Selecting and installing a lock on a plastic balcony door

Hi all!
Recently, a neighbor replaced her wooden frames in her apartment with metal-plastic structures.

She lives on the first floor, the balcony is not glazed, and therefore she is afraid that thieves will enter her apartment through the balcony door.

So she came to me to consult on how to put a lock on her balcony door.

The fact is that usually plastic balcony doors do not have a lock. This is primarily due to the fact that the general concept considers balcony doors as interior doors. Those. they are located indoors and do not require additional locking elements.

But the practice of their everyday use has given rise to the need in some cases to install additional devices that block access to the balcony or, in most cases, on the contrary, protect against unauthorized access to the apartment from the balcony.

Why do you need a lock?

Installing locks on doors leading to the balcony is necessary in the following cases:

• when there are small children in the house - to prevent them from going out onto the balcony without parental supervision;
• when the apartment is located on the first or upper floors and the balcony is not additionally equipped with glazing or bars - for “uninvited guests”, simply thieves, to enter through the door;
• when extremely inventive and intelligent animals (usually large dogs) live in the house, who easily learn to open doors by pressing the handle with their paws.

To protect yourself, your loved ones and pets, it makes sense to replace the door handle with a handle with a lock. Unlike latches, which fix the closed position of the balcony door, but do not prevent it from opening freely, both from the side of the room and from the balcony, a lock completely prevents this possibility.

There are several possible designs. All of them are adapted for installation in a metal-plastic balcony structure, allow you to change the handle and lock yourself, and differ only in minor technical details.

Can't turn the handle

If the door is hanging on one hinge and you can’t turn the handle, it means the door to the balcony was opened in two modes at once. You can fix this problem yourself within a few minutes. We find the opening blocker at the end of the sash; it looks like a tongue, located in the middle at the end; by pressing, we bring it to a horizontal position. We press the sash tightly against the frame, turn the handle to the ventilation mode, and then to the opening mode. The sash will fall into place, the handle will turn properly.

Types of locks

Of the locking devices used that can be installed in a PVC balcony door, the most common are locks with a cylinder mechanism.
They are widespread and are installed both on entrance metal or wooden doors, and on interior doors that do not require special complexity or increased secrecy for the lock. This is exactly what most locks adapted for balcony doors belong to.

The principle of operation of the cylinder mechanism is that inside the drum - the locking cylinder - there are spring-loaded cylinders located in one or three planes, which, when the key is inserted, take a certain position and their protrusions do not interfere with the rotation of the key in the cylinder.

More on the topic How to fix plastic windows?

This system can have very high degrees of secrecy, preventing it from being opened by selecting a key or using all kinds of master keys, but the main advantages are the very small size and interchangeability of the lock cylinder, which can be replaced without disturbing the design of the entire door as a whole.

The second type is level locks. The principle of their operation is fundamentally different from the operation of a cylinder mechanism.

The locking element of the lock, the latch, is activated mechanically by turning the key inserted into the keyhole, which lifts the spring-loaded plates with protrusions on one or both sides and thereby releases the latch of the lock for its free extension or, on the contrary, closing.

This type of lock is characterized by more bulky dimensions, is installed exclusively in the body of the door itself, and in the event of a breakdown of the mechanism or loss of the key, the door cannot be opened without breaking the structure.

Considering the fragility of the design of metal-plastic PVC doors, the installation of such locks in balcony doors is very rare and is usually not provided for either by their design or by manufacturers.

According to the degree of fixation, locks are single-point - when the locking is performed at one point - usually at the point of extension of the standard lock latch.

Usually this is sufficient for doors that do not play a significant barrier function, and for multi-locking doors - in which fixation occurs at several points (usually three) by extending the lock bolt in the area of ​​the door handle and at the upper and lower points of the door.

The use of a safe-type multi-locking mechanism, in which crossbars secure the door in four directions, is practically not used in balcony doors, since the unreliability of the door structure itself makes the use of such locks pointless.

Where are the locks installed?

The lock (its locking device) can be either separately located - not combined with the door locking mechanism, or integrated into the locking device, which makes its use more convenient and does not require any design changes to the door.
The first time a lock is used is extremely rare. Requires a change in the door design and is practically not used in plastic balcony doors.

The second one is widespread and there are a lot of manufacturers who produce replacement balcony handles with a built-in lock.

The lock can be installed both outside and on the side of the room. Usually it is enough to install only from the side of the room. Moreover, the lock may not be fully functional, but have a push-button or leaf lock, which prevents the door handle from turning, both from the living room and from the outside.

If the goal is to prevent a child or animal from opening the lock, this is quite enough, but if we are talking about protecting against unauthorized entry through the balcony, of course, it is better and more reliable to use a cylinder mechanism with keys.

