Basement Bilco Door Lock Ideas?

[HandyFS]

I have an old Bilco door to the basement I need to add a lock to. They sell a kit that's around $100+ I could buy, but I may replace this door in a year or two so I'd rather not spend that much right now on it. Any ideas of any other locks that will work in a similar way, or, do I install a hasp latch and pad lock and call it a day?

Here is the lock kit for $100+:
Bilco Lock Kit

 

[NUTTSGT]

Temporary fix, I would do a hasp with pad lock and be done.

 

[PCustoms]

Temporary fix, I would do a hasp with pad lock and be done.

This.

Probably cost you $50 for a good hasp, some bolts and a decent weatherproof lock.

 

[The Cobbler]

for $100 that's a crappy lock. I would adapt a deadbolt to work there, or a surface latch with some adaptations and keyed to my existing house keys.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I have an old Bilco door to the basement I need to add a lock to. They sell a kit that's around $100+ I could buy, but I may replace this door in a year or two so I'd rather not spend that much right now on it.

If you plan on replacing it with a new Bilco door, you could buy the lock now and then transfer it to the new door when it's installed.

 

[captaindiode]

Is this an exit that could be needed in an emergency from the basement? If so lock that can be opened from the inside would be wise.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Is this an exit that could be needed in an emergency from the basement? If so lock that can be opened from the inside would be wise.

The Bilco lock can be operated from inside without a key.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Stuart, I have one of the Bilco door locks that the OP has shown. I bought it at Home Depot when it was on sale for $60.00. I haven't installed it yet, but you are 100 percent correct about it being able to open from the inside without a key. The keyed lock has a sliding bar that is used in place of the factory installed slide lock bar that comes standard on Bilco doors.

captaindiode was most probably talking about the people who were saying to put a hasp and pad lock on the outside of the Bilco door. If the hasp and pad lock are installed on the outside then anyone inside the basement would not be able to get out in an emergency if no other means of escaping are possible. Plus it would be a pain in the *** if you were in the basement and you wanted to bring something outside thru the Bilco door and it was locked from the outside with a pad lock.

A keyed lock is what is needed if entry from the outside is wanted. This will keep the safety factor of being able to get out of basement in an emergency and for ease of use to get into and out of the basement.

 

[captaindiode]

Yes. I was thinking of the hasp and padlock.

 

[mike93lx]

Buy the bilco lock if you have to lock the door

Is there a door at the bottom of the stairs? That's how I have secured the basement in the past.

 

[rlitman]

for $100 that's a crappy lock. I would adapt a deadbolt to work there, or a surface latch with some adaptations and keyed to my existing house keys.

Close, but a latch like that won't work on a double door. You want this kind of "jimmyproof" lock (with the surface mount strike).

I don't see how the rim cylinder could work with the lock surface mounted on a piece of sheet metal, so you'd want to use a piece of 2x4 in the middle, and a handful of carriage bolts (and I suggest nylock nuts for the inside) to hold this all together. The hardest part will be drilling for the cylinder.

 

[The Cobbler]

one door would be latched by another means to make it (dead until released)
yes, you would need to use some blocking etc to make it all work, and a hole saw would drill that for the rim cylinder .
maybe not a mod for everyone, but really easily done .

 

[HandyFS]

Lots of great ideas, thanks everyone. This basement is used only by me, one way in, one way out the way its set up for storage. After thinking about it, I think I'll just get the Bilco lock after all. I started to go down a bunch of potential lock paths based on some stuff you all posted, and some other ideas. Before I knew it, I was making more work for myself since the door isn't just a simple flat surface, so at that rate the Bilco lock itself is probably going to be the easiest, and work the best. Guess I'm buying the lock and checking if I have the metal bits, or need them. Nice cold winter project ahead.

I do have a door at the bottom of the Bilco stairs I could rig up a better lock on, but I prefer the Bilco itself also be locked.

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[mike93lx]

Lots of great ideas, thanks everyone. This basement is used only by me, one way in, one way out the way its set up for storage. After thinking about it, I think I'll just get the Bilco lock after all. I started to go down a bunch of potential lock paths based on some stuff you all posted, and some other ideas. Before I knew it, I was making more work for myself since the door isn't just a simple flat surface, so at that rate the Bilco lock itself is probably going to be the easiest, and work the best. Guess I'm buying the lock and checking if I have the metal bits, or need them. Nice cold winter project ahead.

I do have a door at the bottom of the Bilco stairs I could rig up a better lock on, but I prefer the Bilco itself also be locked.

Thanks again for all the input!

When a purpose-built solution exists, I really try to go that way. It often isn't the cheapest, but functionality is often the best

 

[rlitman]

When a purpose-built solution exists, I really try to go that way. It often isn't the cheapest, but functionality is often the best

Plus it's often still the cheapest when you factor in the non-zero cost of your labor.

 

[HandyFS]

When a purpose-built solution exists, I really try to go that way. It often isn't the cheapest, but functionality is often the best

Plus it's often still the cheapest when you factor in the non-zero cost of your labor.

You are both right. At first I figured this would be temporary, so the price tag seemed a bit high for the task since I don't use this door all that much. Then reality struck, I say I want to replace this door next year, but who knows, it may be many years before I get back around to it.

I typically enjoy a good challenge, some ingenuity, and engineering to find a solution to a problem/need, but the manufacturer won this round, I'm making my buy list and should be installing it within the next few weeks.