Locks for French doors

[spacey3]

I have a pair of external original (or so we believe) french doors, however the doors are not very thick measure around 32mm.

A rim lock that has been painted numerous times currently exists with a very small throw bolt.

I have begun to strip the paint from the doors and where I thought I might be able to fit a lock I am dubious. The reason being that the beading seems to be part of the door and not nailed on.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do for a locking system that would be secure?

 

[JohnD]

mortice rack bolts top and bottom of both leaves, and a convenient rimlock. Your insurance policy will probably dictate that the keys have to removed when the house is locked up, if you look at their website or email them they will probably send your their minimum security requirements including french windows. If you have rack bolts (or possibly locking metal bolts with a removable key) top and bottom they will probably not insist on a BS lock. You don't want a keyhole on the outside of the door.

we need to know the width of the stiles to work out what lock, if any, will fit.

Bolts something like these. The larger-bodied ones will enable you to spread the screws over a larger area of your thinnish door http://www.screwfix.com/p/multipurpose-door-bolt-white/68824

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/520790
The Wickes ones are usually made by ERA (llok for a brand name on the key). Unbranded ones are sometimes not as good.

 

[spacey3]

mortice rack bolts top and bottom of both leaves, and a convenient rimlock. Your insurance policy will probably dictate that the keys have to removed when the house is locked up, if you look at their website or email them they will probably send your their minimum security requirements including french windows. If you have rack bolts (or possibly locking metal bolts with a removable key) top and bottom they will probably not insist on a BS lock. You don't want a keyhole on the outside of the door.

we need to know the width of the stiles to work out what lock, if any, will fit.

Thanks, will take a picture of them tomorrow and upload with measurements.

 

[danncus]

I would advise against mortice rack bolts on bottom (shooting vertically down) on an external door. Universal locking bolts already mentioned are an easy solution top and bottom of both leaves, but are not pretty..

MLA ABI Insurance Guidelines for locks

http://cusworth.net/wp-content/uploads/Guidelinesforsecurity.pdf

 

[JohnD]

I would advise against mortice rack bolts...

why?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Fit new exterior doors 44mm thick, what ever locks you fit will not make it insurance approved. If you tried to claim off your insurance due to a break in, they would not pay out.

Andy

 

[danncus]

"why?"

two reasons

when drilling into the threshold the hole soon gets moisture & dirt in and rots. the moisture the travels up into the rack and seizes the lock, which then breaks in the locked position.

 

[spacey3]

I've uploaded some images of the doors.

Someone currently placed a flush bolt on one of the doors both top and bottom and also included some other paraphernalia along the way.

As with regards to replacing the doors, it would mean I would have to replace the entire frame and I don't want to do that.

I will be replacing the window above to a piece of glass only, possibly stained glass (dependant on cost) and the same for the glass in the doors.

However as I stated my main concern it the locks I can install. The beed on the doors are part of the door and cannot be pulled off. The doors also have gun stops which probably doesn't help.

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• spacey3
• 16 Jul 2012
• 1

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• spacey3
• 16 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• spacey3
• 16 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• spacey3
• 16 Jul 2012
• 1

 

[danncus]

if was my door, I would leave the top alone if both bolts work, and fit a pair of universal bolts to the bottom

 

[JohnD]

that pressed rimlock is rubbish

And is it on the outside of the door

 

[spacey3]

One idea was to replace the two bolts that exist with new versions, however these would not be locking.

So it is mainly the locking system that concerns me.

I looked at wooden multi point locks but I don't think I can fit those in because the door is thin at only 32mm.

 

[spacey3]

that pressed rimlock is rubbish

And is it on the outside of the door

Thank you - that was very enlightening

 

[wired2u]

"why?"

two reasons

when drilling into the threshold the hole soon gets moisture & dirt in and rots. the moisture the travels up into the rack and seizes the lock, which then breaks in the locked position.

Seems you had some problems with yours, have fitted hundreds and never had an issue.

 

[JohnD]

there are a small number of good-quality rim deadlocks around, a popular 4-lever one is made by (I think) Marston and is used on utility cabins, substations etc.

You can also use a safe lock, these are often solid brass case and internals, and will polish up nicely. They are actually not expensive, lock merchants and ebay have them. However the keyhole is always on the outside of the door, I don't know if they would look OK bolted inside-out.