In a previous blog, we discussed different ways to increase your gate security with gate hardware. One of the gate accessories we covered was the gate shroud.
In this blog we’d like to tell you a bit more about why they are a such good idea.
The purpose of gate shrouds
Gate shrouds are made to help ‘shroud’ your gate lock. They are commonly a metal box or ‘screen’ which is installed together with your lock. A gate shroud will be placed on the internal side of your gate to protect the internal mechanism from outsiders reaching through the gate openings.
They can be easy to install so it is worth considering if you need one.
When is it a good idea to use a gate shroud?
Certain locks won’t require you to use a gate shroud. A good rule of thumb is to use a gate shroud if it’s easy to exit your gate. By this, we mean that you can open the gate without putting in a code or using a key. This includes quick exit locks or locks with internal thumb turn handles as shown in the video below.
How to determine if you need a gate shroud
A few questions to ask yourself to help determine if your gate lock needs a shroud as well:
- Can outsiders reach through the gate and open it?
- Is the push pad or thumb turn visible from the outside?
- Does your gate have large gaps (i.e., between the metal bars)?
If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, we highly recommend you install a gate shroud. Not only will it help prevent potential intruders reaching the internal mechanism, but it will also shield it and make it less visible.
Now, another way to prevent someone reaching through a gate, is naturally to decrease the gaps in the gate. So, it is worth considering if you can add extra bars or panels on your gate to eliminate the problem all together. But if you prefer the modern style gates that let air and light in, a gate shroud could be the best solution.
Available gate shrouds
Our gate shrouds are made to match the locks we sell, so we naturally have one for the Select Pro range and one for the Superlock range. You can find more information on both these shroud on their product pages:
The updated BQS shroud
Recently, Gatemaster announced that they had made some changes to their Superlock Quick Exit shroud (BQS), which is a popular choice thanks to its compatibility with the Superlock Quick Exit locks.
But the new changes mean you can also use it for the Superlock Digital Access, Single-Sided lock as the dimensions have changed to accommodate this. Other than that, it hasn’t changed. It’s still easy to install with the bracket sitting between the lock and the gate frame!
