How to remove iron window security bars with no visible bolts
Mortared-in security bars without visible bolts must be cut out to comply with fire egress regulations. Because they lack standard fasteners, removing them safely requires heavy-duty tools like an angle grinder to cut through the iron without damaging the surrounding frame.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Cutting the bars out using an angle grinder with an abrasive diskDid this help you?
- 2Chiseling out the mortar to release the bars and repointing the mortarDid this help you?
- 3Installing a padlock with an interior break-glass box containing the keyDid this help you?
- 4Adding an interior release lever or switching to bulletproof glassDid this help you?
- 5Use a wide UPVC glazing paddle or flat stiff scraper to pop out the beads starting with the longest one.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Our municipality said we need to remove these iron security bars from at least one of the windows of our first floor space to provide additional means of egress in case of fire.”source ↗
“What's the safest + easiest way to do this? It faces a rear parking lot, so it doesn't need to be aesthetically pleasing. I have access to or can purchase an angle grinder, circular saw, drills, multitools, etc.”source ↗
“My question differs from this one in that I don't have obvious bolts holding the bars in place.”source ↗
“I am trying to remove the glass window from this opening but I am having trouble finding where it actually comes apart.”source ↗
Where this came up
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