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Best Sliding Door Locks

Corey Majeau

Sliding doors are an efficient addition to any home, but especially those with a patio. While they offer more natural light, more convenience, and more space, sliding doors do become a weak point as they are easy to open if there isn’t an additional layer of security. Sliding door locks are specifically designed to keep them tightly shut and to prevent any forced entry from the outside. And for optimal home security, this is essential.

Sliding door locks follow several established designs, and each one offers a different approach. Depending on your skillset and the willingness to drill and adapt your door frame, you can find a door lock that perfectly fits your needs. The design can be simple or complex, high security or basic – there is something for everyone.

1. PRIME-LINE High-Security Deadbolt Lock – Editor's Choice

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  • Material: Extruded aluminum + solid steel
  • Dimensions: 12.25 x 4.5 x 1.5 inches
  • Item weight: 8 oz

2. Supply Guru Sliding Door and Window Lock

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  • Material: Metal
  • Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 6 inches
  • Item Weight: 10.6 oz

3. BRINKS Commercial Door Security Bar

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  • Material: 20 gauge heavy-duty steel
  • Dimensions: Adjustable
  • Item Weight: 2.35 lbs

4. Ming 90 Degree Sliding Door Lock

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  • Material: Stainless Steel
  • Dimensions: 4.2 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches
  • Item Weight: 4.8 oz

5. OKEFAN Sliding Glass Door Lock

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  • Material: ABS Plastic
  • Dimensions: 4 x 3.8 x 2.1 inches
  • Item Weight: 7.2 oz

6. Ashtonbee 2-piece Sliding Door Lock

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  • Material: Plastic
  • Dimensions: 9 x 3 x 0.05 inches
  • Item Weight: 0.8 oz

You may want to read: Best Door Reinforcement Locks

What are the Best Ways to Protect a Sliding Door from Burglars?

You have your front door tightly secured, and everything is well protected. You think you are all good, but then you remember the back sliding door leading to the patio, the balcony, or the garden. Anyone can pry it open and slide right in! But there is no need to worry. There are numerous efficient ways to keep your sliding door as safe as can be. First and foremost, of course, is a sliding door lock. Relying on a variety of designs, these locks are super versatile and highly efficient. The main idea is to secure the door from the inside, preventing forced entry. They are also great for keeping your young ones safe inside – if placed well out of their reach of course. Sliding door locks can follow a latch, bar, deadbolt, or any other efficient design. The only difference is in their quality, durability, and ease of setup.

Shatterproof protective glass film is another super-efficient way to give yourself some added peace of mind. The first thing everyone considers is this: even though you have a sliding door lock installed, a determined thief will steal resort to shattering the glass to enter. These unique films can be installed on any glass surface, and are specifically designed to delay forced entry and prevent the glass from fully shattering and dissipating. It is a good way to slow down and deter a burglar immensely – but it isn’t indestructible.

Of course, last but not least to mention is a trusty alarm system. Those looking to enhance the security in their home will always first rely on a good alarm system to alert them to the presence of an intruder. It is the safest and surest way to stop a would-be burglar and scare him off. Today, alarm systems are super advanced and often combined with complex surveillance systems. This safety system gives you a great upper hand and plenty of time to react. And makes them another efficient way to secure your sliding door!

Best Sliding Door Locks

1. PRIME-LINE High-Security Deadbolt Lock – Editor's Choice

Highlights

  • Material: Extruded aluminum + solid steel
  • Dimensions: 12.25 x 4.5 x 1.5 inches
  • Item weight: 8 oz

Pros

  • Fairly easy and straightforward setup
  • Prevents the sliding doors from being lifted up
  • Durable
  • Solid steel double action deadbolt
  • The sleek and inconspicuous design
  • Perfect for patio doors

Cons

  • Deadbolts sometimes don’t retract fully

In many homes, successfully protecting sliding doors from the forced entry can be a real challenge. Usually located on your patio or the balcony, sliding doors can become a weak spot if not secured properly. But there is still a solution for those that want to up their home security to a whole other level- like this high security sliding door lock from Prime-Line. This sturdy deadbolt lock is designed to prevent forced entry on all sliding doors and is surprisingly easy to install on your own. Made from extruded aluminum, the lock is super durable and can withstand the attempts of even the most stubborn thieves.

