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French door security (theater?) via mortise lock and dead bolt
Powerpuppies
drinking coffee in themountain cabinRegistered User regular
drinking coffee in themountain cabinRegistered User regular
My mom wants to add some security to her French doors and asked me to order parts for my uncle to install for her. Her words: "I heard of a security lock for French doors that you drilled a hole for this post that would not let the French doors open." I did some quick googling and I keep seeing comments about a three point system, stuff at the top and bottom of the door, mortise locks... I keep seeing contradictory stuff and none of the recommendations seem to have actual products available to buy. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
(I don't care if it's a waste of her time and money if it makes her feel better, just get me the best bad option if that's the case)
(I don't care if it's a waste of her time and money if it makes her feel better, just get me the best bad option if that's the case)
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"Multipoint locks", which basically have deadbolts at the top and bottom that get integrated through the mortise lock itself. This usually requires the french door to actually have it all preinstalled. Though, there are some external ones but they look really ugly most of the time. Cremone Bolts are the external ones you might have seen before that look a bit more classy.
Then there's the ye olde fashioned surface bolts that you screw into the door and drill some holes, and then just manually lock and pull out without having to potentially change out the french doors (annoying to deal with for some people).
E: as for which one? surface bolts are probably going to be the least amount of hassle and seem to be what she's actually looking for? I know there's some french door "deadbolts" that span the distance between the two and prevent them from being opened but they're garbage.
Sorry if I'm asking ultra-basic stuff here...
Hey man not a problem. Most of the time these surface bolts are pretty much all identical and have things like mortise or frame "keepers" (the hole that the bolt goes into).
Grab 2 of these maybe:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-4-in-Bronze-Surface-Bolt-U-10307/202258418
Here's a guide that'll probably work:
http://katrinablair.com/blog/iclittlehouse.com/2014/08/installing-surface-bolts-on-french-doors.html
My only issue with the bolts is they're not really going to stop someone from just kicking down the door, but that's true of any door lock I guess!
That leaves:
1. Internal three point locking systems.
2. Sliding security grille.
The sliding security grille is easier to install and will function even if you have large glass panes. It does however have a pretty big aesthetic impact, although when not in place it can be hidden behind curtains or something.
The internal three point locking system is more suited to french doors with smaller windows, and it has some requirements on the door itself.
It's preferable if the door is built with a multipoint locking system in mind, but it's possible to add one to a solid hardwood door. However, you need to be able to cut a mortise (the depth depends on the type of lock).
What you need to do to cut mortises. It's not tough, but ir requires the appropriate gear (you can rent stuff like that though):
-Antje Jackelén, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden
https://www.amazon.com/Patlock-Security-Straight-security-solution/dp/B00K1YCAV2
The multipoint lock system would be impossible for most peeps to install and not something you're just going to pick up at home depot and drop off (you'll probably need new doors).
But I agree that surface bolts won't do shit either. Pretty much security theater!
I don't like trying to secure french doors, professionally I'm adding something retarded expensive like a mag lock or having something fabricated.
Get the patlock to give the warm fuzzies and it's pretty cheap.
That said, if these french doors are the multi-panel glass ones... no amount of dead bolts are going to do much of anything. If they are fine kicking them open as is, they will be fine breaking the glass to undo whatever lock you put in.
Securing them is a bitch. They make some that are steel core with faux wood exteriors. Those with floor bolts would hold up a bit. Not super well but enough to resist someone with just a boot for a little while. You can get them with either hurricane glass or apply the 3M security film to them. Hurricane glass is shatter resistant up to a point. The 3M film adds this to regular glass. It won't stop someone wanting to willing to use tools but it will stop someone trying to punch a pane and shatter it. It works well again up to the point where someone is willing to use tools. But doing this right is also expensive.
If they are inward opening doors, then you can buy the 3M film and some of those bars people use to wedge the door. Fairly cheap and it will make her feel better.
https://nightlock.com/door-security-devices/residential/nightlock-original/
But fuck you — no, fuck y'all, that's as blunt as it gets"
- Kendrick Lamar, "The Blacker the Berry"
This works great against blunt force, but I have security footage I can't show you of a guy initially breaking the window by swinging a pair of bolt cutters like a bat, and then using the cutters to get through the film. Took him about 30 seconds.
Honestly, that still sounds like an improvement over the 1 second without it.
Yeah, being that locks are for honest people anyway, and given time and circumstance and the proper tools, a person that's intent to get into your home would be able to, esp if it's unoccupied. That 1 second to 30 second jump in opportunity cost and exposure risk makes all the difference.
For example, front and back doors of one of my family's properties are fairly secure, and the first floor windows are gated. Someone got in by breaking the glass of one of the windows, then using a socket wrench (we found it in the snow) to pop the gate off...
edit: They were copper thieves (water and electrical wires were the target), so I imagine it was a lengthy "job" and they forgot?