Suitable lock for a side gate

[Lobster]

I'm about to fit a new side gate, between two brick walls at the side of the house. What would be a suitable way of locking this?

The purpose of the gate is as much to do with dissuading the local kids from using the garden as a public right of way to and from the parkland which it backs on to, as it is to do with preventing burglars getting in... therefore bolts on the rear side are no good, and nor is a night latch (as the little sods go both ways!). I don't want a padlock for aesthetic reasons, so was leaning towards a rim lock (eg

But I'm concerned about this being exposed to the elements all the year round, as mine will be? Is there a better type of lock I could use, that I'm missing?

Thanks David

[Andy Dingley]

For light use, there are hasp and staple locks where the staple has a lock built into it. No loose bits to lose.

[Dave Liquorice]

A quality mortise lock? or doesn't this gate have enough timber in the edge to take one? Fit keyhole covers to stop rain/snow blowing directly into the works and it should last. Might even be tempted to give the outside a light wipe with an oily/greasey rag on fitting.

[Lobster]

No, it's a simple slatted gate with a Z-arrangement of supports on the back, certainly no room for a mortise lock, unless I fix a large lump of

4x2 to the back (which I suppose might be an option!).

Don't think I've ever seen a rim lock with keyhole covers (which implies they are not intended for exterior use I spose)

David

[Lobster]

Thanks, I know the ones you mean; however, thinking about this, another criterion is unfortunately that the gate needs to be lockable/unlockable from both sides!

David

[Bob Eager]

I've used a rim lock (cheap one) on our side gate for years. It did need a bit of lubrication after 3 or 4 years. But it was only a cheap one, so the cost per year for a new one wouldn't have been that great.

One other point - in my case the 'kids' managed to get boards off the gate and climbed through the holes (they were nalied to the Z-strips). I screwed it all together with security screws...

[nightjar]

Having had to fit a gate for a similar reason, I rather doubt a gate that light will last long. The intruders will climb it and will also try to destroy it. Eventually, I fitted a close boarded, framed, ledged and braced gate with prickler strips on top. Whatever the aesthetics, I also recommend a padlock and padlockable bolt at the top. (I simply reach over the gate to undo the padlock if I'm on the wrong side) It is a lot easier to cut a superglued padlock off with an angle grinder than it is to remove a superglued mortice lock, or, assuming you have used security screws (the lock will go missing if you don't) rim lock.

Colin Bignell

[Dave Liquorice]

I don't think any lock is really designed for exterior use, well not without paying a fortune for it.

You can probably engineer a cover for the lock side from a copper disc (ex HW cylinder or flattened bit of tube) and a small (8BA?) brass nut and bolt. Or maybe take the swingy bit from an ordinary cover that you'll need for the otherside anyway.

[Mike]

An electrified one with the switch inside ?

[Malcolm Race]

Not done it in the same situation but I built a ledged & braced gate using .75inch T&G and then used an offcut of the ledging (3inch by

1inch) and excavated it to gouse a mortice lock. This was then fitted to the gate with coach bolts. It has been outside for 4 years with no access problems so far.

Malcolm

[OG]

parkland

getting

My brother in Liverpool has a Yale cylinder deadlock on his garden gate which has survived outdoors for over 10 years.

[Andrew Chesters]

He's still got a gate after 10 years? (1/2 Scouse! Please don't shoot!)

On Topic... Just fitted a 2nd hand Chubb to a gate for a friend, hadn't thought of the superglue problem mentioned above, but they are pretty waterproof.

[OG]

He's been broken into 4 times in 15 years - yes it's distressing but it's only been videos and hi-fis and bicycles. Now his whole house is going to be compulsory purchased and torn down - a much more distressing prospect given the amount of work that he's put into his home and garden over the period.

You ask him which is more upsetting!

[Broadback]

On topic: Lobster I have used a very similar, if not same lock as you show for my gate, that is still fine after nearly 4 years.

Off topic: Og, it may be too late but a local chap was faced with the same problem, and offered a derisory amount from the local authority. He went to an estate agent who "sold" the house for him to the same authority for a fair price. Worth a try.

[Douglas]

I've had one of those (rim locks) on our back gate for 5 years. Still works fine. Whenever I think of it (perhaps 3 times in 5 years) I give the whole thing a spray with WD-40 to keep the rust down. I've been meaning to staple a flap of inner-tube over it as rain protection, but haven't had need to replace an inner-tube during the time it has been in place... Douglas