It is important to have multiple copies of your house key, especially if you have more than one person living in the same household. A key copy comes very handy in situations like losing your key or your original key not functioning. For example, many people need to pull the key out of the lock slightly to get it to work. Other people need to jiggle the leu before turning it and unlocking the door.
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No matter what's the reason for getting a key copy, there are many many things to consider like the best location to get a key copy, the time it takes to get your key copied, and others.
One of the easiest and most convenient ways to get a key copy is through local companies like Home Depot. The question remains, can I get a key copy at Home Depot? And the shortest answer is “yes” and “no.” Home Depot provides key copy service; However, this service does not work for all types of keys.
In this article, we will provide you with an overview of the home depots key copy process, How much to get a key copy at Home Depot, how long does it take to copy a key. Finally, we will provide you with a detailed step-by-step on how to does Home Depot key copy DIY work?
Key copy, key duplication, or key cutting
Key copying means creating another version of your key using the original one as a template. The standard method for creating a key copy is called key cutting Or key duplicating.
Key duplicators are devices that contain two main ports; One where you placed the original key, and the other one where you insert “a blank key.” During the copying process, the machine ensures that both keys are aligned at the same horizontal level. Then, the machine's blade cuts through the blank key using the original key as a guide. Once the cutting is completed, the newly copied key gets final polishing and smoothing before it's ready to be used.
To copy a specific key, you must use the right blank key that perfectly matches it. This way, you ensure quality accuracy. In most copying machines at local stores, there are millions of key blanks that usually matches your original key.
This does not mean that the new copy will look identical to the original key; you will still be able to identify your original key just by looking at it.
Can I get a key copy if I don't have the original key?
Answering this question depends on whether if you have a copy of the original key or if you don't have the key at all. The best way to go by this situation is to have your key decoded at a professional locksmith. They can tell you the exact depths to use when cutting through the blank key.
Other people use a copy of the original key to get another copy or “copy using a copy.” While you can get your key copied, experts have a different opinion.
Experts recommend never to copy a key using a copied key. This is because the copied key is never like the original; it will not have the accurate cut depths and other key characteristics needed by the key cutter.
Therefore, if you are planning to get your key copied, you must ensure that you have your original in hand and get it decoded for the best results. This way, you avoid getting into situations where the copied key doesn't work.
Home Depot car key copy DIY
Home Depot has key copy machines located inside different outlets of the store. The process is very simple; All that you have to do is to provide your original key to the machine, wait for about 5 minutes if not less, then get a brand new copy of your key.
What is interesting about the Home Depot key copy is that you don't have to pay anything for the service itself. All that you have to pay is the price of the copied key.
Home Depot provides key copy service for most car types starting from Hadlock keys, all the way to any device that needs a key.
When creating key copies, Home Depot uses specific computer software programs and certain key blanks. Home Depot does not have all types of key blanks or key profiles.
That's why, when you first insert your key in the machine, the machine will scan it, then tell you if it's able to create a copy of it or not. In general, most people with “do not duplicate” labeled keys find it extremely challenging to get a new copy at Home Depot. In other words, if you have a high-security key type, you might not be able to get it copied at Home Depot.
That being said, Home Depot allows for more security on these security type keys. In other words, Home Depot tries to protect customers in cases where someone finds their security key and tries to create a copy of it.
Does Home Depot kecapi include programmed car keys copy service?
Like Walmart's key maker, Home Depot provides key copying for keys for mechanical function only. In other words, all that Home Depot's machine does is to cut through the metal and create a metal key that looks like your original key without any programming.
Therefore, if you have a certain key that is programmed to start your engine, for example, while you can get a key copy that looks like it, the new copy will not be able to start your engine. Long story short, Home Depot provides a similar shape of the key and does not include any programming service.
How accurate is the Home Depot key copy?
Home Depot's key copy is one of the most known key copying services in the United States. Home Depot provides accurate copies for about 90% of car keys, including the most recent model designs.
The Home Depot key copying machine has a very accurate scanning tool that allows it to determine whether it can create a copy for your key or not.