A good feature here is the keeper bracket, a special design that allows you to know whether the lock is engaged or disengaged – by simply throwing a glance. As such, this lock is also great to keep your kids safe and prevent them from wandering unsupervised. Just put the lockout of their reach and they’ll be safe at your side. Perfectly designed with superior security in mind, it is ideal for all sliding doors and prevents would-be intruders from lifting them and off their sliding track. This – paired with a super easy mounting procedure – makes this deadbolt lock one of the best on the market.

Who Should Buy This Product?

This superb sliding door lock design has a twofold use: not only will it keep your home’s weak points safe from intruders, but can also keep your littlest ones safe inside. And best of all – they are super simple to set up. Ideal!

2. Supply Guru Sliding Door and Window Lock

Highlights

  • Material: Metal
  • Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 6 inches
  • Item Weight: 10.6 oz

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Reliable and tough
  • Easy to install
  • Spring-loaded
  • Keylock feature
  • Good for windows as well

Cons

  • Requires moderate drilling and some power tools

Runner up

Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best. Supply Guru’s sliding door lock is a perfect example of how a straightforward design can offer you superior protection and everything you need from a sturdy lock without having to incorporate any bells and whistles into the design. This simple sliding door lock is ideal for patio and shed doors, and all sliding doors and windows. It follows the established deadbolt concept which is kept simple and straight to the point. This sliding door lock is mounted either to the top or the bottom – and requires minimal effort to install. Once you drill a suitable hole and fasten the lock, you can quickly understand the concept: the spring-loaded deadbolt lock slides into the hole and is locked in place with a mechanical key. Dead easy – but also dead sturdy.

Even the toughest efforts won’t budge this lockout of its place. Moreover, when placed on top of the door frame, it can act as an added safety measure to keep your little ones inside. And best of all is the fact that its small size and versatility can make it a great solution for sliding windows as well! One of the simplest – but also one of the best sliding door locks out there.

Who Should Buy This Product?

If you are looking for a no-hassle but highly efficient solution – especially if you are not too skilled with mounting and power tools – here is the ideal solution for you. Easy to mount and highly reliable, this sliding door lock is a superb choice.

3. BRINKS Commercial Door Security Bar

Highlights

  • Material: 20 gauge heavy-duty steel
  • Dimensions: Adjustable
  • Item Weight: 2.35 lbs

Pros

  • Literally no effort to install
  • Can be used right away
  • Highly durable
  • Adjustable
  • Sturdy

Cons

  • Bulky and overly conspicuous

Customer’s choice

When a design is innovative, it can either be very bad or exceptionally good. Luckily, in the case of Brinks’ security bar design, the case is the latter – it is a superb safety feature for every home, and can be adapted to a variety of uses. As a part of its versatility, the bar can be used in both a horizontal and vertical position – meaning that it can be a good safety measure for both regular and sliding doors. In its horizontal position, it can be inserted within the frame of a closed sliding door, essentially jamming it shut and preventing anyone from opening it from the outside. The concept is super simple but highly effective, and even the fiercest efforts won’t make it budge.

This security bar for sliding doors is made from 20 gauge heavy-duty steel tube construction and features a protected swivel base. It is also fully adjustable, allowing you to adapt to any type of door. A modern, sleek, and super simple design, the security bar is easily one of the foremost sliding door locks that require no installation whatsoever.

Who Should Buy This Product?

If you are not skilled with drills and power tools and want as little of a hassle as possible, look no further than the security bar. It requires no setup at all, and is ready to use as is! Just jam it in the door frame and sleep soundly.

