Garage entry door security

[jkeyser14]

A while ago my neighbor's garage was broken into (smashed the glass on the entry door) and some dirt bikes and tools were stolen. Our garages are both along the property line and are less than 15 feet from each other. This concerned me because my garage entry door is solid wood and single pane glass construction that is coming apart at all the joints and would be very easy to get into.

I'm looking to replace my current garage door with something more secure (and not falling apart). The current door's windows are nice because they lets a lot of light in and SWMBO can see me from the house when I'm inside.

Does anyone know of companies who sell entry doors with lexan windows? I'm planning to also replace the wood framing with steel plates anchored to the concrete block walls for added strength.

 

[jay50]

A while ago my neighbor's garage was broken into (smashed the glass on the entry door) and some dirt bikes and tools were stolen. Our garages are both along the property line and are less than 15 feet from each other. This concerned me because my garage entry door is solid wood and single pane glass construction that is coming apart at all the joints and would be very easy to get into.

I'm looking to replace my current garage door with something more secure (and not falling apart). The current door's windows are nice because they lets a lot of light in and SWMBO can see me from the house when I'm inside.

Does anyone know of companies who sell entry doors with lexan windows? I'm planning to also replace the wood framing with steel plates anchored to the concrete block walls for added strength.

Get a solid metal door and ditch the idea of have windows.
Why does wife have to keep an eye on you anyway in your shop; she afraid you will do something naughty like sip a cold brew or light up a stogie without her permission.

Best thing is to have good insurance coverage.

 

[kbs2244]

Best thing is lights all night long all around the garage.
No windows.
Metal door and well anchored frame without windows.
A clearly seen camera, even if it is a dummy, aimed at the door.

 

[Powerwrencher]

Chain everything and lock it up. I live in chicago and I have everything chained and locked up or anchored to the floor, but the best way is to pull out a chair sip on your favorite drink, smoke your favorite cigar, and have your shotgun loaded

 

[rsanter]

steel door and steel frame if you can.
a friend that had a older detached garage with an old wood door put a payer of 16ga material on both sides with carrage bolts.
he had the metal and the bolts so it was cheaper than a new door

bob

 

[Tech Guy]

You can get a lexan film that can be applied over the window to prevent it from breaking. Contact a company that does window films for sun and UV and they will usually carry the 3M lexan film. You may have to beef up the window frame to prevent the entire window from coming out of the door but the lexan film will stop the window from shattering providing entry. Also make sure you have a good heavy duty lock such as a Schlage B560 (not available in big box stores-only from locksmiths) which has a solid bolt and full 1" throw.

 

[lilredex]

When I re-did the siding on my old garage, the "man" door and the back two windows were filled in and covered over. Never have had a problem, just didn't want to invite one. A motion sensor controls the center light. Outer lights are on a photo-cell switch. Switched them to 12 Volts and ran 12Volt Christmas bulbs in series, look candle like and should burn for at least "100 years".

 

[Falcon67]

Solid door, reinforced frame or at least steel backing for the deadbolt. Automatic security lights near the man door and any windows, plus one that triggers off things in the driveway. There are also simple motion detector alarms that you can mount inside near the door that will make noise shortly after entry. Anything that says "somebody is screwing with my stuff!" will drive 'em down the road.

East side Fort Worth - two wood frame garages not a yard apart. His had no lights and just the back porch light on the house - he couldn't keep a mower or anything else unless a Doberman was tied to it. We had lights and a small gate across the driveway, never lost a thing.

 

[Mr_fixit]

get a metal door with a row of windows at the top for light.

Too high for someone to see in and too high to climb in.

 

[autoist]

Sign on the front of my garage that can be seen from the street:

It says:

 

[Hapis]

Sign on the front of my garage that can be seen from the street:

It says:

Nice sign!

 

[usmc_noma]

^^^lol.

just get rid of the windows and get a solid wood door or metal door. there's no need for windows into a garage through a side door.

 

[DS-21]

Hello Guys! Found this board a while ago, what a great source of input and ideas, lots of interresting reading!

