Security bar and brackets
Measuring tape
Pencil or awl
Electric or cordless drill
Bits
Screws
Cordless screwdriver
Unfortunately, sliding patio doors can be vulnerable to forced entry. But you can discourage break-ins and greatly enhance the security of your regular sliding door lock by installing a security bar made especially for sliding patio doors.
Typically, the bar, which telescopes from the doorjamb to fit various door sizes, reaches across the patio door's stationary panel to wedge against the edge of the sliding door. When locked in position, it keeps the sliding door from moving and also makes it hard for someone to lift the door out of the track. When the security bar is not in use, it's either removed or pivots up to rest vertically inside the doorframe, secured in a bracket.
The directions below will supplement the manufacturer's instructions packaged with your bar.
1.
Installing an Angled Security Bar
Angled security expansion bars are secured between holes in the doorjamb and the sliding panel. (Fig. 1)
1) Hold the bar diagonally across the stationary patio door panel so that the end at the doorjamb is about 8 to 10 inches higher than the end at the sliding panel.
2) Still holding the bar, pencil-mark where each end meets the door frame. On your pencil marks, drill holes large enough to accept the ends of the bar. The holes serve as stops so that the bar does not slide.
3) Once the bar is in place, turn it to expand and tighten it in the opening.
2.
Installing a Horizontal Security Bar
This type of expansion security bar is secured between brackets on the doorjamb and sliding door. (Fig. 2)
1) Select the height where you want the bar to meet the edge of the sliding door frame. Typically, this end of the bar should be high enough to remove with ease yet low enough so that the bar, slotted into place, doesn't obscure the view.
2) Affix the doorjamb bracket.
a) Measure from the floor to the height you've selected.
b) Hold the bracket (and the bar, if it's already connected to the bracket) to the door frame and mark the screw holes with a pencil.
c) Drill the screw holes (or, if you have a cordless drill/driver, simply drive the screws in) and mount the doorjamb bracket. If necessary, install the bar into the bracket.
3) Affix the sliding door bracket.
a) Holding the mounted bar horizontally across the stationary panel (if the bar's too short, turn it a few times), pencil-mark the screw location for the second bracket on the edge of the sliding door panel.
b) Drill the screw holes and install the bracket.
4) Affix the storage bracket (if available)
a) If the bar comes with a storage bracket for holding the bar vertically when not in use, raise the bar and mark a spot for the storage bracket inside the stationary panel door frame (vertically align it with the bracket below).
b) Holding the storage bracket in position, mark the screw holes.
