How to Fit a Shed Lock

10 Materials
$10
30 Minutes
Easy

Here's how to fit a shed lock to ensure it's more secure. We'll be adding bolts to prevent thieves from unscrewing from the outside.


You can find the full guide here.

Note, it's important to ensure your lock is as secure as you can make it. And although it may still be quite easy for someone to break into your shed, the idea is to make it difficult for them, where they can't access things so discretely.


And there are many pad locks on the market.

To add your lock, make sure there's some kind of batten to screw to. For example, your can see where ours is due to the nails on the front of the door.


Then I drew a straight line with a combi square to ensure my lock would be straight.

Hold the main section of the lock inline with the pencil line and where the edge of the lock is just short of the edge of the shed door.


Then pencil in all the screw holes. However, avoid the larger square holes for now as we'll be fitting coach bolts in them instead!

Predrill these holes with a slimmer drill bit than the screws you'll be using.

Now screw the main part of the lock in place on your shed door.

Now repeat for the matching shed lock piece.

Now predrill holes using the same drill bit thickness to the coach bold you'll be using.


Note the coach bolt needs to be longer than the thickness of the door and batten, including extra length for the nut and washer. *Don't worry, we'll cut them down shortly.

Mallet in your coachbolts.

Add your washers and nuts at the back - it's important you do this first before cutting off the excess otherwise you may struggle to put them on.

Then trim off the excess with a handsaw and do NOT be tempted to feel how rough it is with with your finger - speaking from experience - it's likely to be so sharp, you won't feel it until after.


The remove any sharp burrs and edges with a rasp or file.

Pop your pad lock on and that's it!


EXTRA NOTES:

Other steps you may want to do is adding more coach bolts on your shed door's hinges.

You can find the entire shed build including base, lock and shelving installation here.

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