4. Ming 90 Degree Sliding Door Lock

Highlights

  • Material: Stainless Steel
  • Dimensions: 4.2 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches
  • Item Weight: 4.8 oz

Pros

  • Easy to mount – just 5 screws
  • Durable
  • Reliable mechanism
  • Smooth finish
  • Versatile

Cons

  • Could benefit from longer screws

Best sliding door lock for wooden doors

Not all sliding doors are made from PVC- many homes still have wooden sliding doors, whether leading to a patio, garage, or a room inside the home. Naturally, in each case, there can be a need for a lock to be installed, whether for privacy, child safety, or simply for overall home security. This is where this wooden sliding door lock comes in handy: simple and efficient, it is made from durable stainless steel and follows the classic, unsurpassed latch system: simply turn the latch into place, and the sliding doors won’t budge – whatsoever. This concept is not just reliable, but it is also super simple to install, especially on wooden doors.

The outer surface of this lock is polished to a high gleam, giving it a neat and luxurious look that won’t stand out. Another great feature is this lock’s versatility: the small size and the traditional concept make it suitable for any similar doors, windows, and covers. Keeping your home and valuables secure was never so simple and efficient!

Who Should Buy This Product?

No need to worry if you’re still relying on wooden sliding doors – there are ways to protect them as well. This reliable latch system is ideal in so many ways – and shows us that the old school designs can still be efficient!

5. OKEFAN Sliding Glass Door Lock

Highlights

  • Material: ABS Plastic
  • Dimensions: 4 x 3.8 x 2.1 inches
  • Item Weight: 7.2 oz

Pros

  • No tools required
  • Strong and durable
  • Simple concept
  • Quick disengage
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Adhesive can lose potency over time
  • Confusing description and instructions

Best sliding door lock for child safety

Keeping young kids safe at all times is imperative in any home- and in each household, there are different “weak points” to look out for. In the case of sliding door locks, it becomes apparent that they are easily opened – and that means our kids can sometimes wander off if not supervised. Well, with this unique sliding door lock design you can keep this all under control. Great for sliding doors and windows, it is an efficient way to keep curious toddlers safe indoors. This design is made with strong ABS plastic and requires absolutely no drilling, tools, magnets, or complex setup procedures.

The setup has never been easier – simply peel off the ultra-strong adhesive tape and stick the lock high up – above the reach of the kids. Two side buttons quickly engage the lock and you are good to go! Super simple – but super-efficient. While it might not be ideal to stop violent and forced entry, it is however highly efficient to keep the kids in. And sometimes – that is what’s most important!

Who Should Buy This Product?

This sliding door lock is ideal for all new parents and families with young kids in the household. Great for use in pantries, patios, and sliding windows and doors, this lock relies on a simple concept that requires no tools to set up!

6. Ashtonbee 2-piece Sliding Door Lock

Highlights

  • Material: Plastic
  • Dimensions: 9 x 3 x 0.05 inches
  • Item Weight: 0.8 oz

Pros

  • Super simple to install
  • No tools required
  • Efficient concept
  • 2 for 1
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Adhesive tape cannot be moved once stuck
  • Not too durable

Best sliding door lock for wardrobe

Protecting your wardrobe? It isn’t as odd as it sounds when you live with kids. Sometimes you want to keep your expensive accessories out of reach, or just want to avoid children making a mess out of your neatly arranged clothes. It is only reasonable you want to keep them out, and these simple locks are ideal for all wardrobes with sliding doors. Designed to keep your kids from snooping around the wardrobe, these locks are made from highly durable solid plastic, and the concept is made to be super simple to install.

Simply peel off the adhesive tape on the lock’s back, stick it out of reach for your kids, and you are set. One flip of the mechanism puts it in the locked position and the sliding doors won’t budge- a hassle-free setup that can be finished in moments. Of course, you can adapt and use this lock on other sliding doors as well, but don’t expect it to withstand any strong force: toddlers won’t make it budge, but anyone else will.

Who Should Buy This Product?

Looking to prevent your toddler from snooping around? Want to keep your clothes or accessories safe from their grubby little hands? This simple sliding door lock is the ideal solution. Just don’t expect it to stop a forced entry.

Bottom Line

Sliding doors are an integral part of many homes. Great to offer a good view of your garden, or to let in more light, they can however be a weak point in your home as they are easy to pry open. Well, lucky, this issue is easy to solve with one of these ingenious sliding door locks that will once more give you that peace of mind you needed. Keep the would-be burglars outside, and keep your children safe inside: a win-win situation!