How to Drill Front Doors

Tape the template of your lock set or deadbolt to the door according to the manufacturer's instructions. Mark the centers of the holes you want to drill with an awl.

Drill an 1/8-inch pilot hole through the door at the center mark. If your front door has a metal exterior skin, use a steel-cutting drill bit. The bit will cut through the steel and the interior wood.

Insert the appropriate-size hole saw into the drill. Hole saws have a drill bit in the center. Place the drill bit over the pilot hole and drill halfway through the door. If you're drilling through a metal skin door, use a hole saw designed for cutting through metal.

Reposition the drill to the opposite side of the door and finish drilling the hole. The "plug" will come out with the hole saw.