The cylinder mechanism can be located either indoors - in this case, when the lock is locked, the possibility of opening the door from the outside, from the balcony, or from the inside is completely eliminated.

In this case, you can open the door with a key from the side of the balcony, and from the side of the room it is locked either with a push-button or a leaf lock. This scheme is also used very rarely, since it is meaningless.

Exceptionally rare cases when the entrance to a room is arranged through a balcony - rather relates to the commercial use of premises on the first floors of buildings, when balconies are converted into vestibules or additional space.

Features of a lock for PVC sashes

It is simply impossible to insert a lock, which is intended for metal or wood structures, into a PVC door leaf. In this case, the panel on the plastic door may be damaged. Therefore, in stores or on the market it is better to purchase special locks designed for plastic products. The body of such locks has a certain size corresponding to the width of the profile. This allows the locking system not to rest against the fillers or the glazing.

As a rule, mortise-type locks are mounted in plastic sheets. They help maintain the aesthetics of the entire structure as a whole. But if additional protection against penetration is needed, overhead locks can be used.

Lock installation

Installing a lock with your own hands is not difficult.
In terms of time, this manipulation will take no more time than replacing a broken door handle. For installation, you need to select the necessary door handle in the store, equipped with either a cylinder lock with keys or a simple latch; it is desirable that the name of the manufacturer of this handle and the fittings that are installed on the doors coincide.

After this, you need to remove the old handle without a lock. All you need is a Phillips screwdriver. At the base of the handle, a decorative plug is pulled back and rotated 90°.

The two self-tapping screws that secure the handle are unscrewed, the handle together with the square pin is pulled out, and a handle with a lock is installed in its place. Screwed on with old self-tapping screws, or those included with the handle, the decorative plug is returned to its place.

The only condition is that the holes for the screws match. It is advisable to take measurements between the centers of the holes on the old handle before purchasing a handle. But in the vast majority of cases, the sizes of handles with locks are standardized and are suitable for installation on almost any model of fittings.

The handle is loose, the locking mechanism is faulty

During operation, the screws that secure the handle may become loose. Repairing a loose plastic door mechanism is very easy to do yourself. At the base of the handle there is a vertical decorative plate covering the fasteners. We turn it to a horizontal position, pry up the plate, pulling it slightly toward ourselves, and turn the plate to a horizontal position. Access to the fasteners is open, use a Phillips screwdriver to tighten the bolts, and return the trim to its place.

If the handle breaks, we purchase a new one from the window company. The square rod for the fitting groove is standard for all handles; pay attention to the material from which it is made. We unscrew the broken product from the balcony door, insert the square into the fitting groove, and fasten it with bolts.

If the handle is intact, but turns with difficulty, it is necessary to lubricate all moving elements of the fittings.

If the locking mechanism is broken, you need to figure out whether a separate element can be replaced or the entire mechanism needs to be replaced. To more accurately determine the extent of the damage, we call a specialist from a window company.

Aluminum reinforced handles cost 2-3 times more than plastic ones, but they will pay for themselves, since it is almost impossible to break.

Let's sum it up

Installing a lock on balcony doors allows, in some cases, to increase comfort, prevent accidental opening of the door and relieve additional mental stress typical of suspicious and anxious people, especially if they leave their home for a long time, going on vacation or on a business trip.

While not a panacea for burglars, a lock on a door handle is sometimes useful, at least its presence does not in any way spoil the appearance of the door or its functionality.

Source: sambalkon.ru/osteklenie/dveri/zamok-na-plastikovuyu-balkonnuyu-dver.html

How else can you improve the functionality of your balcony block?

To do this, you just need to use not a double-glazed window at the bottom of the door, but an opaque sandwich panel filling.

Only a minor change to the balcony door can provide significant help in the event of an unusual, but still urgent situation.

A case from one's life:

“...the owner of the apartment found himself locked on the balcony by his own child. Attempts to explain how to open the balcony door to a hysterical 4-year-old child did not lead to success. Fortunately, the balcony was on the second floor and the owner asked passers-by to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The arriving rescuers climbed the fire escape to the balcony. The door was opened only by deforming the profile and some elements of the fittings. The balcony block then had to be completely replaced.”

If the owner knew that the only way to get into the house was by knocking out the glass or the bottom sandwich panel, then he would have saved a lot.

In addition to the fact that a sandwich panel for a balcony door is absolutely cheap, it can be made to fit the size of the opening very quickly: it was possible to return the previous appearance of a plastic door within 1 day!

Types of castles

Locks for plastic doors come in mortise and overhead locks. Mortise mechanisms are predominantly used, which do not spoil the appearance of the door leaf.

