More doorlocks

[redsturgeon]

I am fitting a new solid wood back door to my new extension and would welcome thoughts of locks.

I am think of going for a Eurocylinder lock rather than tradition mortice lock for ease of key carrying, does anyone have experience of these type of locks, any recommendations or warnings?

Thanks

John

[redsturgeon]

I am fitting a new solid wood back door to my new extension and would welcome thoughts on locks.

I am think of going for a Eurocylinder lock rather than tradition mortice lock for ease of key carrying, does anyone have experience of these type of locks, any recommendations or warnings?

Thanks

John

[sg31]

Eurolocks are not particularly secure. It's possible to get past most within seconds without much training. Go to You Tube and look for lock snapping and bumping. If you do go for Eurolocks then buy a snap proof and bump proof cylinder. That will at least make you more secure than 90% of the population. It's still possible to get past these locks by drilling them out (I think) but that takes longer and is more complicated.

I have a lot of UPVC doors so I have Eurolocks, I fit ABS cylinders from these people (I'm just a satisfied customer) but shop around.

https://www.abbeyarchitectural.co.uk/Pr ... ochdale_UK

Yale also do snap proof cylinders.

If you want greater security fit a 5 lever mortice deadlock and bolts top and bottom. Back doors are a favourite entry point.

[tikunetih]

I am fitting a new solid wood back door to my new extension and would welcome thoughts of locks.

I am think of going for a Eurocylinder lock rather than tradition mortice lock for ease of key carrying, does anyone have experience of these type of locks, any recommendations or warnings?

Thanks

John

I'm in a rush, travelling, so can't reply in full currently, but 18 months ago I had a solid oak door made and wanted (i) the best locks you could get (ii) no draughty keyhole, and settled on using two of these cylinder locks, keyed-alike:

https://www.lockandkey.co.uk/products/a ... ome-29435/

Actually, the second cylinder has a thumbturn on the inside, so it can be used during the daytime akin to a yale latch (i.e no key needed inside to unlock when visitors knock) while the second lock is used in addition to deadlock the door (at two points) when out of the house.

Secure escutcheons are used to protect the cylinders. Links on request...

The Avocet cylinders were used in conjunction with these locksets:

https://www.lockandkey.co.uk/p/222441e2 ... e-lockset/
https://www.lockandkey.co.uk/p/212441e2 ... e-lockset/

These locksets cost a packet (and I 'threw away' the included Union cylinders, replacing them with the better AVocet ones linked above) but are the only Union locks still made in the UK, and my research led me to believe they were worth paying up for.

The fellas at Lock & Key were some of the most useful/informed I spoke to - and I spoke to a lot - hence the links to their site.

[tikunetih]

PS Look into the security ratings of the cylinders and locksets I used, in conjunction with secure escutcheons, and you should find that sg31's concerns are addressed.

PPS it added up to a lot of money compared to what most people would spend, but looks good and works very well.

[Urbandreamer]

I'm no expert, but a quick google found this link.
https://unitedlocksmith.net/blog/everyt ... nder-locks

It does seem to suggest a few issues with the Euro barrel, that are specific to it.

The first one would be to either choose a 3 star, Diamond approved cylinder or door handles that make it more difficult to snap the lock.
The second is to avoid an internal thumb lock.

Personally I have issues with the idea of locking an exit and taking the key away, but I suspect that leaving the key in may mean that a bypass tool could open the lock just as with a thumb lock.

[sg31]

tikunetih, I'm in a rush, travelling, so can't reply in full currently

If that a brief reply you did an amazing job. I take my hat off to you.

[Redmires]

I am fitting a new solid wood back door to my new extension and would welcome thoughts of locks.

I am think of going for a Eurocylinder lock rather than tradition mortice lock for ease of key carrying, does anyone have experience of these type of locks, any recommendations or warnings?

Thanks

John

If you want warnings, just search on youtube for snap/bump eurocylinders.

A neighbour was broken into a couple of years ago and the police pointed him in the direction of the youtube videos. Frightening stuff. I immediately replaced all my locks with Avocet ones, as mentioned in the previous post.

[redsturgeon]

PS Look into the security ratings of the cylinders and locksets I used, in conjunction with secure escutcheons, and you should find that sg31's concerns are addressed.

PPS it added up to a lot of money compared to what most people would spend, but looks good and works very well.

it is part of a £200k project and I was burgled last year so i am interested in security and quality.

Thanks

John

[Slarti]

I am fitting a new solid wood back door to my new extension and would welcome thoughts on locks.

I am think of going for a Eurocylinder lock rather than tradition mortice lock for ease of key carrying, does anyone have experience of these type of locks, any recommendations or warnings?

If by Eurocylinder you mean the same as in uPVC doors, they are very easy to "bump" so I'm told. As I needed a new one for the front door, I replaced all of them with https://www.abs-secure.co.uk/ which gave the added advantage of 1 key fitting all of the locks, so if somebody leaves the key in the front door and is unavailable, I can go to one of the others and still get in.

Slarti

[tikunetih]

it is part of a £200k project and I was burgled last year so i am interested in security and quality.

Nice to do jobs properly with a good budget.

Regarding the escutcheons, I think we used the ones that came with the Union sashlock/deadlock locksets I linked to above. These escutcheons are hardened and with no external fittings, helping protect the cylinders from physical interference by lowlife. You choose the cylinder length to sit flush, or just shy of, the inner face of the escutcheons.

The need for chunky (albeit smart looking) security escutcheons means you cannot (or at least we could not), use a door handle with a backplate; instead, use a door handle on a rose. The initial handles we chose had quite a large diameter rose, which bumped up against the cylinder's large escutcheon, requiring us to change the handle for another with smaller rose (actually, a nicer handle). NB if not familiar with the terminology of cylinder, sashlock, deadlock, lockset, escutcheon, backplate, rose, etc, you soon will be after a bit of research and talking to locksmiths!

Good luck.