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In our office, the door at the entrance has a k2 door closer. Our problem is that when the door closes, it makes a very loud clicking noise. I believe this is the result of the latch bolt hitting the strike plate, which is what causes the noise. It has nothing to do with latch or swing speed, since the screws in the door closer body are turned fully clockwise. The sound seems to be caused by the metal.

Is there anything we can do to mitigate this noise?

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    There's not much that can be done, since the sound is caused by the metal to metal contact. I've seen doors that have a small plastic bit on the front side of the strike plate, but even those doors make a clicking noise when closing. The metal door seems to amplify the sound generated by the bolt hitting the strike plate, and the sound of the bolt fully extending once the door is closed.
    – Tester101
    May 6, 2014 at 0:47
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    Is the latch well lubricated? They can get dirty/sticky over time. That makes the closing noise louder. A little cleaning and a spritz of silicone lubricant might reduce noise to a more acceptable level.
    – Wayfaring Stranger
    Oct 3, 2014 at 12:22

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One of the adjustment screws is for the swing speed, and one is for the latch speed. It sounds like the latch speed is too high.

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Adjust the latch speed until the door is just moving fast enough that it closes. You'll also want to be sure to test it by opening the door the minimum amount someone would open it.

If it doesn't shut if you slow it down at all, it may be the door arm is installed incorrectly.

If it doesn't really slow down when you adjust it, then it could be the closer is broken (lost fluid or broken valve seal) and easiest thing to do is replace the entire closer.

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    it's not a problem with the latching speed. The latch speed is slowed down as much as possible. The problem is the noise when the metal from the latch bolt hits the metal in the strike bolt.
    – Ryan
    May 5, 2014 at 15:16
  • @Ryan: You say that the latch speed is as slow as possible, yet it still closes? That means there is a valve problem. If it is screwed in all the way, the door won't close at all.
    – wallyk
    Nov 2, 2014 at 9:02
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It sounds like a case of metal hitting metal, in which case you'd need to apply something to the strike plate. Something like tape or felt pads might help.

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There are latches which have a HDPE strip on the face. I have no idea whether they can be purchased separately as a retrofit, or whether that would reduce the sound significantly. You'd still have the sound of the latch springing back into the strike opening, though it might be possible to muffle that.

There are latches which swing back into their recess rather than being "wedged" inward by a sloped face. I've only seen these on fairly high-end mortise locks; I don't know whether they'd be available for anything else. (They can have other advantages.) Since they operate a bit more smoothly they might reduce the latch noise.

The only suggestion I can offer that I have some real confidence in is to get rid of the mechanical latch and strike, replacing them with something that engages only after the door is actually closed. A magnetic locking system, for example, can engage without an audible click when properly installed. Of course then you need power supply and control circuit to handle locking/unlocking it, and there may be life-safety requirements for exactly how that's installed and operated.

Of course the simplest and least expensive solution is to stop worrying about this click and learn to ignore it. Seriously, unless you have VERY weird requirements, you're overthinking this by about 1000%.

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