It is important to note that this accurate scanning service is not available at all Home Depots. Therefore, you might need to call and ask your local Home Depot about whether they have the scanning service or not. You can also ask them it where is the nearest Home Depot location has a scanning service if they don't have it.
How long does it take to get a home depot car key copy?
While cutting a new key or creating a key copy might sound like a little complicated process, you will be surprised how fast you can get your key copied at Home Depot. On average, expect to spend about 5 minutes to get a new copy for your key, assuming that the machine has the right he template that matches your original key.
It is important to note that some researchers and experts indicated duplicating a more complicated key might take up to 25 minutes.
How much does it cost to get a key copy at Home Depot?
Home Depot key copy is relatively cheap; you only have to pay about $1.5 for each key copy. In other words, Home Depot does not charge you for the service itself but, it charges you for the price of the copy.
Home Depot cheap key copying attracts the majority of people to get their keys copied. On the other hand, the cheap price indicates some accuracy issues with the copied keys. Accuracy issues are not very rare as reported by several Home Depot customers, and it is not surprising. While machine automation for key creation allows for lower prices, it has its own drawbacks and is not as accurate as a human. That’s why, Locksmith’s key copy is much more expensive than Home Depot as they have actual people perform the job. These people ensure that the copied key is almost identical to the original key.
What “DO NOT DUPLICATE” key mean?
Many people think that a “DO NOT DUPLICATE” label guarantees no one will create a copy of their keys. However, this is not the case.
A key labeled with a “DO NOT DUPLICATE” is another polite way of saying: can you please request authorization before creating a copy of this key. In other words, there is no request by law not to copy this type of key. However, it gets to the business ethics of whether to copy this key or not.
There are several types of keys that you cant copy as prohibited by law. For example, post office boxes keys are prohibited from duplication by law. Similarly, any key that has a mark of US property is also protected by law from getting duplicated.
The bottom line, “DO NOT DUPLICATE” labeled keys are ethics related and don't have any restrictions by law from getting copied.
Home Depot Key Copy Vs. Locksmith Pros and Cons.
In general, the biggest difference between Home Depot and Locksmith is that Home Depot uses automation machines to create your key copy while Locksmith uses customer.
That being said, it is not surprising that Home Depot's key copying is cheaper than Locksmith's. However, the low price does not mean high quality. In other words, while Locksmith is much more expensive than Home Depot, Locksmith provides very high accuracy and ensures that the new copy of your key work successfully.
Many people complained about having issues with their key copy from Home Depot. On the other hand, it is very rare to hear any complaints about inaccurate key copies from Locksmith.
Locksmith is the industry leader when it comes to key creation and key copying. Locksmith can decode your key and come up with the original specifications before creating the new copy. This comes very handily if your original key is worn out. Locksmith is also able to deal with bent it or broken keys, and the service is not available at Home Depot.
Think about Home Depot as a copy machine, and a locksmith is a printer, where you feed it the original specifications and get the original design before printing out the image or the page.
Despite the accuracy of the key copying, the great difference in price attracts many people to have their key copied at Home Depot or Walmart versus Locksmith, especially when they wanted to create multiple copies and find it successful.
Based on our experience, we noticed that the majority of people who go to Locksmith are more interested in copying higher security keys for certain uses, not like house keys.
Conclusion
Getting a key copy is very common, and almost everyone might have tried it for many reasons. People might need to create a new copy when they have many people living in the same household, got a broken key, or lost their keys.
There are many local locations where you can get a key copy that range and differs by price and accuracy. Home Depot is one of the easiest, cheapest, most convenient location to get a key copy.
You can get a key copy for almost all sorts of car keys. However, some high-security keys might make it challenging for you to create a new copy, as Home Depot it might not have the matching blank for these keys.
While the majority of people get their key copy from Home Depot, in several instances, the new key copy did not work due to accuracy issues. On the other hand, the low key copying price at Home Depot made it not a problem. To get a key copied, you only need to pay $1.5 for each key and get it done within 5 minutes.