How can I secure this door?
Discussion
I've just bought a house, and I've got this horrible concrete garage with a double wooden door as pictured below. In the long term I intend to pull it down and rebuild.
The door is a bit warped and as a result the lock doesn't actually catch on anything when its in the locked position. I know that if someone wants to get in then they will find a way, but how can I secure this door cost effectively against opportunist thieves who fancy my tools?
I'll be posting more similar 'what/how can' I threads over the next few months as I get more jobs started. Thanks for your help.
The door is a bit warped and as a result the lock doesn't actually catch on anything when its in the locked position. I know that if someone wants to get in then they will find a way, but how can I secure this door cost effectively against opportunist thieves who fancy my tools?
I'll be posting more similar 'what/how can' I threads over the next few months as I get more jobs started. Thanks for your help.
Shed bar?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/garden-shed-bar
Probably will need reinforcing inside, to prevent it being kicked inwards.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/garden-shed-bar
Probably will need reinforcing inside, to prevent it being kicked inwards.
Willeh85 said:
no side door access, on the inside it has two sliding bolts top and bottom on the right door.
Would the shedbars need to go across the whole door or just a good portion through the middle?
It would be best anchored into something solid either side. Also check that hinges cannot be unscrewed, the next door neighbour had his garage door removed and tools stolen, he fitted an alarm with bell box after with no further problems.Would the shedbars need to go across the whole door or just a good portion through the middle?
Some police forces will offer advice/visit, they'll have seen garages broken into most weeks.
http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Garden-sheds-...
OK - making the best of a bad lot (bearing in mind it wouldn't take too much effort to go through the roof or indeed the walls).
Firstly I'd fit some more substantial hinges and either burr over the screws or use coach bolts and hammer the ends of the threads over the inside nut to prevent removal.
Then you need a substantial locking bar and a decent close shackle padlock (more is more in this case - do not be tempted by cheapo versions - something like Chubb, Abus, ERA or similar).
Fitting a great combination above to the timber is a waste of time as you could easily cut around it or force it from/through the timber itself - so you need to supplement the surrounding area with a steel plate and fix through it. Make it a 3mm plate screwed on at 6 inch intervals and again burr the screw heads afterwards. You could fit a T section steel section to the opening edge to prevent insertion of a jemmy.
Internally fix tool boxes via chain and rawl bolt to the wall, chain bikes to each other and to walls. Get a steel strongbox with a great padlock and store the most expensive stuff inside.
Finally fit an intruder alarm with a master blaster internal sounder (140db) and put it in a cage to prevent it being attacked.
Phew!
Firstly I'd fit some more substantial hinges and either burr over the screws or use coach bolts and hammer the ends of the threads over the inside nut to prevent removal.
Then you need a substantial locking bar and a decent close shackle padlock (more is more in this case - do not be tempted by cheapo versions - something like Chubb, Abus, ERA or similar).
Fitting a great combination above to the timber is a waste of time as you could easily cut around it or force it from/through the timber itself - so you need to supplement the surrounding area with a steel plate and fix through it. Make it a 3mm plate screwed on at 6 inch intervals and again burr the screw heads afterwards. You could fit a T section steel section to the opening edge to prevent insertion of a jemmy.
Internally fix tool boxes via chain and rawl bolt to the wall, chain bikes to each other and to walls. Get a steel strongbox with a great padlock and store the most expensive stuff inside.
Finally fit an intruder alarm with a master blaster internal sounder (140db) and put it in a cage to prevent it being attacked.
Phew!
davepoth said:
Following Elanfan's statement, I can only add:
Put your tools somewhere else.
I'm having similar issues trying to secure my detached, brick, double garage.Put your tools somewhere else.
Side access and window have been bricked up but I am really unsure as to how to proceed with the rest of it, even after reading LordFlatheads great post on the subject). I'm practically in despair, as it seems that if they want to get it then they'll get in and that's that - my motorbikes are gone again. I just feel so powerless.
Dog Star said:
I'm practically in despair, as it seems that if they want to get it then they'll get in and that's that - my motorbikes are gone again. I just feel so powerless.
Yes if they want to get in they will get in, virtuaally irresoectve of what you do about it. If you are losing motorbikes the option I would go for is to find some way of chaining the bike to the floor to make its removal as difficult as possible.Chrisgr31 said:
Yes if they want to get in they will get in, virtuaally irresoectve of what you do about it. If you are losing motorbikes the option I would go for is to find some way of chaining the bike to the floor to make its removal as difficult as possible.
They brought a portable angle grinder and cut them off - Almax chain and Squire lock.Dog Star said:
I'm having similar issues trying to secure my detached, brick, double garage.
Side access and window have been bricked up but I am really unsure as to how to proceed with the rest of it, even after reading LordFlatheads great post on the subject). I'm practically in despair, as it seems that if they want to get it then they'll get in and that's that - my motorbikes are gone again. I just feel so powerless.
Large sheets of steel (5-6ft tall) that you have for a project but have left leant up against the inside of your garage door ready for cutting, be careful not to open the doors from the outside or they might fall on you.Side access and window have been bricked up but I am really unsure as to how to proceed with the rest of it, even after reading LordFlatheads great post on the subject). I'm practically in despair, as it seems that if they want to get it then they'll get in and that's that - my motorbikes are gone again. I just feel so powerless.
That looks a bit like my current shed/garage, I just went for a simple padlock and bracket type thing for now - to stop the casual opportunist. The key thing was not really keeping anything of value in there, which was lucky as when it was broken into - by smashing the door in, there wasn't anything for them to steal.
Obviously new brick garage will be more secure and alarmed when it is built.
Obviously new brick garage will be more secure and alarmed when it is built.
Dog Star - the enemy of the thief is time so the more you can delay him the more he risks being caught.
See my longish post above - I'd definitely go for the alarm with protected master blaster siren (you have no idea how painful these are in a confined space with the sound coming back at you off walls etc - it is the equivalent of being about 25 metres from a jet engine!!).
If you are really worried your bikes will be targeted again then in addition to chaining down etc I'd fit another internal gate - I'd build it of a thick ply, fit a steel hasp and staple + good padlock and make up a steel box for the padlock to sit inside. Now to really f
k up the guys with the angle grinders the timber might actually be tougher to get through (clogging?) but I'd be knocking all sorts of nails, nuts, screws etc into the timber in the hope they might shatter any blade being used (and hopefully get the bits embedded in their heads). They have all this to get past whilst the master blaster is causing permanent hearing loss and still have yet to attack the chains on the bikes (chain them to each other too).
If all this fails get one of those flamethrowers that they fit under cars to deter carjackers
See my longish post above - I'd definitely go for the alarm with protected master blaster siren (you have no idea how painful these are in a confined space with the sound coming back at you off walls etc - it is the equivalent of being about 25 metres from a jet engine!!).
If you are really worried your bikes will be targeted again then in addition to chaining down etc I'd fit another internal gate - I'd build it of a thick ply, fit a steel hasp and staple + good padlock and make up a steel box for the padlock to sit inside. Now to really f
k up the guys with the angle grinders the timber might actually be tougher to get through (clogging?) but I'd be knocking all sorts of nails, nuts, screws etc into the timber in the hope they might shatter any blade being used (and hopefully get the bits embedded in their heads). They have all this to get past whilst the master blaster is causing permanent hearing loss and still have yet to attack the chains on the bikes (chain them to each other too).If all this fails get one of those flamethrowers that they fit under cars to deter carjackers
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