In my area, the houses built originally using rim locks used them only on interior doors. The exterior doors used mortise locks. I own, but no longer live in, one such house.
I remember when those were just a few dollars each. I save old ones and sometimes manage to get enough assorted parts to assemble a usable one.
Often the interior doors were just 1" thick and too thin to use any other type lock.

This post was edited by bus_driver on Fri, Oct 17, 14 at 13:53

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This post was edited by bus_driver on Fri, Oct 17, 14 at 13:50

If these require a key to unlock from inside, be sure to check code. Where we are, such a lock would not pass inspection. There was an older thread that touched on that topic.

Pretty knobs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread re door escape requirements

We have rim locks on some doors. LOVE them because they are so easy to install on a slab door with craftsman trim.

You can get some with a small knob to open them from the other side so you can avoid being locked in or out.

Thanks for the responses. I read through the door escape requirements that you posted Oaktown (thank you!) and I still am confused as to what code requires here. I"ll have to discuss with the builder I suppose. There is a way to disable the privacy latch when you install them (just removing the part and opening the box), but there is a key on the inside - not sure how this would differ from a regular privacy knob though if we left the key in? (I called HOAH to talk this morning - their only caveat was that exterior products should be brass and not cast iron for longevity) But logically, you are right, this wouldn't pass code looking at the rationale. I wonder if they make these without locks, just latches?

We have a rim lock on one of our exterior doors, supplemented by a deadbolt. We have an old house, and there was what I guess was the original rim lock there when we bought the house, but it had no keeper. To replace it, I got one of the more ornate rim locks with keeper from HOAH. What I discovered was that the door frame wasn't on the same plane as the door, so I had to affix a piece of wood to bring the keeper in line with the latch. Also, the doorframe didn't seem to have enough wood behind it where the keeper needed to go, so the screws holding the keeper kept coming loose. I solved this by affixing the aforementioned piece of wood further way from the edge of the doorframe. So this is a long way of saying that you would need to let your contractor know that the doorframe needs to be able to accomodate the keeper.

Also, if you live in a cold climate, you'll want to get draft covers for your keyholes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Draft cover