How to Build Steel Window Bars

Steel window bars can help protect you, your family and your home from intruders. Building and installing steel window bars on the inside of your windows will allow you to remove the steel bars in the event of an emergency. Steel window bars contain two components, steel bars and mounting frame.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/2-inch solid steel rod
• 1/2-inch by 2-inch steel flat bar
• Combination square
• Awl
• Marker
• Grinder
• Cut-off wheel for grinder
• Hard wheel for grinder
• Drill
• Drill press
• 9/16-inch drill bit
• 1/4-inch drill bit
• Welder
• Band saw
• 3-inch round headed wood screws
• Phillips screw drill tip for drill

1. Measure each window that will be fitted with steel window bars. Mark down the width and height of each window.

2. Cut two pieces of 1/2-inch by 2-inch flat bar for each window. Measure in one inch from each end and make a mark with the marker. Lay out the remaining rods, holding a maximum of three inches between the steel rod centers. For example: A 32-inch window will have 30 inches between the 1 inch marks. Thirty inches divided by 3-inch centers equals 10 steel rods between the 1-inch markers. In this example, 12 steel rods are required for the window.

3. Mark the center of the flat bar at each rod centerline by setting the combination square at 1 inch, placing the awl at the end of the square and sliding the square along the flat bar. Lay out the mounting screw locations. Mark the mounting hole locations 2-1/2 inches from both ends and one hole on the flat bar's center.

4. Drill a 9/16-inch hole at each steel rod location and a 1/4-inch hole at each mounting location. Cut the steel rods 1/2 inch shorter than the window opening's height.

5. Fit the steel rods into the flat bar mounting frame pieces, keeping the end of the rod 3/16 inch from the outside face of the flat bar. Tack weld each rod to the flat bar to hold the rods in place. Plug weld the rods after the frame is squared and the correct dimension has been verified.

6. Grind the plug welds flush with the outside face of the flat bar to allow a strong flush finish. Paint the steel window bar assembly with primer and paint.

7. Slide the steel window bars into the window opening. Secure one corner of the window bar assembly 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 inches from the window pane with a 3-inch wood screw. Set the unsecured end at the same distance from the window pane as the secured corner. Run a 3-inch wood screw in each mounting hole location to complete the installation.

References

• Lockmaster Security Solutions Ltd.
• Mascotte Home Security

[marketrix]

on 10/29/2009 You can also buy a window bar kit from this site : http://www.securitywindowbars.com/