Garage door security

[Haz87]

Moved into a new place, with the normal insecure up and over garage. I don’t want to disable the manual release (type with the catch at the top of the door) as I’m using it plenty but aware this is at the top of the pile in terms of easy way in. Ideally I want to secure it from the inside opposed to the outside.
I’m not overly keen on drilling holes all over the place to fit the normal bolt locks but having looked about it seems this is just the accepted solution.
Unless my google skills are subpar today I can’t find anything out there to counter the manual release issue either.
Just wondering if anyone has got a bit creative and come up with their own solutions?
Got a welder and an angle grinder and I’m not afraid to use them, just struggling to think of any way to achieve a secure door without creating holes galore!!

Cheers
Harry

 

[Shox Dr]

Those doors peel open at the corners like a ripe banana. Nothing you do will make it secure, especially when you don't want to drill holes

 

[Cobbler]

As Shox says, never very secure but a couple of ideas may help. I pop riveted door bolts at the inside bottom corners & drilled 2 holes into the wood frame For the bolts to slide in. If your door has a roller that slides back in a channel section at the top, you can drill a hole through & put a padlock through. I’m lucky as mine is a heavyweight steel door & it would take a lot of beating before it would give up, if you’ve got one of the lightweight aluminium ones, all that’s needed is a tin opener!

 

[Shox Dr]

If you dont want to touch it build another set of doors behind

 

[Paul.]

I have four of these on the inside of my door, one in each corner, the garage is also alarmed both with door switches and PIR sensors

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Check out bulldog locks...if you stick them at the bottom corners that's half your battle. Fix them to plates...going to require some drilling...but it locks the corners down.

My garage door came with a wider frame option to prevent the corners being bent.

What I do is bolt the whole door to its frame over the winter months...

 

[Eric the chicken]

Mine was broken into once. It's a standard up and over door. The scrotes got in by forcing the door up using the central knob.They actually bent one of the roof support angles. As I have a personnel door on the side I removed the central knob so the door can only be opened from the inside. I now have machine bolts inserted through the inner lip of the door in each corner. The holes are reinforced with steel plates. In addition I have two of the ground fixing garage door guards (paranoid moi?) Another advantage with machine bolts is that they cessan't accan be bolted up if I'm away for a couple of days. I do realise that If you can't access the inside of the door all the preceding is pointless. However you can get door bolts made by a firm called 'Schlosser' which can be unlocked form outside. I do appreciate that you don't want to drill your door but to get some measure of increased security/peace of mind you may not have choice.

 

[Domdom]

The most recent method for scallies to break and enter is the cordless grinder and slitting disc method. They just lop a hole in the door and peel it back like a bean tin. Maybe a grille welded to the back with appropriate bolts would at least delay them a bit.

 

[Eric the chicken]

The most recent method for scallies to break and enter is the cordless grinder and slitting disc method. They just lop a hole in the door and peel it back like a bean tin. Maybe a grille welded to the back with appropriate bolts would at least delay them a bit.

This is going to be one of my next mods. In addition, in my previous post I forgot to mention everything is chained to ground anchors or each other. Like I said, paranoid moi. I also appreciate that chains and padlocks can be cut, but it all takes time.

 

[Nomad]

Suggestions to google :
Alarm mine (blank firing trip-wire alarm)
Replace / retrofit the single point fixing with a multi-point system.
Enfield bolts (shoot-bolts that mount inside the door, better than nothing and near invisible.
Replace the usual T-handle with something more secure.
If you have another way into thye garage, secure the up&over door by drilling holes thru' the door into the frame, use long bolts as locking pins so it can't be opened from outside.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

£30 buys you a driveway alarm...I've been trying one out. Garage end is battery powered...house end just plugs in to a socket.

Works very well...I haven't had any break ins. But i've bolted my door shut...have an alarm...oh and a 2m gate with security pales too. If they get past all that they they've earned what they get...

 

[James1979]

This is going to be one of my next mods. In addition, in my previous post I forgot to mention everything is chained to ground anchors or each other. Like I said, paranoid moi. I also appreciate that chains and padlocks can be cut, but it all takes time.

Not mesh - plywood. We had this problem with the locals cutting into containerised workshops that we sent to Africa to be mobbed on to ships there. The grinder disks cant cope with ply and just overheat and fail. We tested it on OA as well, that will burn through but only eventually.

Tried loads of methods but the plywood was the best. Till they got chainsaws. Hey ho.

 

[zx9]

Not mesh - plywood. We had this problem with the locals cutting into containerised workshops that we sent to Africa to be mobbed on to ships there. The grinder disks cant cope with ply and just overheat and fail. We tested it on OA as well, that will burn through but only eventually.

Tried loads of methods but the plywood was the best. Till they got chainsaws. Hey ho.

I like the ply addition, could add a layer of fibres to clog the chain saw but not sure where you would buy a bolt of kevlar.

 

[James1979]

I like the ply addition, could add a layer of fibres to clog the chain saw but not sure where you would buy a bolt of kevlar.

We used welding blanket worked for a time but they just went in with a grinder, cut the welding blanket with a machete or whatever, and then chainsawed the ply. In a bonded customs yard!!

That was Gabon mind I'm sure your average scrote in the UK wouldnt think that far ahead.

 

[Haz87]

Thanks everyone - some good suggestions here. Aware it doesnt take much more than a cough to bend these things, but some good ideas that will at least help slow someone down or create enough noise that it'll get some attention. Alarm mine is definitely my favourite but I dont think the neighbors will appreciate it and I just know it'll be me that trips over it

 

[Shox Dr]

Thanks everyone - some good suggestions here. Aware it doesnt take much more than a cough to bend these things, but some good ideas that will at least help slow someone down or create enough noise that it'll get some attention. Alarm mine is definitely my favourite but I dont think the neighbors will appreciate it and I just know it'll be me that trips over it

tell them its ad hoc testing