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I'm looking for a deadbolt that has the handle/knob on both sides. Basically the opposite of a double-key deadbolt. The purpose is to put it on our basement door out of reach from the kids. An adult can lock/unlock the door from either side and would never get totally locked on either side, without needing a key.

Any ideas?

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    so you're trying to lock your kids in the basement eh?
    – kinar
    Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 3:21
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    Does this door open in only one direction? How about a standard keyless door knob and latch set?
    – Daniel Griscom
    Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 3:21
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    You could use a standard single-cylinder-and-thumb-turn deadbolt and just leave the key in the cylinder. There are ways to modify that so the key can't be removed, if you are worried about that possibility. (In fact, one nice variation of the double-key includes a key with a thumb turn head, modified so it can only be removed with an additional tool, letting you instantly switch between single-cylinder-and-thumb-turn and double-cylinder; alas, I don't recall which manufacturer offered that.)
    – keshlam
    Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 3:33
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    I still remember being a kid. Any kid with half a brain will be finding something to climb up on, and having only half a brain, it might not be a very safe thing to climb on...you know the way to the emergency room, I hope?
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 3:41
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    Sounds more like you want a child-proof door handle.
    – ratchet freak
    Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 9:44

4 Answers 4

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I was able to accomplish your solution to this problem as you rather originally imagined it, a double sided non-keyed thumb-turn deadbolt lock – I searched for a while but was not able to find such a thing standard made - of course probably the simplest fastest solution is the prior suggestion of a deadbolt lock with thumbturn on one side and key locking on the other side and just leave the key in it all the time (with a bunch of spare keys available lol) – those ARE standard made – in my house I have a swinging door that often needs to be locked to keep a dog on one side of it but easily unlocked on both sides for human passage - in my solution, I bought two standard one-side thumbturm deadbolts and was able to kludge them together through the door without too much trouble. Had to drill the big round hole through the door of course and also for the deadbolt latch itself into the door – main thing was buying two long proper fitting machine screws with nuts that went all the way through the door and joined the two opposite side thumbturn plates together.

Anybody who tries the same can just buy the two locks and study the situation and solve their way through it OK in half a day with otherwise proper standard tools and hole saw drill bits. I also installed a door pull handle on each side to facilitate operating the door and also exactly positioning it for latching.Those attach with simple wood screws.

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  • Well your question asked for no key so you should edit that part out.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Dec 17, 2018 at 18:01
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It took me a wile to find one but it is a double loop locked. This will do what you want, cannot be locked and can be opened from both sides.

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  • Can you provide a photo or update link? That link is dead, and when I search for "double loop locked" I am getting bike locks. Is this what you are talking about or something different? i.e., you put the loop over the top of the door and it prevents door handle from being pushed down? Or is this a special type of handle/cylinder?
    – HelpEric
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 13:56
  • @helperic Add dead bolt , it took me a while to find before so they no longer be made but I had 2 in my last house on swinging doors to lock the dogs out of the girls living room.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented May 7, 2020 at 14:08
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I had my locksmith build such a lock for our Autism Spectrum Disorder rooms. Staff wanted to keep the child in the room yet when the child might get violent, other staff from the outside can get in to assist. It works well. My locksmith used a Lori deadbolt and built exactly that - a two sided thumb turn deadbolt. Saskatchewan, Canada

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I had considered as a response the pin devices that are frequently used to secure double doors that are installed without mullions. One on each side with appropriate holes in the floor, or to keep shorter people from actuating them, into the ceiling or door frame at the top. The problem with that answer is one could be locked into the basement.

Then I found this curious item: Nightlock which could be considered overkill, but has the feature of preventing lock-ins as noted above. Two receiver plates on either side of the door, but only one locking plate.

enter image description here

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