Commercial Door Cylinders and IC Cores

Commercial Door Lock Cylinders, SFIC Cores, LFIC Cores, and Replacement Keying Hardware

Commercial door cylinders are the keyed components used with levers, knobs, mortise locks, deadbolts, exit-device trim, access-control openings, and other commercial lock hardware. The assortment includes conventional cylinders, mortise cylinders, rim cylinders, key-in-lever cylinders, small-format interchangeable cores, large-format interchangeable cores, cams, tailpieces, and related keying components. For a door knob cylinder or key-in-lever replacement, identify the lock manufacturer and series before comparing dimensions. A similar cylinder shape or keyway does not establish compatibility with the lock's retaining and operating components.

When comparing a door lock core vs. cylinder, distinguish the removable core from the housing it fits into. In an interchangeable-core system, the core contains the keyway and keyed mechanism and can be removed from its compatible housing with the correct control key. SFIC and LFIC or FSIC cores are interchangeable-core formats that allow the removable core to be changed without replacing the entire lock housing, but the formats are not interchangeable with each other. Match the lock manufacturer, core format, keyway, control-key system, and housing preparation before ordering a replacement core. An IC core cylinder must match its intended housing and operating setup. Review our interchangeable-core guide to distinguish the formats before choosing a core or a lock supplied less core.

Mortise cylinders and rim cylinders also differ in body style, mounting, cam or tailpiece arrangement, and the hardware they operate. A replacement cylinder should be matched by cylinder type, length, thread or mounting format, cam, keyway, finish, and lock series. When replacing a cylinder in a commercial mortise lock, confirm the required cam and projection with the manufacturer's specifications. Check which cams, tailpieces, collars or fasteners are included in the selected product rather than assuming a replacement arrives with every component needed.

For facility maintenance or master-keyed systems, confirm the keyway and keying requirement before ordering. Cylinders and cores may need to be keyed alike, keyed differently, master keyed, or supplied to match an existing system depending on the project. Our keyed alike, keyed different and master keying guide explains these arrangements. Physical fit and key-system compatibility are separate checks; confirm both when retaining existing keys or coordinating several doors.

For related door cylinder parts and repair components, browse our door knob, door handle and lock parts collection, or return to commercial door hardware for complete locking products. For a facility project, gather existing model numbers, cylinder measurements, photos, quantities and keying requirements for our contractor and project quote page. Those details provide a better starting point for identifying a replacement than selecting by appearance alone.