HOMOTEK Privacy Sliding Door Lock with Pull - Replace Old Or Damaged Pocket Locks Hardware Quickly and Easily, 2-3/4”x2-1/2”, for 1-3/8” Thickness Door, Black

Why I chose this lock

I had a tired, sticky pocket door latch on a bathroom that was long overdue for replacement. I wanted a simple, modern-looking privacy lock that would drop into a standard mortise without forcing me to carve up the door. The HOMOTEK pocket door lock in black checked the right boxes on paper: non-handed and reversible, sized for a 1-3/8-inch door, with an integrated pull and a clean, square profile. After living with it and installing it myself, here’s how it stacks up.

Design and build

This is a straightforward privacy pocket door lock with an integrated pull recessed into a rectangular faceplate. The body uses a mix of stainless steel and zinc components, and the black finish on my unit is even and consistent across the trim and strike. It reads matte—more modern than glossy—and pairs well with other black hardware without screaming for attention.

In hand, the lock doesn’t feel flimsy. The faceplate is flat and true, corners are crisp, and there’s no sharp burr on the pull edges. The integrated pull has a wide opening and a gentle chamfer that makes it easy to catch with fingertips when the door is fully nested in the pocket. Inside the mechanism you’ll find thin stamped parts typical of residential pocket hardware; it’s not commercial-grade, but it’s better than the tinny, rattly units I often see in big-box aisles.

One important note: this model is sized for 1-3/8-inch-thick doors. If your slab is 1-3/4 inch, look elsewhere or expect to modify.

Installation experience

For replacement work, it’s about as painless as it gets. The case dimensions matched a standard 2-3/4 by 2-1/2 inch mortise cutout, and the screw holes lined up with an existing prep on my door. I removed the old latch, vacuumed out years of dust from the pocket, and test-fit the HOMOTEK body. It slid right in without chiseling. If your existing pocket is tight, you might need to square up a corner or two with a sharp chisel.

The lock is non-handed. If the thumbturn and latch orientation aren’t correct for your door, you can reverse the mechanism. This requires removing the trim from the body and flipping a couple of parts. The process is doable but a little fiddly—the internal spring and a stamped catch plate want to shift while you reassemble. My advice:

• Lay a light-colored towel on the bench so tiny parts are easy to see.
• Take a quick photo of the internal layout before moving anything.
• Reverse only what you need; don’t fully disassemble.

A small, practical tip: leave the two screws holding the interior pull plate slightly loose while you insert the assembly into the door. This gives you a little play to seat the unit square and avoid binding. Once the faceplate is flush, tighten all screws.

The kit includes the strike plate and mounting screws. I had to reposition the strike slightly to get reliable engagement; more on that below.

Tools I used:
- #2 Phillips screwdriver (hand tool, not a driver, to avoid stripping)
- Sharp chisel and mallet (only to tune the strike mortise)
- Combination square and pencil for layout
- Blue tape to protect the door finish while test-fitting

From start to finish, the replacement install took about 20 minutes, plus a few minutes of fine-tuning the strike.

Fit, latch engagement, and adjustment

Pocket door privacy sets live or die by latch throw and alignment. This one has a modest latch projection, so the door-to-jamb gap matters. If your door floats too far from the stop (common on older frames or houses with settling), the latch may just kiss the strike without catching.

There are a few ways to solve this:
- Reposition or shim the strike plate outward. A thin shim behind the strike is often all you need.
- Adjust the pocket door’s end-stop so the door travels a hair farther closed.
- If the mortise for the strike is too deep, fill it slightly and re-screw to bring the plate proud.

I wound up shimming the strike with a thin spacer to tighten things up. Once I did, the latch clicked in positively with a satisfying, quiet “snick.” The thumbturn engages smoothly, and the emergency release on the hallway side (standard for a privacy set) operates as expected with a coin or flat tool.

If you’re installing on a brand-new slab, take your time on the strike layout: close the door, mark the latch centerline on the jamb, then mortise just enough for the new plate to sit flush. Test-fit before you commit.

Daily use

Day to day, the HOMOTEK lock has been reliable. The integrated pull makes retrieving the door from the pocket easy—no fingernail gymnastics required. The thumbturn is low-effort and stays put. The latch doesn’t rattle, even with a kid slamming the door more enthusiastically than I’d like. On a bathroom door, the privacy function has been rock-solid.

The black finish has resisted fingerprints better than I expected. A microfiber wipe brings it back to showroom with no streaks. I checked screw tightness after a couple of weeks; nothing had worked loose.

Noise is minimal. Pocket doors can amplify mechanical sounds inside the cavity, but this mechanism is damped enough that closing the door late at night doesn’t wake anyone.

Finish and style options

While I chose black to tie together other matte black accents, this lock is also available in brushed satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, brass, and antique brass. The silhouette is neutral and works across modern and transitional interiors. If you’re mixing metals in a bathroom—say, brushed nickel on the sink and black accessories—this lock’s restrained look won’t fight the palette.

Where it shines

• Replacement projects: If your existing hardware cutout is standard, this is likely a true drop-in with minimal fuss.
• Comfort and ergonomics: The pull opening is generous, and the edges don’t bite into fingers.
• Value: You get a solid-feeling mechanism, decent fasteners, and clean finish for a fair price.
• Flexibility: Non-handed, reversible design means one SKU works for either door orientation.

Where it falls short

• Instructions: The documentation is sparse. Reversing the lock is not hard, but the steps aren’t well illustrated. If you’re new to pocket hardware, you may want a quick video reference.
• Latch throw tolerance: The latch projection is on the conservative side. If your door-to-jamb gap is greater than ideal, expect to adjust the strike or stops. This is common with pocket sets, but worth noting.
• New installs require skill: As with any mortised pocket lock, a clean, square cavity is essential. If you’re not comfortable cutting a mortise, plan to practice on a scrap or hire it out.

Tips for a better install

• Confirm door thickness: This is for 1-3/8-inch doors. Measure before ordering.
• Measure the existing mortise: The faceplate is roughly 2-3/4 by 2-1/2 inches. If your opening is larger or smaller, be ready to shim or pare.
• Test latch engagement before final screwdown: Close the door and check that the latch fully captures the strike. Adjust the strike depth or add a thin shim if needed.
• Protect finishes: Tape around the mortise while fitting to avoid scuffing painted or stained doors.
• Hand-drive screws: These small wood screws strip easily with a driver. A screwdriver gives better feel.

Durability outlook

I can’t speak to multi-year endurance yet, but the mechanism has enough spring tension and precise engagement that I’m optimistic. The materials—stainless steel and zinc—are appropriate for indoor use, and the black coating hasn’t shown premature wear. If something fails on budget pocket sets, it’s usually a thin internal catch plate or a fatigued spring; so far, there’s no sign of either.

Bottom line

The HOMOTEK pocket door lock is a well-executed, reasonably priced upgrade for standard 1-3/8-inch pocket doors. It installs easily as a replacement, looks crisp, operates smoothly, and provides dependable privacy once the strike is correctly set. The two caveats are predictable for this category: instructions that could be clearer and latch engagement that depends on a properly set door-to-jamb gap.

Recommendation: I recommend it. If you’re replacing an existing pocket lock and your mortise is close to standard, this is a low-friction upgrade with a clean look and reliable function. First-time installers should budget extra time for careful layout and be ready to adjust the strike. For the price, the overall fit, finish, and day-to-day feel make it a smart pick for bathrooms, bedrooms, or any interior pocket door where privacy matters.