Easy way to secure a sliding barn door

[wroughtn_harv]

Every now and then I see a question here about securing a sliding barn door. This is the way I do mine.

I have a couple of rules when it comes to security. Thieves are lazy so we add a little work. Thieves are stupid so we make it where they have to think.

Photo 85. Look at the door, it slides to the left to open so obviously the latch needs to be on the right side of the door, nothing, right?

Photo 88 This is what the right side looks like from the inside, slot in door jam and matching pin fitting in slot, door is secure at that end

Photo 89 This is what you see at the left side of the door, dead bolt lock

Photos 86 and 87 show a standard lock box turned vertical that fits between two guides, the upper one has a receiver for the dead bolt.

There's no slack in the door so it is very difficult to figure out what is going on. Most of my friends when they see this for the first time just shake their heads.

 

[sixdogs]

Very creative and looks line it will work fine.

 

[EddieWalker]

Very creative for a nice, clean looking job!!!

Eddie

 

[aczlan]

Nice job.

Aaron Z

 

[Zebrafive]

My doors have a latch on the inside that "hooks" from the post to the door.
A neighbor's barn was broken into when a thief used a piece of metal slipped behind the edge of the door and knocked the latch hook out of the door.
A friend added three more latches on each side of his doors and has to use a ladder to lock/unlock the upper two latches on each side.
I bolted a length of chain with a long lag bolt to the post. An eyebolt to the door. I lock the chain to the eyebolt. My solution only works if you have a walk door to gain access inside.