DIY Window Security Bars (11 Methods)

With rising burglary cases, we must pull out all the stops to ensure the safety of our homes. One of the most effective ways is by installing security bars.

You can make DIY security bars and quickly and easily protect your assets from burglary. While doing this project, the focus is to cover all the entry points in your house, including all the doors, windows, or any other kinds of entryways.

Here are some methods I will cover to fortify your home’s windows:

• DIY window grille 
• DIY security bars on the window 
• Welded Security Bars 
• DIY Burglar bars for windows 
• Securing windows 
• Installation of Grisham Bars

Below are 11 DIY tips expanded to help you defend your home much better. 

1. Secure The Window Using A Window Grill

Burglars largely target windows to get access to a house. It would be best if you put a window grill on all the windows in your house, however big or small.

You can make a window grill with steel bars.

Cut the steel bars to the window’s length and breadth. Weld the bars together to make a steel square that matches the size of your window.

Then, use a few vertical steel bars and weld them to the steel bar on either end. You can use cylindrical steel to create whatever design you want for the window grill.

See the video below:

2. Mount Exterior Security Bars On The Window

You can also install security bars on the windows, on the outside. This won’t take long, although you need some basic handyman skills to get the job done. If you don’t think you’re up for the task, you can get help from someone with some prior experience.

Steps Ill Cover:

1. Buy the ideal security bars for your windows.
2. Mount the exterior bars on the window frame.
3. Ensure the security bars match the window size.
4. Position the security bars horizontally and vertically.
5. Drill holes in the mounting brackets and secure the bars.
6. If the mounting surface is made of brick or stone, drill a larger hole for a screw anchor.
7. Make the inside grill system so it can be opened from the inside.
8. Use an installation kit with the bolts and tools needed for installation.
9. If needed, seek help from someone with prior experience.

Once you’ve bought the ideal security bars for your windows, you’d have to mount the exterior bars on the window frame. This would give the windows that extra bit of security. For this, you’d need security bars that match the window size.

Then, you’d have to position the security bars where you want them installed horizontally and vertically. Once properly positioned, drill the holes in the mounting brackets. Before drilling, mark the spots where you want to make the cavity, so you get things right on the first try.

Then install the bars, and use a non-reversing safety screw to secure the bars onto their places. If the mounting surface is made of brick or stone, you’d have to drill a larger hole, big enough for a screw anchor. For the inside grills, you’d have to make the system so you can open the grill from the inside. You could get an installation kit with the bolts and tools you need. 

3. How To Make A Window Security GrillE

You can also make a window security grille to barricade the window for security. However, for this project, you’d require a more heavy-duty tool, as you’d be required to make large holes in the metal surface.

1. Purchase 4 bars of steel.
2. Drill holes in the steel bars.
3. Connect the edges of the bars.
4. Add the railing between the bars.
5. Make the railings out of cylindrical rods of metal.
6. Weld both the rods and the bars.(1)
7. Finish making the grille.

See the video below:

4. Welding Security Bars Without The Use Of Jigs 

Welding security bars using jigs is easy, but you can still get the job done if you don’t have them. However, you’d have to put in some extra effort.

1. Grab two pickets and place them vertically parallel on a plain surface.
2. Grab two crossbars, place them horizontally parallel to each other, with six-inch gaps between them and the ends of the vertical bars, and draw a mark.
3. Repeat the same for the other crossbar.
4. Remove the horizontal bars from their positions and hold just the vertical pieces in position.
5. Place a few pickets with equal width between them, horizontally on top of the vertical pieces, to hold the bottom pieces down and prevent them from moving.
6. Begin the welding process once all pieces are in position.

See the video below:

5. How To Make Cheap Window Bars

If you’re low on cash and want a budget option to put up security bars in your house, you could consider building cheap window bars.

1. Get nine-gauge galvanized wire from a farm store.
2. Place the wire on a flat surface.
3. Create hooks at the ends of the wire.
4. Secure the wire to the frame.
5. Attach the frame to the window using the hooks.

See the video below:

6. Install Grisham Window Bars

Installing Grisham window bars is pretty simple, and you don’t have to be an expert to get this right.

