Tag Archives: aluminum store front door

An aluminum store front door is a type of door and frame commonly found at retail stores.

Aluminum Storefront Door Security Reinforcement to Prevent Break-ins

Over the last couple of months there have been a series of aluminum store front break-ins at night. The person(s) has been using a crowbar to bend, break and move back the single point of latching to clear the frame on single and double aluminum store front doors on multiple businesses in Eugene. From our perspective as locksmiths it may be the same person, or it is at least a similar style of break in entry. But we will leave this to the police. to decide.

In this post, we are going to cover the standard aluminum store front door sets, the common points of securities, followed by different ways to increase your doors security and the package prices to do so.

Standard Aluminum Store Front Door Sets

An aluminum store front door has an aluminum outside frame with glass covering the majority of the inside panel. This is designed for retail spaces, for window shopping and a transparent welcoming attraction. This differs from a traditional solid core wood or metal door and the type of hardware and security needed.

The standard aluminum store front sets are (a) single doors and (b) double or a pair of doors. See pictures below. They can be built with 1 to 5 points of mechanical locking (not including  mag locks or other electronic security). A point of locking is where the active door engages with the door frame. Single doors typically are installed with one point of locking while a pair of doors have two points of locking.

aluminum store front door single edited

 

aluminum store front door pair

Basic Ways to Add Security

There are two basic ways to add mechanical security to aluminum store front doors. The first is by protecting the point(s) of locking with bolt guard and the second is by adding additional points of locking.

Bolt Guard

A bolt guard protects the exposed latch on an outward swinging door. It protects the latch in two ways, one is from a direct attack such as cutting the latch and the other is by spreading the distance of pressure available by the latch up and down on the door away from the latch from a prying attack. Here are two pictures of the bolt guard: one with the door closed and one where you see where the bolt is activated.

aluminum store front latch guardaluminum store front latch guard showing bolt protection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vertical Rod(s) – Additional Points of Locking

Aluminum store front doors normally come with the swing bolt lock as the initial point of locking. The following additional point(s) of locking can be added:

Single Door

1) Swing Bolt Lock
2) Bottom Vertical Rod (engages into the floor)
3) Top Vertical Rod (engages into the top of the frame)

Total: three points of locking.

Here are pictures of a vertical bottom rod being activated (a top vertical rod is the same except it is on the top of the door and frame:

aluminum store front bottom bolt

Pair of Doors

1) Swing Bolt Lock
2) Bottom Vertical Rod (engages into the floor)
3) Top Vertical Rod (engages into the top of the frame)
4) Opposing Door Top Vertical Rod (engages into the top of the frame)
5) Opposing Door Bottom Surface Mounted Bolt (engages into the floor)

Total: five points of locking.

Here are pictures of the opposing top vertical rod activation and locking point; and the surface mounted bottom bolt.

aluminum store front opposing door vertical rod activation point

 

 

aluminum store front opposing door vertical rod activated

aluminum store front opposing door surface mount bottom bolt

Package Prices

If you are interested in increasing your aluminum store front door security here are the following prices and packages for businesses in the Eugene area.

Single Door(s)

1) Bolt Guard – $78
2) Bolt Guard + Bottom Vertical Rod – $148
3) Bolt Guard + Bottom Vertical Rod + Top Vertical Rod – $228

Pair of Door(s)

The above single door packages plus:

1) Opposing Door Top Vertical Rod – $ 114
2) Opposing Door Top Vertical Rod + Bottom Surface Mounted Bolt – $144

Note these price quotes are valid as of 1/3/15, prices may change. If you are interested in having us install an increase the security of aluminum store front doors call us at 541.632.3968.