securing an up and over garage door

[danlightbulb]

Hi,

I need to add some additional security to my garage. It has a metal up and over door with only the centre pull cord type lock.

I have no idea what type of lock fitting would be best nor how many I should use.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

 

[coolhands]

can you lock it from the inside and exit out a small back door? If you can it makes it easier to suggest ways of securing the door. The best way is to use a block of wood (eg a length of 2x4) to prevent the sliding mechanisms from moving, so you can't physically open the up and over door from the outside.

But if you have to exit out the large up & over door then it limits your options.

What I did to mine was fit a slide bolt towards the bottom of the door (on the side) about 12 inches up off the floor, that you lock with a padlock. I fitted one to either side of my door. I had it on the inside, as I could lock them, then exit through a small regular side door which had normal locks on like a back door in your house. I used coach bolts which to secure the slide bolts, as they have a smooth domed head, which is all that's visible from the outside (and hard for burglars to turn or do anything to).

This type (or similar) of slide bolt:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/bolt-galvanised-45-x-270-x-55mm/21300

with something like this type of coach bolt:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/threaded-coach-bolts-a2-stainless-steel-m10-x-60mm-pack-of-10/63369

Personally I would not purchase one of those yellow garage defender locks that you fit in front of the door as apparently they are a bit rubbish in a number of ways: you can lever them out the ground; you can simply force the edge (corner) of the garage door up as they only secure the centre of the door; becuase they are so visible they alert people to the fact you might have something in your garage worth nicking.

 

[danlightbulb]

I can exit through another door into the back garden, but I did want to be able to exit and lock it from the front of the garage as its easier.

If I fit hasp and staples with padlocks, is it best to fit one either side of the door, and are they best off at the bottom or at the top? Or do I need 4 in all corners?

 

[JohnD]

easier or more secure. Choose one.

padlocks on the outside of the door are not much good, they can usually be levered off with a garden spade, or cropped open, or five seconds with a cordless grinder. Internal bolts are out of sight and harder to get at.

you can get Enfield bolts, two on the same key, that are internally fitted and have a long throw (garage doors will move around more than house doors) but are operated from outside.

but if you use the personal door, and have it as secure as the front door on a house, you can use ordinary barrel bolts on the inside of the up and over.

 

[foxhole]

If it's a metal door bolts are of little use, a force applied in the middle of the door will buckle it pulling in all the edges and release the bolts.Hasp and staples can work but you need the expensive protected type.A neighbour of mine uses a steel bar right across with heavy steel box protecting padlock on each end, keeps his black cab safe.

 

[danlightbulb]

Hi all.

I'm bumping this thread of mine as I'm ready to do the job now (never got around to it before).

I'm still at a loss as to best way to proceed. I'm happy to be able to lock the up and over door from the inside and exit via a side door. But I can't see how I'll be able to fit an internal bolt as the inside of the garage door is not flush with the surrounding brick. Pictures below.

 

[JohnD]

I've got mine bolting into the lintel and the concrete floor.

I used padbolts so I can add padlocks if I wish.

Looking at your layout I think I would put them at the corners of the door, so you can screw to the side pieces as well as the top/bottom pieces of the frame. assuming it is an aluminium frame, self tappers (as big as will fit) or small bolts would do, and plenty of them. the corner reinforcement plates are relatively thick metal, and hard to drill, but very strong.

Mine does not have such long galvanised runners, but if the bolts can go behind them, that should also hold it firmly. 4-point fixing is best.

 

[crank39]

I was really posh when i did mine, mines a henderson door and it has a groove running all the way around the door itself perfect for a dead lock bolt to slip into so i set 2 long throw mortice deadlocks with euro cylinders into the steel box frame, 1 each side with anti snap cylinders and escuctheons to tidy the hole up

 

[danlightbulb]

I appreciate the replies but Im still at a loss how to do it. The area behind those galvanised plates covering the runners is just hollow.

Can anyone link to the bits I need please?

 

[JohnD]

if the galvanised plates over the runners are fixed to the wall, or the timber doorframe, like mine, then you can secure the door by fastening it to the galvanised plates.

I have in mind a bolt shooting sideways so it holds the door flat to the plates.

The framework of the door is most likely aluminium or thin galvanised, so you can drill holes in to take self-tapping screws though the plate of a bolt. Bolt usually have enough slack in them to accommodate the thickness of the plate.

In my case i screwed the bolts onto the framework (skeleton) of the door and drilled up into the lintel and down into the concrete floor, which might have been easier. I gather from your pic that you have a latch operated by a steel wire from the handle. By drilling a hole in the door, a burglar poke or pull this wire and the door will open. it might also be possible to fabricate a tool to hook the wire, poked through the gap at the top of the door.

bolts
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?fh_search=brenton+bolts&fh_view_size=20

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lockable-pad-bolt-zinc-plated-102mm/69102

self-tapping screws
http://www.screwfix.com/p/prodrive-flange-self-tappers-10-x-pack-of-100/52531
numerous sizes are available

 

[danlightbulb]

Thanks for the links. The galvanised plate in my second picture is part of the metal door itself, i.e it swings open with the door.

I can't see how those bolts will be long enough. The distance from the edge of the frame to the fixed runners is probably about 2 inches. I'll take a photo of it open tomorrow so you can see the mechanism.

 

[skotl]

No idea why everyone else is suggesting old-fashioned bolts.


You need Enfield garage locks.
http://www.lockshop-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/garage-door-bolts.html

Everything else is just pretending.

 

[JohnD]

not everyone

but remember these bolts are on the inside, so the burglar will not have access to them unless he is already inside the garage, out of sight and with time and tools to attack whatever you have fitted.

Dan
If you can't bolt sideways, bolt into the floor and lintel.

 

[danlightbulb]

No idea why everyone else is suggesting old-fashioned bolts.


You need Enfield garage locks.
http://www.lockshop-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/garage-door-bolts.html

Everything else is just pretending.

Those won't work on my garage i don't think. there is no brick at the side for the bolt to locate into. The Entire door is proud of the brick on the inside.

I have the same problem with the lintel above. The door is proud of the lintel on the inside, and as you can see from the picture the lintel appears to be metal.

Here are some more pictures, sorry there are alot but its hard to get a good view of the whole thing.