A guide to lock box positioning on Heritage doors – achieving your desired look
Heritage aluminium doors offer you an authentic, classic aesthetic, reminiscent of iconic Crittall styling.
Glazed doors with astragal bars and slim sightlines let light flood in and give a crisp, contemporary look that can be equally suited to both internal and external doors.
When deciding on the right design for your heritage glass doors, it’s easy to focus on the more obvious decisions such as colour, glazing style and hardware. However, one detail that can have a surprisingly significant impact on the appearance of your doors is the positioning of the lock box.
For glazed, Heritage aluminium doors, there are two main options: a floating lock box or lock stile. Both fundamentally achieve the same function but differ in how they’re integrated into the door, which significantly influences the aesthetic.
What is a floating lock box?
A floating lock box is a standalone section of framework that houses the lock mechanism. It ‘floats’ within the glazed design, usually aligning with the horizontal glazing bars.
A floating lock box creates a more minimalist appearance by reducing the amount of visible framework and maximising the glazed area.
Advantages of a floating lock box
- More glass, less framework – by minimising the amount of frame, a floating lock box creates a more open, minimalist appearance
- Contemporary aesthetic – when aligned with the horizontal astragal bars, the lock box sits neatly within the overall design
- Accommodates larger astragal bars – a floating lock box can be combined with more substantial astragal bars to suit your desired aesthetic
Considerations
- A floating lock box does not offer the opportunity to incorporate additional locking points
What is a lock stile?
A lock stile incorporates the lock box within a full-height vertical stile running from the top to the bottom of the door. This creates a continuous section of framework on the locking side of the door.
Whilst this introduces more visible framework than a floating lock box, a lock stile offers specific structural and security benefits.
Advantages of a lock stile
- Enhanced security – the full-height stile provides greater resistance to forced entry, making it a popular choice for external doors
- Enables additional locking mechanisms – a lock stile can accommodate extra locking points at the top and bottom of the door for increased security
- Accommodates slimmer astragal bars – With the lock stile, slimmer astragal bars can be fitted to maintain an elegant appearance
Considerations
- The additional framework slightly reduces the glazed area and offers a more substantial aesthetic
Floating lock box vs lock stile
| Feature | Floating lock box | Lock stile |
|---|---|---|
| Glazed area | Maximises glazing | Slightly less glazing |
| Aesthetic style | Minimalist, contemporary | More traditional, substantial |
| Security | Standard | Enhanced resistance to forced entry |
| Additional locking points | No | Yes |
| Astragal bar options | Can accommodate more substantial astragal bars | Allows slimmer astragal bars |
Your questions answered
Does the lock box position affect security?
Yes. A lock stile provides greater resistance to forced entry and allows additional locking mechanisms to be fitted at the top and bottom of the door, making it the preferred option for external heritage doors.
Is one option more authentic for heritage doors?
Both options can work equally well for heritage-style doors. Your decision will depend on the overall aesthetic you’d like to achieve, as well as the practical requirements of each door.
Does the choice affect the glazing bars?
Yes. A floating lock box can accommodate more substantial astragal bars if that’s the desired look, whilst a lock stile can enable slightly slimmer bars.
Which option should you choose?
If your goal is to maximise the glass area and achieve a contemporary, minimalist appearance, a floating lock box is an excellent choice.
Choose a lock stile if security is a higher priority, particularly for external doors. The additional strength and ability to include multi-point locking will give you the required reassurance, without compromising the character of a heritage-style design.
We can advise you on the best option for each door, plus it’s possible to have both styles within your home depending on the situation of each of your new doors.
Please call us on 01444 45 71 45 or visit our Haywards Heath showroom for more information about our Heritage aluminium doors.