartment and flat entrances: Equipping inward-opening entrance doors within managed communal blocks with easy-exit latches.

• Shared rental accommodation: Installing robust secondary access control on doors already fitted with a mortice lock.

• Period and heritage joinery: Replacing old rim locks on solid timber stiles where deep mortice pocket cutting would compromise frame strength.

How to choose the right night latch

• Check the backset dimension, so the latch lines up with the existing fixing position.

• Confirm the handing of the door and whether the latch is reversible.

• Match the fixing method to the door construction and the product specifications.

Before you order

• Measure backset and door thickness: Accurately check your existing backset and ensure your door leaf thickness (typically 32mm–57mm) matches the supplied rim cylinder tailbar and connecting bolts.

• Check inward vs outward opening: Standard night latches are engineered for inward-opening doors. If your application opens outward, order a specialised outward-opening strike plate/staple.

• Confirm frame clearance: Ensure your timber frame rebate has enough flat purchase to mount the rim keeper box securely without binding against the door stop.

• Source essential tools: Make sure you have the correct flat spade bits (typically 32mm for the rim cylinder bore), chisels for the strike plate rebate, and wood screws for solid fixing.

Explore our range of night latches

Browse the full selection in one place and choose the product that suits the door, the fixing method and the job. You can check, order online, use free Click & Collect or arrange delivery to the site.