Hi all, I was just wondering what screws and any other advice people would have for to attach a security door chain. The wall next to the door plaster with (probably) a stud behind it.
Cheers
Jonny
Hello @JonnyH
In order to provide you with better advice in regards to the screws, can you please provide us with a photo of your door and door frame where you plan to install the door chain? We can then assess its location and provide you with the appropriate recommendation on how to properly anchor your door chain. Your assessment is correct longer screws would be ideal, but you mentioned something about a plaster wall with a stud behind it? We'll need a bit of clarification in regards to where you'll be planning on mounting the door chain.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi @JonnyH,
For the screws in the door, I'd suggest going with the screws provided in the kit. There are sufficient for mounting. For the mount on plasterboard over studs, I'd suggest screws of around 40mm such as the https://www.bunnings.com.au/zenith-6g-x-40mm-zinc-plated-hinge-long-thread-countersunk-head-timber-screws-100-pack_p2434142 . These will be long enough to penetrate through the plaster into the timber behind. Ideally, this type of security feature needs to be installed into solid timber and not just plasterboard. Alternatively, if the chain is not long enough to reach the plasterboard, you might have to install onto the architrave. In that case, you'd be fine using the included screws as it's solid timber, or the 40mm version above.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
It's for my front door. I think it's plasterboard over bricks… but I'm really not sure.
Let me know what you think.
I'm thinking of placing it a fair bit above the light switch btw
Thank you for sharing that picture and the added information about your wall. I suggest positioning your door chain in place and marking the drill points with a pencil or marker. Once you've marked the drill points, I suggest drilling a small pilot hole into the surface going all the way into the door frame. This will tell you what is behind the door trim. Looking at your photo, it is very likely that it is timber and not brick.
I propose using the suggested screw which is the https://www.bunnings.com.au/zenith-6g-x-40mm-zinc-plated-hinge-long-thread-countersunk-head-timber-screws-100-pack_p2434142 . As for the door, I suggest using the screws provided in the packet.
Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.
Good Evening @JonnyH
Mmmmm thinking about where to place the smaller latch part. The chain may be to short to have on the far side of the door trim. You may need to mount it over the door trim with the long screws that @EricL has mentioned. I am not sure how it will look is my hesitation. You could have a small piece of thin timber trim as a plate underneath the small latch or better yet, cut a section of the existing door trim partially (maybe 3mm-5mm deep) the distance of the small latch and using a timber chisel take it out to create a flate area to screw that small latch to.
Dave
Hey Dave,
I'm not one hundred percent sure what you are meaning and I also don't have the wood working skills or tools to do what you're suggesting. Thank you though.
Do you an Eric think this would be the best placement?
As long as there is enough slack for the chain to get span from the door to the plasterboard then yes.
What Dave is saying, is that if the chain is not long enough to span to the other side of the architrave, which is the timber trim that sits on the plasterboard, you might need to chisel out a small piece so the bracket can sit flat on the plasterboard beneath the architrave.
I hope this clarifies.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Jacob
Evening @JonnyH
@JacobZ has it right :) And really I have found chiseling way easier to do then I expected. Id practic eon an offcut of pine and just use a chisel with a mallet (not a hammer) Ive been impressed how my efforts have turned out. Not perfect but a lot better then I expected.
Hi @JonnyH
A few words of caution. You show your intended fitting location as above the light switch which is probably where the cables run down to the switch. If you can't find out where the cables are, don't drill there. The cables could be in the cavity but they could be chased into the wall.
Plasterboard has been mentioned in the thread and if this is plasterboard then it won't be strong enough to protect you as the fixings will just pull out.
Even if you do fix this to the trim, you need screws long enough to go into the frame behind as often the trim is just nailed on and again it could be pulled off with enough force.
To keep the discussion ticking over - I saw this the other day.
The kicking seen at the end of the video is almost hypnotic…
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Door+chains+are+useless#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:72d09d02,vid:R7MXvcqiMSw,st:0