I too have had a few nightly visits at my garage, so I felt it was time to make it as safe as possible without causing too much trouble for myself to get inside.
I think this lock assembly can withstand a lot of abuse from breaker bars and wedges. The doors can not be opened from inside without key, if someone cuts a hole in the roof to get in. Walls and doors are reinforced to match. They are still easy to unlock and open - just a little heavy, like 1000 pounds

 

[Sweet Old Bill]

DS-21,

Welcome aboard!

That is one great looking & locking door.

Enjoy your time here.

Sweet Old Bill

 

[m289271]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you have a molded plastic or fiberglass garage door, that's going to be your weakest link. A portable torch and a small battery powered Sawz All will easily open a hole in a garage door in a couple of minutes. Once the dirt bags are in, they can walk right out ther man door with your stuff.

 

[ahaidet]

You can always put bars over your windows.

For the door you can put some of that expanded metal screen over it from the inside so even if they brake glass they have to cut the screen with a saw or torch or something to get to the door lock to unlock it.


Reinforce the dead bolts with a metal frame.


Just a few ideas I plan on implementing.

 

[accord driver]

New door with large window and burglar bars and mesh around the area preventing reaching the door lock.

 

[GreenRodder]

I live in the country and I have two boys like this. Best security system money can buy. They let me know when someone is coming down the street and god help the guy that tries to bust in. Plus when you have two dogs like these, and live in a small town, people start to know you real quick and word gets around. They're good boys and gentle with the neighbor kids just don't try to get in or hurt anyone


PS. They're not pits they're cane corso's

 

[kbs2244]

m289271 has a good point.

If they are determined to get in it is almost impossible to stop them.
I would call a battery powered sawsall the ultimate bugler tool.

Doors and windows are not always the weak points.

A few years ago we had a model home break in.
The doors and windows were all alarmed.
They backed a truck up to a blank wall and just cut through the siding, studs, and dry wall.
They avoided all the alarm switches.

The idea is to make as hard and as obviously recorded as possible so they go on to an easier target.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Hello Guys! Found this board a while ago, what a great source of input and ideas, lots of interresting reading!

I too have had a few nightly visits at my garage, so I felt it was time to make it as safe as possible without causing too much trouble for myself to get inside.
I think this lock assembly can withstand a lot of abuse from breaker bars and wedges. The doors can not be opened from inside without key, if someone cuts a hole in the roof to get in. Walls and doors are reinforced to match. They are still easy to unlock and open - just a little heavy, like 1000 pounds

That looks like a bank vault door. Good concept.
You don't have an extra laying around that you could send me?

 

[DS-21]

Thanks Bill I'm sure I will!

Yea! It took just one hour to make one so I made up a stack of various sizes. And I'll take the freight too

But seriously I have repressed how many hours I have put on making the garage safer.
I'm not happy with the prison looking windows/bars, but good glass are expensive-to say the least. Right now I have my eyes at a bank that are going to move their business. They have a few windows of the right sizes, I just have to test one of them first! Old banks have other useful equipment too, for giving garage-thefts more headache than they expected... I hope I can get their vault door with frame for future projects.

 

[StarWolve]

Saw this sign on the net today - I think it's appropriate.

 

[e-tek]

Saw this sign on the net today - I think it's appropriate.

That's a great sign - but in Canada it would say: "Nothing inside is worth me politely asking you to stop, then the police showing up to give you a good talking to."

 

[jkeyser14]

Sorry, I can't sit in my garage all day and night with a loaded gun. Some of the tips here were useful, some were worthless and impractical. I'm also personally set on keeping the window because it lets a lot of light in when I'm working inside. Between the entry door and the windows which are mounted high up, I don't need lights in there during the day. I found a company that does wrought iron doors in a lot of different styles. They've got one design I like and are willing to swap the glass out for 3/8" UV resistant polycarbonate. I've yet to see the estimate, but it seems like the best option I've got so far.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Sorry, I can't sit in my garage all day and night with a loaded gun. Some of the tips here were useful, some were worthless and impractical. I'm also personally set on keeping the window because it lets a lot of light in when I'm working inside. Between the entry door and the windows which are mounted high up, I don't need lights in there during the day. I found a company that does wrought iron doors in a lot of different styles. They've got one design I like and are willing to swap the glass out for 3/8" UV resistant polycarbonate. I've yet to see the estimate, but it seems like the best option I've got so far.