According to the locking mechanism, locks are:

• lever - the closing mechanism is formed by several plates;
• cylinder - the lock cylinder is a cylinder in which the pins move in a certain order;
• electronic - locked using a key fob, chip, etc.;
• electromagnetic - in addition to the electronic mechanism, they are equipped with magnets that hold the door in the closed position;
• multi-locking - the locking mechanism is based on several elements of different types.

For plastic doors, in most cases, electromagnetic and multi-point locks are used, since with a small design they provide maximum reliability.
All plastic locks differ from their analogues in their small size and lightweight design.

A separate category includes locks installed on balcony doors. The lock of a plastic balcony door should be small. In this regard, the following types of products can be used:

• cylinder locks with a small cylinder;
• latch handles with additional locking with a key (installed on most balcony doors);
• Magnetic clasp handles. The door is fixed due to the action of a strong magnet;
• roller latches. The roller is under the influence of a spring. When the door is closed, the spring weakens and the roller fits into a groove specially marked for it, thereby fixing the door.

Balcony locks are not secure. For additional protection of the apartment from “window openers”, it is recommended to install a security alarm.

Locking device design

The design of each plastic balcony door lock is different and most often a cylinder type mechanism is installed. It, unlike other mechanisms, is small in size and therefore its installation will take a minimum of time.

The locking system contains pins and the more of them, the higher the reliability and secrecy of the mechanism. Such locks can withstand cylinder burglary very well, but they may not withstand brute force.

Replacing the cylinder lock cylinder is very simple; you just need to remove the fastening element, which is located at the end of the blade. Any type of lock can be installed on a balcony door; the differences between them lie mainly in technical details.

Thus, in order to choose the right type of lock, you must have knowledge about the features of the metal-plastic structure and the installation of the lock system.

Manufacturers of locks for plastic doors

The most common locks on the Russian market are from the following companies:

• Apex;
• Calais;
• Guardian.

A lock for a plastic door from Apex costs approximately 600-700 rubles (at the time of publication). The company primarily produces multi-locking devices. All products of the Chinese manufacturer are certified in Russia.

It is produced in accordance with GOST and is durable (all products are designed for more than 200 thousand opening and closing cycles).

The cost of locks from the Turkish company Kale is slightly higher (approximately 1,000 rubles). Just like the previous company,

Kale manufactures multi-point locks. The products are made from high-strength materials that are not subject to corrosion. All devices have a high class of burglary protection.

The Russian company Guardian produces a wider range of locks for plastic doors. The average cost of one product is 550 rubles. The manufactured products are certified. The model range is constantly changing, adapting to the needs of customers.

Each manufacturer gives a factory guarantee for its products, which indicates the quality of the products.

Installation of an electromagnetic lock

To connect an electromagnetic lock, an electrical connection is required. Installation of the device is carried out as follows:

• As with the installation of other types of locks, at the first stage the holes are marked for subsequent fastening of the device. The electromagnetic lock consists of two parts that fit tightly to each other, so marking must be carried out as accurately as possible, and in turn - first one part, then the other;

It is recommended to install the device at the top of the door at the corner.

• holes are drilled in the marked places, the depth of which is equal to the size of the mounting screw;
• both parts of the electromagnetic lock are installed and fixed;
• Each lock comes with connection instructions, according to which the electrical wires are installed and the terminals are connected;
• at the last stage, the connection to the power source is made and the functionality of the mechanism is checked. If any problems are found, steps 3-5 need to be checked and corrected if necessary.

If desired or necessary, you can connect additional devices to such a lock, for example, a closer or a video intercom.

Installation of a multi-point lock

Multi-point locks represent an entire door locking system. It consists of the following elements:

• the main mechanism, which can be of a crossbar or non-crossbar type;
• auxiliary roller or flange lock;
• a frame connecting all elements of the lock into a single system;
• movable bus;
• additional trunnions.

Due to the complexity of the device and the high precision during installation, it is not recommended to install the lock on your own.

Locks for plastic doors are quite varied. Some of them can be installed independently (mortise lever or cylinder, electromagnetic, etc.), while others (multi-port) only with the help of specialists.

Each lock is unique in its own way and has a high degree of security. For long-term and uninterrupted operation of the device, it is recommended to purchase locks from the most well-known manufacturers.

Source: furni-info.ru/zamok-dlya-plastikovyh-dverej.html

Installing a latch on a plastic balcony door

Not so long ago, wooden frames were used to glaze window openings and balconies.
Such designs had their drawbacks, which became more and more obvious over time. Today, with the development of modern production technologies and the advent of new materials, windows can be varied.

The classic wooden version of windows has been improved, which allows the product to serve for many years without losing its technical qualities.

But still, the leading places today are occupied by windows and balcony blocks made of modern material - polyvinyl chloride.

When installing a plastic balcony block, you should pay very close attention to the fittings. It should be very practical and as convenient as possible. One of the most important parts of the fittings is the latch on the plastic balcony door.

