Locked garden gate but accessible from both sides

[ikearns]

Hi all

I have a shared alleyway with my neighbour and approximately a week ago our garden and summer house were burgled due to lack of security (open access into his garden via the shared alleyway and also a fence panel on his side missing which I have now resolved).

As the alleyway is shared then I am looking to put a gate which will secure at the perimeter however as we both want the gate to remain locked at all time I need to come up with a means that it can be unlocked from either side for access.

A combination lock is preferred and is easily achieved but if the bolt is on either the internal or external side of the gate then how do you open from the other side.

Failing cutting a hole in the gate to put hands through then I cannot think of an alternative but this isnt an attractive solution my any means

Any help appreciated

Ian

 

[JohnD]

is it a wooden gate?

Fit a mortice deadlock. Keyhole on both sides. You can get a used one on fleabay for a few pounds.

If gate too thin, or you are not good with a chisel, you can get surface-mounted (rim) deadlocks.

Ordinary "shed" or "garden gate" ones are flimsy rubbish, but will delay an intruder for several seconds. if you are willing to pay, there are Marston or Wellington ones that are used on Utility cabins. Often on ebay or from a serious lockseller. It will be handy if you have enough keys for you and the neighbour to keep one on a hook on the doorframe of your front and back doors.

If you haven't bought a gate yet, I use a LB&F door (as used in some houses) treated with protective stain. It is full height and much stronger than a gate. Again, for economy, you can pick up a second-hand solid wood front door on ebay or freegle, from someone who has bought new, otherwise they will have to take it to the tip. I got a really nice panelled hardwood door for my shed for £1. It even had a lock in it.

 

[ikearns]

Although I had to look up what LB&F meant I am please to say that it was the sort of door / gate that I was thinking of using anyway

We are trying to steer away from using keys and use a combination lock however all the purpose made commercial locks are over £200.

I am wondering about a small access below the bolt are which will be framed with angled bracket to offer a bit of stability and then you can see and access a simple combination padlock

Ian

 

[wrathkeg]

Do you mean you want someone to have to unlock it to leave the property via the alley? If you do, then an intruder getting into your back garden some other way would have to break his way out (or leave by the route he came in) which doesn't sound very safe to me. But maybe I'm really mistaken.

A combination mortice lock, with the combination on the outside, will lock behind you when you walk through it. And will open by turning or pushing the handle when you want to go back out.

 

[JohnD]

if you have a lock that can be opened from the inside without a key (e.g. a Yale Nightlatch) an intruder, looking from the outside, will know that he can easily open it to carry off his booty, or let his chums in, or run off to escape if challenged. So he might be more inclined to climb over.