Get a solid steel door and a good glass storm door. That way you have some piece of mind and light at the same time.

Glen
________
Ford SI6 engine specifications

 

[jonny o]

This rear door to my shop had been broken into a couple times when the previous tennant was here. There was some drug activity nearby and the guy was known for having some pretty nice vehicles inside. The hollow steel door was getting pretty flimsy and the hinges are outside so I felt I needed to secure both sides.

The jams were also pretty flimsy so everything got screwed back into real wood.

It's ugly, but it works.

The ax handle is mainly for asthetics and sentimental reasons. We had 3 of them sitting next to the front door in a college apartment.

 

[dirttracker18]

Not sure if you have a Restore (owned by Habitat for Humanity) around your area but they are a great resource for stuff like that. You can almost always find a good used steel door or 3 there and likely one with a window or just make your own.
They are great for used kitchen cabinets too!

 

[sctattooer]

What are these spring loaded latches called? I can't find them at my local HD or Lowes.

 

[slip knot]

I got a monitored alarm system on my shop. Money well spent.

 

[DIC]

Mount angle iron about two foot long with lag bolts to the door frame behind the casing where the deadbolt is. Put long screws in the hinges all the way into the door frame....


Exposed hinges

Put bolts in to the door frame on the hinge side and let them stick out a bit , Then drill holes in the edge of the door for the bolts to aline up and go into when door is shut.
If you knock the hinge pins out the door still won't come off........

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Sorry, no pic, but in my last garage, It was a 6 car, full of tools and an office and I lived about 250' from a HUD housing development, some of you know them as projects ? Anyhow, long story as to why I lived there, but it was against my will and the result of practicing poor judgment. So anyway, I build this 6 car garage. I found a used 48" all steel commercial exterior entry door, from a local GC for $50 with a welded frame (was used take out from a demo). I literally built the frame into the wall, but first welded L-brackets that I bolt to the floor via redheads. When all was said and done, you'd break both your legs trying to kick it in. There was no way in hell you'd get through the door short of driving a car through the wall. The immediate local criminals where those of opportunity and need (drug addicts) not professionals. I wasn't worried about anyone cutting their way in, just crack heads trying to kick the door in. The three years I live there, no problems. Home invasions and gun fights up and down the street regularly, but my stuff was never bothered.

I also had a 24 x 36 window, that I put thin wall conduit behind the window on the inside. I built them into the wall and wrapped window 3 times with studs. The "bars" floated in the boards, so if you broke out the window and try to sawzall them, they would spin. You could have just held onto them, and cut, but I was just trying to make them earn their entry. I also installed a 500w quartz halogen motion sensor light on the front of the garage, that really lights things up, big time and draws significant attention. They also draw significant amperage, and is not a light to leave on all night, but they sure do light things up!

 

[DHCrocks]

you can get hinges with fixed pins. that'll solve the exterior hinge problem. I got them at home depot. it's pretty simple to install just do one at a time, leave the door hung and open to expose the screws for the hinge, replace one hinge at a time. Just pray you never have to take off the door cause that would be a pain.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Remember the 3 m's. Metal door, Mean dog, and Mossberg 12 guage. If the *******(s) still get in, your Mancard gets revoked, for a year.

 

[nolatoolguy]

step one- get shotgun
setp two- get a big mean dog
step three- put the dog outside on a zipline provide food and water along with shelter for it
step four- if the dog barks at night grab the shotgun as soon as you go out there hele get the messege

 

[rwhite692]

It is much, much easier to do this, than to try to fortify an existing wooden door and wooden jamb:

Replace the door and door frame, with a prehung steel door with steel door jamb.

No windows in the door. If you "must" have window in the door, make sure it's up high on the door, far from the deadbolt/doorknob area.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've screwed a piece of 10 ga steel behind the latch, then used a 1x4 pine board as trim. Sure they can kick it in, but they'll have to work at it.

I've also screwed a piece of sheet metal (bent like angle iron) in the latch area with it exposed outside. It makes trying to "credit card" a door nearly impossible.