The lock decides whether a good steel gate or door actually keeps the opening secure. Most gates in South Africa use a slamlock, a cylinder lock box or a 3-lever lock, and each wears, rusts and loosens in its own way. Whether you are fitting a new lock, replacing a worn one or want every gate on the property to open with a single key, tell us what you have and where you are. Locksmiths and gate installers near you will quote directly, and the request costs you nothing.
Common lock types for gates and security doors
Four types cover most homes and small businesses:
- Slamlock: a spring bolt that engages as the gate is pulled shut. Convenient, but it must always be locked with the key at night. See slamlock security gates.
- Cylinder lock box: a steel box on the gate with a euro or oval cylinder that throws a bolt into the frame.
- 3-lever or 5-lever lock: the traditional keyed lock, common on older trellis and steel doors.
- Multi-point and hook bolt locks: bolts that engage at two or three places along the closing edge, used on taller or wider gates.
Folding trellis doors usually take a lock at the centre stile and a bolt at the top or bottom track.
Keyed alike and key control
If you have a front gate, a kitchen door and a patio gate, carrying three keys gets old quickly. A locksmith can supply cylinders that are keyed alike, so one key works every lock, or a master key set for a block of units. For a landlord or body corporate, ask for restricted key blanks that cannot be copied at a kiosk without authority. After a tenant moves out, the cheapest fix is usually to change the cylinder, not the whole lock box.
Replacing a worn or damaged lock
Signs that a lock is due for replacement: the key turns stiffly, the bolt does not reach the keep, the gate no longer closes by itself, or the box is rusted through. Bring the model details and take photos of the lock face and the edge of the gate. A like-for-like swap is quick, but if the gate has dropped on its hinges, the lock will keep failing until the gate is adjusted. See security gate repairs for that work.
On the coast, ask for a stainless steel or heavily plated lock and a drop of lubricant every few months.
Safety and fire escape
A lock that keeps people out must never trap them in. Keep a key on a hook near the door, out of reach from outside, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. Bedrooms need at least one opening that can be unlocked from inside without a key. Ask your installer about thumb-turn cylinders on inside faces where the layout allows. For the full door, see security doors.
What to include in your request
- Type of lock now fitted, and a photo of its face and edge
- Number of gates and doors to be keyed alike
- Whether the key turns stiffly or the bolt misses the keep
- Whether you need a key that cannot be copied freely
- Distance from the nearest town and coastal exposure
Security Door Locks for different properties
- Houses: a cylinder lock box on the front gate and the same key on the kitchen and patio gates
- Townhouses and complexes: keyed alike cylinders for front and patio gates, kept within the complex rules
- Flats and apartments: a neat lock box on the entrance gate with a thumb-turn inside for quick exit
- Farms and smallholdings: heavy lock boxes on workshop and store room doors, with a master key for the farm manager
- Shops and restaurants: a lock on the shopfront gate and a stronger bolt on the back door
- Offices and practices: master key systems so staff open only the doors they need
- Factories and warehouses: heavy lock cases on yard gates and store rooms, with a restricted key system
- Schools, clinics and churches: a master key plan for rooms and classrooms, with fire exits that open from inside
Frequently asked questions
How much does a security door lock cost?
Can I replace the lock on my gate myself?
What does keyed alike mean?
Which lock is best for a trellis door?
Security Door Locks 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