Privacy Locks
Our privacy locks give bathrooms, toilets and bedrooms a simple inside lock, with hardware that complements your home. Choose from privacy bolts, mortice locks and separate privacy turns in brass, chrome, nickel and other finishes, with traditional and modern styles to suit your handles.
A privacy lock is a low-security internal lock, operated from inside the room. It is designed for personal privacy rather than entrance-door security. Choose an arrangement with an outside emergency release for access if someone needs help.
Which privacy lock parts do you need?
Start with the handle you like, then choose its compatible locking parts. A turn, a bolt and a complete handle set are different things:
- Privacy turns: the small thumbturn you operate to lock the door. A separate turn needs a compatible privacy bolt or lock inside the door; the turn alone cannot lock it.
- Privacy bolts and latches: the internal locking mechanism. A separate privacy bolt is commonly paired with a tubular latch, which holds the door closed when it is unlocked.
- Privacy mortice locks: combine the latch and privacy bolt in one lock body fitted into the door. They need compatible handles and the correct spacing between the handle and privacy turn.
Some privacy handle sets include their latches; others offer them as add-ons. Follow the options for your chosen set rather than assuming every part is supplied. If you are starting from scratch, browse our door handles first to find the style you love.
Getting the fit right
Backset is the distance from the door edge to the centre of the handle or privacy turn. A 57–60mm backset is a common starting point for standard internal doors, while narrower panelled or French doors may need a shorter size. For replacements, match the existing backset and compare the lock body, door thickness and cut-outs with the new hardware. Our backset measuring guide explains where to measure.
The spindle is the square rod that connects the turn to the lock. Its size must suit the mechanism. Matching the backset alone does not make privacy parts interchangeable, particularly across different brands.
Matching your handles and finish
A separate privacy turn can sit alongside a favourite lever or knob without changing its style. Brass tones work beautifully with traditional handles, while chrome and nickel offer lighter silver-coloured options. Start with the handle's own range for coordinating hardware; finish names and colours can vary between brands. Our team can help you find a close match and the right combination of parts.
Privacy lock FAQs
Sometimes, but privacy systems work differently across brands and ranges. An ordinary passage latch does not provide a locking function by itself. Send our team photos of the handles and the door edge, together with your measurements, so we can help establish which parts can stay and which need replacing.
It is a release on the outside of the door that lets someone unlock it without operating the inside turn. Depending on the design, it may use a coin slot or a pin release. Check the chosen set's release type and instructions before fitting it, especially for a bathroom or toilet.
Choose a privacy set specifically made for sliding doors. Cavity doors need hardware that clears the door jamb as the door slides into the wall; a hinged-door arrangement is not a direct substitute. Browse our sliding door handles and privacy sets for suitable designs.
Yes, a passage handle and its latch can be paired with a separate privacy turn and compatible bolt where the door has room for both mechanisms. This can be useful when you want to keep the same handle style throughout your home. Ask our team to help select the parts for your handle and door before ordering.
