Fixing bracket to aluminium door

[citoyen]

I want to fix a cabin hook to an external door so it can be held open securely and won't flap in the wind. The door is made of aluminium and is presumably hollow.

What does the panel recommend? I'm thinking some kind of spring toggle arrangement, like you use in plasterboard walls, but would that mean drilling a big hole in the door frame? I could potentially remove the locking mechanism to gain access to the inside of the frame, but I'm concerned I might find a complicated arrangement of pingfuckits inside...

Or should I glue it to the door frame rather than drilling? What kind of glue would be strong enough? Also, would I need to remove the paint and glue it to the bare metal, or would it be ok to glue it to the painted surface?

[Canardly]

Rivets? but would of course mean drilling. You could also consider a floor mounted stop.

[Ham]

Have you considered putting the hook on the wall and hooking over a door handle?

Summat like this https://www.screwfix.com/p/carlisle-brass-cabin-hook-polished-brass-254mm/3123p (not this one, but a scheme used successfully in Ham Hall)

[Chris N]

Self tapping screws.

[Si S]

Self tapping screws.

 

That's what we used to use to when I was partition fitting using alu frames and doors in a former life

[Brucey]

there is a kind of latch bracket jobbie available that mounts to a wall and a prong  slides under a door and holds it open; this may mar the door eventually (I suppose you could pad it) and it will only work if the bottom of the door is well clear of ground level, but it needs no fastenings into the door itself.

cheers

[citoyen]

Rivets? but would of course mean drilling. You could also consider a floor mounted stop.

Have already considered a floor mounted catch (presumably the kind of thing Brucey is referring to) but there's quite a big gap between the bottom of the door and the deck it opens onto, so ruled that out. Suppose I could mount the stop on a block.

Have you considered putting the hook on the wall and hooking over a door handle?

That's the kind of hook I'm thinking of fitting, but I don't see how it will work using the door handle to latch it to, hence I want to be able to attach the bracket part to the door.

Self tapping screws.

That sounds like a strong possibility. Will investigate further... Will the aluminium of the door frame be thick enough?

[citoyen]

Self tapping screws.

Would this be the right kind of thing? https://www.screwfix.com/p/carbon-steel-self-drilling-screws-4-8-x-16mm-100-pack/68505

[Kim]

Rivets? but would of course mean drilling. You could also consider a floor mounted stop.

Have already considered a floor mounted catch (presumably the kind of thing Brucey is referring to) but there's quite a big gap between the bottom of the door and the deck it opens onto, so ruled that out. Suppose I could mount the stop on a block.

This is what fire extinguishers are for...   

[rafletcher]

Rivets? but would of course mean drilling. You could also consider a floor mounted stop.

Have already considered a floor mounted catch (presumably the kind of thing Brucey is referring to) but there's quite a big gap between the bottom of the door and the deck it opens onto, so ruled that out. Suppose I could mount the stop on a block.

This is what fire extinguishers are for...   

Or granite setts.

[Canardly]

Self tapping screws.

Would this be the right kind of thing? https://www.screwfix.com/p/carbon-steel-self-drilling-screws-4-8-x-16mm-100-pack/68505

For a hold back probably something like this

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-pan-head-self-tapper-screws-6ga-x-100-pack/9456h

[Kim]

Would this be the right kind of thing? https://www.screwfix.com/p/carbon-steel-self-drilling-screws-4-8-x-16mm-100-pack/68505

Those things are witchcraft, but probably overkill for aluminium.

[Brucey]

this is the sort of thing I was thinking of, but this is one for a garden gate;



it engages directly with the door (or gate) and you can get similar to mount onto a wall I think. The latch is weighted so that it automatically engages whenever the door/gate swings outwards far enough.  I daresay there are versions with nylon ramps and rubber facings to work with doors.

cheers

[Chris N]

That sounds like a strong possibility. Will investigate further... Will the aluminium of the door frame be thick enough?

Dunno.  How thick is the aluminium?

Something like this would probably do it: https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/A2_TappingScrew_PoziCsk_No.8.html

[Ham]

Have you considered putting the hook on the wall and hooking over a door handle?

That's the kind of hook I'm thinking of fitting, but I don't see how it will work using the door handle to latch it to, hence I want to be able to attach the bracket part to the door.

It worked for me, although the door in question isn't subject to direct wind. Worked past tense, as with the addition of a clematis in the area previously swept by the door, I've had to add a stake in the ground as a stop, and use a bungy. I'll post a photo later.

ETA Thusly:

[Gattopardo]

Glue?

[citoyen]

ETA Thusly:

Ah! I see. You didn't mention the bungee cord!

[citoyen]

Dunno.  How thick is the aluminium?

There's the key question. Wish I knew. I presume it must be at least a few mm but probably the only way to find out is to drill into it...

Something like this would probably do it: https://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/A2_TappingScrew_PoziCsk_No.8.html

Ta!

[citoyen]

this is the sort of thing I was thinking of

Yes, thought it might be. I've pondered that kind of thing as well. The door doesn't open far enough to use one of those mounted to the wall, so it would have to be mounted on the deck, probably on a block to raise it to door level.

I'm actually planning to instal a railing to stop the wind blowing the door open too far and wrecking the hinges (one of them is already a bit bent), and to attach the hook to.

[citoyen]

Glue?

Can you be more specific than that? Any particular type of glue you'd recommend?

[citoyen]

For a hold back probably something like this

https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-pan-head-self-tapper-screws-6ga-x-100-pack/9456h

Ta!

[citoyen]

Would this be the right kind of thing? https://www.screwfix.com/p/carbon-steel-self-drilling-screws-4-8-x-16mm-100-pack/68505

Those things are witchcraft, but probably overkill for aluminium.

Why overkill?

[citoyen]

This is what fire extinguishers are for...   

Or granite setts.

Currently using a large earthenware bottle, filled with water for ballast.

[Ham]

ETA Thusly:

Ah! I see. You didn't mention the bungee cord!

The bungee was a later addition, it started with just the hook which worked fine

[Gattopardo]

Glue?

Can you be more specific than that? Any particular type of glue you'd recommend?

http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802624798721