Alternatives to Barbed Wire 9 January 2006 at 12:16PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 11 replies 14.7K views

kev3

We have a shared drive which has a side arched iron gated to our property, the standard type with the metal curls pattern. Recently I have noticed that a couple of the curls have been squashed as in someone has climbed over it. I can't see any attempts at our back door, but I am worried about this weak spot. I have already installed a backlight with movement sensor so anyone near the gate triggers the light, but I feel this is not enough.
I am now thinking of trailing some sort of barbed wire over the top of the gate to put off any burglars, are there any alternatives to this?
Thanks.

slowen

kev3 wrote:

We have a shared drive which has a side arched iron gated to our property, the standard type with the metal curls pattern. Recently I have noticed that a couple of the curls have been squashed as in someone has climbed over it. I can't see any attempts at our back door, but I am worried about this weak spot. I have already installed a backlight with movement sensor so anyone near the gate triggers the light, but I feel this is not enough.
I am now thinking of trailing some sort of barbed wire over the top of the gate to put off any burglars, are there any alternatives to this?
Thanks.

What about vandel grease/paint as I cannot think of anything to put on top of gates apart from barbed wire that would work effectivly.

Maybe others can offer some suggestions

ka7e

Barbed wire might be harmful to birds and cats, and the Occupiers' Liability Act applies even to trespassers! Could you construct a wooden trellis above the gate? It wouldn't support the weight of a burglar and the added height might be a deterrant.
Also make sure the hinges aren't accessible from the outside - it's possible to just lift a gate off it's hinges otherwise.

Mr_Proctalgia

I have been burgled 3 times now! :mad: So I decided to take action, I live a Victorian house with a walled garden so once in the burgler is effectively invisible. I bought some razor wire and fitted it along the tops of my walls using vine eyes then painted the wall tops with a stuff called "Vandalene" Anyway after the last attempt the plod turned up and said to me "You shouldn't have razor wire along your walls like that, hide it on your side so the so and so's cannot see it that way when they climb over there is a better chance it will rip their fingers off" This I have done along with a healthy growth of spikey bushes and lots of plant stakes! I have also changed some doors so they open outwards and smaller out of sight windows have 10.6mm laminated glass in them now! The joys of having a council home down the road!!:rolleyes:

As the plod explained to me, my walls are over 10 ft tall so it is "buyer beware" as far as security goes, been OK for 2 years now.

kev3

Thanks guys, will look into this grease paint, but wooden trellis sounds like a definite possibility!

NEWBIE_SHOPPAHOLIC

CAlled anti-vandal paint it doesnt ever dry, you must paint a primer onto what you are painting so that it is not absorbed, sold at B and q, nasty stuff so wear old clothes and use an old paintbrush!!

billy_the_kid_2

Hawthorn is another good fast growing shrub. I have been lacerated many times when pruning. I would not want to climb over it.

rchddap1

A few rose bushes might help too.

martindow

Rosa rugosa has particularly vicious thorns, but plants aren't much use for the top of a gate (unless you never open it!).

simonhgreen

After we were burgled the community safety officer advised us to try these plastic strips.

They'r about 2 inches across and about 2 ft long each and have lots of plastic spikes on them.

You screw them in to the top of the wall.

it's almost impossible to put any weight on your hands if you tried to pull yourself up over the wall 'cos it hurts like hell.

I think we got them from screwfixdirect.

Also we got permanent dusk to dawn lights. The com safety guy said the problem with the movement sensor lights is the toe-rags deliberately set them off & see if you come out. If not it means you may be out or in another part of the house. The permanent ones act as constant deterrent.

Hope this helps.

plumb1_2

How about using Carpet Gripper, scare the Hell out of us plumbers;)