Aluminium window burglar bars suit the thin frames found on newer homes, townhouses and offices. Aluminium windows cannot take bars screwed into the frame, so the fixing method matters as much as the bars. Tell us the window type, the size and whether you want bars inside or outside the glass, and burglar bar makers and installers in your area quote you directly for aluminium or steel bars that match your frames.
Never screw bars into the frame
The extruded sections of an aluminium window are thin and hollow. They are made to carry glass, not a security load, so bars fixed only to the frame can be pulled off, or the frame can twist and leak. A sound fitting anchors the bars to the brick or concrete around the window, or to a solid steel sub-frame in the wall. If the installer says the bars will simply be bolted into the aluminium, ask how it will hold up to force.
Inside versus outside
Outside bars are fixed to the face of the wall around the window. They protect the glass and the frame and are the stronger choice, but they are seen and can collect dirt and spiders. Inside bars sit in the room against the frame or the reveal, are less visible and can match your curtains, but the glass can still be broken. Sliding windows need extra thought: bars must not stop the sash from moving, and a stack of bars behind a sliding pane makes cleaning harder. Ask for a hinged section if you need access, and tell them if the window has a fly screen or a sill that holds water, since both affect where the fixing points can go.
Aluminium or steel bars?
Aluminium bars do not rust and look light against white, bronze or charcoal frames, which makes them popular at the coast. They are not as strong as steel of the same size, so installers use thicker tube and closer spacing. Steel bars are tougher and cheaper but need galvanising and paint to stay rust free. Mixing steel bars with aluminium frames in damp air can cause staining, so ask about isolating washers. Compare with window burglar bars in steel.
Escape and fire safety
Bars on bedroom windows must not trap people. Ask for a quick-release panel or hinged frame on at least one window per bedroom, with a latch that opens from the inside without a key, or a key kept within reach. Test it once a year so it has not stiffened, and oil the hinge pins lightly if it has. See burglar bars for the general rules, and clear burglar bars if you want to keep the view.
What to include in your request
- Window size in mm and whether it slides or opens out
- Frame colour and the finish you want on the bars
- Bars inside the glass or on the outside wall
- Wall type: face brick, plaster or hollow block
- Which bedroom windows need a quick-release panel
Aluminium Window Burglar Bars for different properties
- Houses: bars on aluminium windows anchored to the wall, with escape panels in bedrooms
- Townhouses and complexes: bars in a frame-matching colour that the body corporate approves in advance
- Flats and apartments: slim bars on ground-floor and balcony windows without cluttering the facade
- Farms and smallholdings: bars on newer aluminium windows of homesteads, galvanised or aluminium for the weather
- Shops and restaurants: bars behind or outside shop windows and on aluminium back office windows
- Offices and practices: neat aluminium bars that match the building and keep the view
- Factories and warehouses: bars on aluminium office and canteen windows within plants and warehouses
- Schools, clinics and churches: bars on classroom and clinic windows, with release panels for escape
Frequently asked questions
Can burglar bars go on aluminium windows?
How much do burglar bars for aluminium windows cost?
What is the best burglar bar for an aluminium window?
Will bars stop my sliding window from opening?
Aluminium Window Burglar Bars by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg