Burglar bars are fixed steel or aluminium grids that cover a window, a vent or a glass opening so it can still let in light and air. They are the most common security upgrade on South African homes, and the choice is wider than most people expect: plain vertical bars, welded grids, decorative patterns, slim aluminium and see-through polycarbonate. Tell us how many openings you have, the style and where you live, and burglar bar manufacturers and installers near you quote directly.
Types of burglar bars
The main types differ in strength, looks and how they cope with the weather:
- Mild steel bars: square or round bar welded into a frame, the strongest and cheapest per square metre. See window burglar bars.
- Aluminium bars: lighter, rust free and neat on modern frames. See aluminium window burglar bars.
- Clear polycarbonate bars: rods of tough clear plastic that keep the view open. See clear burglar bars.
- Stainless steel bars: for salt air and wet areas, at a higher price.
Steel is the usual choice unless the window frame, the view or the sea air points elsewhere.
Escape safety comes first
Burglar bars must never trap people in a fire. Every bedroom should have at least one window or door that can be opened from inside without a key, and the family should know where the spare keys hang. Many installers offer quick-release bars, hinged frames with a concealed latch that you can open from inside in a few seconds but cannot be worked from outside. Fixed bars on a bedroom window are a risk. Ask for a hinged or quick-release panel on at least one window per sleeping room, and keep it clear of furniture.
How burglar bars are fitted
A good installer measures each opening, makes the frame in a workshop and fixes it into the brick or concrete reveal with anchor bolts or welded lugs set into the wall. Bars screwed into soft plaster or hollow wood frames give a false sense of safety. Bars can sit inside the reveal for a tidy look or be fixed on the face of the wall. Ask how the frame is fixed, how many fixing points each opening gets and whether the powder coat is touched up afterwards. See security door installation for how fitting works in practice.
What affects the price
Price follows size, bar thickness, the number of rails, the pattern and the finish. Plain vertical bars cost the least, scrollwork and curved frames cost more, and a quick-release panel adds a hinge and latch. Galvanising, odd-shaped openings and bars on upper floors add to the labour. Quote several openings at once to save on travel, and compare the bar size, the finish and the guarantee, not just the total. See burglar bar prices for ranges.
What to include in your request
- Number of openings with width and height of each in mm
- Window frame type: steel, aluminium or wood
- Fixed bars, or a quick-release panel on bedrooms
- Inside the reveal or fixed to the face of the wall
- Colour, finish and whether you are near the sea
Burglar Bars for different properties
- Houses: steel bars on every window, with a quick-release panel in each bedroom
- Townhouses and complexes: bars in a body corporate approved style, often slim and matching the frames
- Flats and apartments: bars on ground-floor and balcony windows, with a way out kept in each bedroom
- Farms and smallholdings: heavy bars on remote houses, stores and pump rooms, galvanised against weather
- Shops and restaurants: bars over rear windows, storerooms and vents, with a clear view where needed
- Offices and practices: neat bars or clear bars on ground-floor windows without darkening the room
- Factories and warehouses: heavy mesh and bars on offices, vents and stores in factories and yards
- Schools, clinics and churches: bars on clinic and classroom windows that meet fire and escape rules
Frequently asked questions
How much do burglar bars cost?
Are burglar bars a fire risk?
Which type of burglar bars lasts longest?
Can burglar bars go on any 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