Doors are an essential part of every house out there. To start with, they usually help optimize the privacy of the various rooms in your house. Besides this, they help keep unwanted guests at bay. This is the reason why most doors in your home have locks.
Your bedroom door is not an exception. The only difference with this door is that it usually has a lock on the inside. Hardly will you find a bedroom door with a lock on its outer side. That said, you might be wondering how to lock a bedroom door from the outside.
The good news is that this article will outline the various ways you can lock your bedroom door from the outside. Some of these ways include:
How To Lock A Bedroom Door From The Outside
1) Use a wedge to lock the bedroom door
Chances are that you have heard about the method mentioned above, but you have never given it a try. The good news is that we have wedge-shaped door stoppers that can help lock your bedroom door from the outside. As we speak, you can get these stoppers from your nearest home improvement store.
If you don’t find these stoppers in your local store, you can go ahead and improvise it. Here, you can use a cardboard to make this stopper, and it will work perfectly well like any other ready-to-use door stopper. Besides using a cardboard, you can also use a thick sock to make a wedge stopper. Thereafter, you can stuff it under the door and will help ensure that the door remains shut for the better part of the day.
2) Use a fork
To many people, the above-mentioned method might sound weird. However, it is very effective. If you want to use a fork for this undertaking, ensure that you use a fork that is hardly used at home. To use a fork for this purpose, you need to bend 0.4 inches of its end.
If you have a pair of pliers at home, you can do this with a lot of ease. Besides a pair of pliers, you might have to use a hammer and a vise. After that, cut off the fork’s handle and then use the remaining part of the fork to lock the door.
3) Install a portable lock
Besides using a wedge stopper or a fork to lock your door, you can now use a portable lock and use it to lock your bedroom door from the outside. Unlike other locks, a portable lock can be installed and removed with ease.
Therefore, you can install this lock on any door you please and still remove it whenever you want. This makes it ideal for those people who are always on transit. For instance, if you know that you will be moving or relocating in a couple of days, this door lock can work well for you. In fact, these kinds of locks have proved to be cheaper than permanent locks. Therefore, you can buy one for your bedroom door, and you will not regret it.
4) Remove the handle on the outer side of your bedroom door
Your door’s handle plays a significant role as it allows you to open and close the door with ease. If the door does not have a handle, it will be very challenging for one to open it. Unless someone tries to break the door, there is no way they will be able to open the door from the outside. You can let the door remain like this until you have installed a new lock onto the door.
The good news is that this method is very easy to use. In fact, all you need is a screwdriver, and you will be good to go. With this tool, you will be able to remove the door handle and install it when necessary.
5) Use a strike plate lock
To start with, strike plate locks are essentially door chains, only that they are strong and durable in nature. The good news is that they are easy to use and usually come at a budget-friendly price. Apart from this, people who are handicapped or elderly can utilize these locks seamlessly. Unlike other locks, these can withstand external force and therefore offer better protection. If you have some valuables in the bedroom that you want to keep safe, you can readily use this lock.
As we speak, there are electric strike plate locks that have proved to be very effective for many bedroom doors out there. You will realize that these are electromagnetic and usually open from outside using fingerprints or a card. Others usually use a retina scan and are ideal for those who desire to optimize the security of their bedrooms. For instance, if you have some jewelry or a safe in your bedroom, this kind of lock is ideal for your bedroom door.
6) Use a belt to lock your bedroom door
If your bedroom door has a hook and a door handle, you can use a belt to lock the door from outside. All you need to do is to stretch the belt between the handle and the hook and then tighten the belt. Besides using a belt, you can use a chain with a padlock or even a piece of a rope to tie these parts together. By doing this, the handle cannot be pushed down, and therefore, no one will be able to access your bedroom. As long as the bedroom door has a hook and a handle, you will be good to go.
7) Add a keyless door reinforcement lock
Just like its name suggests, this lock does not need a key for it to work. This makes it more convenient to use for your bedroom door. Besides this, the lock is very easy to install. All you need to do is to drill some holes into the doorframe and then install this lock. The good news is that this lock is strong enough to withstand tremendous forces. Therefore, it will be difficult for intruders to access your bedroom.
Besides installing a keyless reinforcement lock, you can install a smart lock on your bedroom door and still use it to lock your door. Unlike other locks, this one allows you to lock your bedroom from the outside using your phone. This is because this lock work using Bluetooth technology. It is more convenient and can help secure your bedroom more effectively.
Reasons To Lock Your Bedroom Door From Outside
There are many reasons why you might think of locking your bedroom door from the outside. Some of these reasons include:
- To prevent unauthorized access to your bedroom: For instance, if you live in a shared house and you have doubts that someone might access your bedroom when you are away, you can consider locking your bedroom from outside. This will go a long way in ensuring that all your belongings remain safe even when you have traveled. By doing this, no one will be able to access your bedroom without your consent.
- If you have some valuables in the bedroom: In case you have some items in your bedroom that you feel are very valuable and can be very costly to replace, the best thing to do is to lock the bedroom door from outside. This way, you will be able to optimize their security and prevent any potential theft or burglary that might take place when you are away.
- You have a mentally challenged family member who needs adequate supervision: There are people who normally have a family member who requires to be nursed and supervised all the time. To keep them safe overnight, you have to lock them in the bedroom so that they do not leave without your consent. In this case, you have to lock the door of your bedroom from the outside.
Final Thoughts
From using a wedge to installing a smart lock on your bedroom door, there are many ways you can lock a bedroom door from the outside. Depending on who you are and where you live, the solutions mentioned above will work differently. By locking your bedroom from the outside, you will be able to protect the valuables in your bedroom.
Also, you will be able to keep your bedroom closed whenever you are away. Consequently, your privacy will not be interfered with. Consider the methods mentioned above today, and you will not be frustrated. These methods are truly the best.