1. First, you’d need to install release hinges along the horizontal tube of bars of the window, then with the window unit in the center, and draw the markings on the hinge brackets with a marker.
2. You’d then have to do some drilling on the locations of the hinge bracket and put non-reversing safety screws in place.
3. Take measurements of your window, including its height and width.
4. Fasten the screws, and install the latching bullets.
5. Survey the surface, and mark the center-most location.
6. You’d also have to mark the spots above every latching bullet, as it would indicate the cable feed’s holes locations.
7. Start drilling at the exit point of the interior wall to make a downward slope.
8. Repeat the exercise with a short cable whose lock body is at the bottom.
9. Secure and install the cable clam standoff, the screw, and the cover. On the flat portion of the standoff, put a spiral cable shield, and draw appropriate markings.
10. Fasten the cable shields onto the cable clamp. A few more tightened, and you’re done.

See the video below:

7. Making Spiderweb Security Bar Unit For Window 

This is a bit of an outlier, but If you want your security bars unit to look a little different, you can make a custom spiderweb security bar unit, which will look cool and provide stronger security than any other grill designs.

However, this grill would require more of your time and effort due to the intricacy of the design.

1. You’d first have to measure the window on which you want to install the unit.
2. Draw the pattern you want to create on paper before beginning the project.
3. Then begin cutting four metal bars in equal lengths. (2)
4. Weld the bars together, forming a square.
5. Cut the metal pieces that would go within the square so that it matches the rough sketch of the pattern you’ve drawn.
6. Weld all the pieces together within the square. You can use crossbars or even cylindrical steel to cut and weld to form the pattern.
7. Once done with all the welding, you can finish the project by painting the unit.
8. Install the unit on the window when everything is done. 

See the video below:

8. Installing Security Bars In The Basement Window 

A basement is a prime location where a burglar could enter your house. Putting up security bars here is very effective.

1. You would have to purchase four steel bars for the basement windows, two long and two short.
2. Take the short bars and fasten them with each other.
3. Next, begin spacing the bars from the middle, take measurements, and draw suitable markings.
4. Once this is done, you would have to drill deep holes, preferably of  ⅞” at each marking you drew.
5. Use a chop saw and chisels to make a tenon and mortise system. You’d have to cut electrical conduit while filling spray foam at each side.
6. Now, link both the long bars and one short bar.
7. Put the foam-filled ends in place.
8. Fill the opposite end of the bar with the spray foam too. Install the other bars on the drillings and install the entire structure. (3)

See the video below:

9. DIY Burglar Bars For Home Windows 

If you’re looking for an easy and cost-effective way to enhance the security of your home windows, you might want to consider installing DIY burglar bars. With just a few tools and materials, you can create custom-fit bars that can protect your home from potential break-ins.

1. For this, you’d first need to measure the height and width of the window.
2. Then, you’d have to buy metal bars that match the measurement of the window. You can also cut long metal bars using the appropriate tool and make custom-sized bars.
3. Then place the bars vertically and horizontally to make a grill-like structure out of the metal bars.
4. Once you’ve positioned all the bars, weld them together.
5. Place the security bar unit on the windows, and mark the spots where you would be required to fix the screws to install the unit.
6. Start drilling holes in all the marked spots, place the unit back on and fasten it to the window.
7. Consider using long screws to install the unit so that the screws can be drilled deep, and you’d know that it has been properly fixed. 

10. Creating And Installing Security Bars On The Windows 

For this method, you would need half-inch cold-rolled steel.

1. Take a drill and make holes at the bottom of the bars.
2. Then begin placing security bars one after another, and drill them within the window frame.
3. Secure with security star screws.

Once the bars are installed, it would be hard for anyone to penetrate.

See the video below:

11. Securing Windows

A burglar usually breaks the glass first during a break-in, then unlocks the sash lock to get access inside. They could even attempt to pry it up using a crowbar.

To prevent a break-in in such a way, you could take some security measures.

• Begin by drilling a hole at the point where the sashes overlap.
• Put a steel window pin inside the hole, which will lock the sashes together.  

See the video below:

Wrapping Up

Installing Security Bars can put your mind at ease. Suppose you don’t want to choose a sophisticated security system. In that case, you can improve the safety of your home through some security bars or by creating a window security unit in the form of a grille.

You could get the materials required for the project from any hardware store at cheap rates, so you don’t have to worry about high costs. Only use heavy-duty tools if you have some prior experience in operating them. 

References
(1) cylindrical rods – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cylindrical-rod
(2) paper – https://www.britannica.com/technology/paper
(3) electrical conduit – https://www.lowes.com/n/buying-guide/electrical-conduit-types