Why Some Doors Just Don’t Work with Smart Locks
- Jessica Zhang
- Jan 9
- 3 min read
A practical solution for traditional doors in Ireland
One day, we received a message through our website.
The sender had just bought an old apartment and was preparing for a renovation. They asked a simple question:
“Is there a smart lock that would work for this door?”
They attached a photo.
At a glance, it was clear —the door was fitted with a rim lock.
It’s not that you don’t want to upgrade — the door simply won’t cooperate
Across Ireland, many traditional homes and older industrial buildings still use rim locks, a surface-mounted lock type that has been around for decades.
This isn’t unusual.
It’s part of the reality of older housing stock.
These doors often share the same characteristics:
Thinner or older door panels
Structures not designed for drilling
Surface-mounted locking mechanisms
Doors that shouldn’t — or simply can’t — be heavily modified
And this is where the problem begins.
Most smart locks on the market are designed with one assumption in mind: the door can be drilled and altered.
On paper, they look great.
In reality, for rim lock doors, they simply don’t fit.
So people end up stuck in a frustrating position:
They want better security. They want convenience. They want to stop managing physical keys. But their door rules it out.
This isn’t a rare situation — and it’s not going away anytime soon.
Why rim locks are common — and so hard to upgrade
Rim locks were originally designed for practicality.
They’re mounted on the inside surface of the door, require minimal alteration, and work well with the construction standards of their time.
The issue isn’t the lock itself.
The issue is that smart lock development largely moved on without them.
As a result, a clear gap has formed:
New doors have plenty of smart lock options
Traditional doors have almost none
Not because the demand isn’t there —but because suitable solutions have been missing.
Rim lock doors don’t all look the same.
From traditional metal gates to older residential and industrial doors, the structure varies widely.
That’s why compatibility matters more than fancy features.
We weren’t looking for a “better” smart lock
When replying to that message, we didn’t try to force-fit an existing product.
Instead, we asked a more basic question:
Is there a smart lock that works with rim lock doors, not against them?
That meant finding something that could:
Install without drilling
Respect the original door structure
Avoid complicated construction work
Still deliver everyday smart access and control
It took time — but eventually, we found the right answer.
RIM SMART LOCK R9 — designed for real doors
The RIM SMART LOCK R9 isn’t meant for every door.
Its purpose is very specific:
To provide a smart upgrade for doors that can’t — and shouldn’t — be drilled.
It follows the original rim lock installation logic, allowing traditional doors to gain modern access control without structural damage.
For many people, this isn’t just another option on a list.
It’s the first option that actually works.
One common issue with rim lock doors is alignment.
Older doors rarely line up perfectly after years of use.
R9 allows minor strike adjustments, helping the latch engage smoothly even when the door and frame aren’t perfectly aligned.
What does the R9 solve in everyday use?
For doors with rim locks, the needs are often straightforward.
It’s not about having the most advanced features available —it’s about reliability, compatibility, and ease of use.
The RIM SMART LOCK R9 allows:
Reduced reliance on physical keys
More flexible access management
Clear visibility of entry activity
Use in homes, back doors, and small commercial spaces
It doesn’t try to redesign the door.
It simply helps an existing door function better in modern daily life — without compromise.
For people who have been limited by their door type for years,this is less about upgrading features and more about finally having a solution that fits.
If this sounds familiar
You may recognise yourself in this situation if:
You live in a traditional or older property
Your door is in good condition, but incompatible with most smart locks
You don’t want to damage or replace a perfectly functional door
You’ve been told, more than once, “It won’t work with that door”
If so, the issue isn’t that you chose the wrong product.
It’s that your door type has been overlooked.
Another concern we hear a lot is door thickness.
Many traditional doors are thicker than modern standards, which rules out a lot of smart locks.
R9 supports doors up to 70mm thick, covering most rim lock doors found in traditional Irish homes.
Still wondering if this works for your door?
Every rim lock door is slightly different.
If you’re unsure whether your existing setup is compatible, you can check the specifications and examples here:
👉 R9 Rim Smart Lock – full details
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