Bars, gates or glass?
Each option protects an opening in a different way, and many homes use more than one.
- Burglar bars are fixed across a window. The window can still open for air, while the gaps stay too narrow to climb through.
- Security gates fit in front of a door or a wide opening. They lock, so you can leave the door open for light and air and still keep the entrance closed.
- Laminated safety glass holds together when it is struck, which slows down anyone trying to break through. It keeps the view clear, but on a vulnerable opening it works alongside bars or a gate rather than instead of them. Our guide on laminated and toughened safety glass explains how the two glass types behave.
How our gates lock
Our security gates and barriers use multi-interlocking systems that protect the locks, so they cannot simply be reached and forced. The design is anti-twist and tamper-resistant, which makes a gate hard to lever or bend away from its frame. Bars and gates are made to your measurements and finished in a wide range of powder-coated colours.
Fitting to aluminium frames
An aluminium window frame is not meant to carry burglar bars. Bars are fixed into the surrounding brickwork or reveal, not screwed into the window frame, so the window keeps working and the bars cannot be pulled out along with it. The bars are set so that handles and stays still have room to move, and so that the window can be cleaned.
Plan your escape routes
Bars and gates keep people out, but they must not trap anyone in. Before deciding where they go:
- Give each bedroom at least one opening with a section that opens: a gate or a hinged bar panel with a lock.
- Keep a key near every locking gate or opening section, out of reach from outside but easy to find in the dark.
- Make sure everyone who lives in the house knows where those keys are kept.
Where to start
Walk around the house and list the openings someone could reach from the ground, a flat roof or a balcony. Those come first. Sliding doors and large windows onto the garden are the usual weak points, followed by bathroom and kitchen windows at the back of the house. Our article on how to protect your home has more practical steps, from outside lighting to everyday habits.
Getting a quote
Send a photo of each opening, rough sizes and a note of which ones you want covered, and say whether you would like bars, gates or both. Mention the frame colour if the bars should match it. We will quote the openings you list, so you can decide whether to do the whole house at once or start with the most exposed rooms.
Repairs and maintenance are available for all of these products. See our repairs.