External balcony handle

A special handle is installed on the outside of the balcony door, which serves to conveniently close it. This handle is shaped like a shell and is made of plastic or metal. Place it at a level with a rotary handle or so that it is convenient for closing. A handle made of plastic is more pleasant to the touch during cold weather, and a metal handle is more durable, so it will last longer.

Types of latches

The latch for a PVC balcony door can be of two types: mechanical and magnetic. Mechanical is very reliable. It makes it easy to close the system.

In order to open the structure from the outside, just push it a little. In turn, it will not open from a strong air flow. Metal is used to produce such a retainer.

When installing, it is very important to take care of the handle on the reverse side - the “smoker’s handle”, since the plastic door needs to be pulled towards you a little to close it so that it latches.

The color of the handle on the outside will depend on the color of the window. It is recommended to install a metal smoker handle, as it is much stronger and more reliable than plastic.

A more interesting solution is a magnetic latch for a balcony door. Today the use of such a retainer is more common.

Unlike the previous option, this detail allows you to very easily and, very importantly, quietly close the plastic system. Such structures close after the person exits and minimal effort is required to close them tightly.

The balcony door performs a very important function - retaining heat in the room. This is especially important if there is a smoker in the family who very often goes out onto the balcony. Heat loss through a door without a lock will be much more noticeable in winter.

And the presence of a retainer minimizes heat loss through cracks and sealant that does not fit too tightly when the plastic system is open.

Eliminating the problem with poor door opening

To adjust the awnings, you will need an allen key.
If the plastic entrance door no longer opens/closes as expected, it may have sagged and needs to be adjusted. To adjust the canopies, pry it up, open the cap on the hinge, remove the decorative trims, and adjust the canopy with a hexagon.

If the sash squeaks, it is necessary to lubricate the awnings with thick lubricant.

It is not possible to tighten the screws because their seats have expanded and the threads are turning. Let's fix this problem:

• we change the bolts to longer ones and of a larger diameter (if necessary, you will need to drill holes in the metal plate of the hinge);
• We compact the planting nests with wooden chips;
• We move the loops to another place, slightly shifting their location up or down.

If you save money and order a door with weak hinges that cannot withstand the load, they can be replaced with more powerful ones. You can buy awnings for plastic entrance doors at any window company.

Installing a magnetic latch on a plastic door

It is enough to simply install the latch yourself. The main thing is to choose the right option. This latch consists of two magnetic plates that are attached at the same level of the balcony door and on the frame. When purchasing a retainer, it is recommended to immediately purchase a new smoker handle. It is worth giving preference to aluminum options.

This handle is coated with very good metal powder paint, which retains its appearance for a long time. In order to install the handle on a plastic door, you need to use two self-tapping screws of the appropriate diameter and suitable length, which should be no more than 19 mm. A metal plate is attached to the end of the door at the level of the handle.

To do this, a hole is made in the canvas, after which a self-tapping screw is screwed into it, which will hold the metal plate. The second part of the latch, the magnetic block, is attached directly to the balcony frame. It is a metal case with a magnet inside.

In order to install the latch on the door, you need to use certain equipment:

• tape measure and pencil for marking;
• screwdrivers of several shapes and sizes;
• screwdriver;
• self-tapping screws of the required length and suitable diameter.

The main advantages of a magnetic latch are obvious. Due to the fact that its surfaces do not rub against each other, the retainer practically does not wear out and remains in excellent condition throughout its entire service life.

If cases of door sagging occur, the latch continues to hold it securely. This is due to the fact that the metal bar, even if positioned incorrectly, will still touch the magnet.

When installing such a clamp, there is no need to cut any objects into the canvas. This latch will allow you to open and close the door completely silently.

It is not recommended to install it on metal doors, since the power of a small magnet is not enough to hold the large weight of such a structure closed.

Other mechanisms

There is also a lever lock containing plates made of steel. They move with the help of protrusions on the key. Locking systems of this type are very reliable. But if you need to replace it, you will have to buy the entire mechanism.

The cylinder mechanism works on a completely different principle. It has a rod inside that has pins. When the key is turned, a certain combination is created and the lock can be opened.

Replacing such a system is easier and cheaper, because only the rod will need to be updated.

Electronic locks are capable of transmitting important information to the computer

Electromagnetic, as well as electronic locks, differ in the mechanisms that open the structure. Operation requires the supply of electromagnetic pulses that turn off the magnet. During operation, the mechanisms do not wear out and, moreover, provide long-term and high-quality operation.

Such locks for doors made of plastic have one feature. They are able to transmit important information to the computer, how many times and who used the keys to enter the room. For this purpose, there are special programmed keys, the use of which is monitored by the system.

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