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Security Ground and Wall Anchor Buyers Guide

Protecting our assets and the things we love from thieves and vandals is challenging. Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and will often go to great lengths to achieve their nefarious aims. They know that motorbikes, bicycles and other equipment can often be quickly sold on the black market and this knowledge fuels their determination to make some easy cash. In this post we provide guidance in selecting the best ground or wall security anchor for your needs.

People have used anchors of one sort or another for millenia. Some of the earliest known examples were rock anchors, dating from the Bronze Age. And we are all familiar with the traditional anchor symbol which resembles the well known anchors used by ships and other vessels to keep them safely in one location and prevent them from drifting.

But there are many other forms of anchor. Ground anchors are often used to firmly attach bouncy castles for safety, preventing them from blowing away in high winds. And ground anchors are also sometimes used to prevent sheds and other outbuildings from blowing over in a wind. Overhead cranes and other machinery will also often require strong anchorage to enable the crane to reliably do its work without toppling over.

Security anchors are a specific type of anchor providing robust, immovable anchor points to which valuables can be securely attached.

What are Ground and Wall Anchors?

Security ground anchors and security wall anchors are the two primary security anchor options. Ground anchors are installed onto or into the ground and wall anchors are attached to walls.

Ground anchors that are set firmly in the ground provide a higher level of security than wall anchors. Both provide security anchorage but the key difference is how much effort and time is required by a criminal to detach the secured item from the anchor. Super strong ground anchors that are set in concrete present a far more formidable anchor point than other forms of security anchor.

What do You Need a Security Anchor For?

Before purchasing either a ground or wall anchor its important to determine exactly what the anchor is required to do. Also, its essential to pay attention to the specific location where the anchor point is needed.

For example, a typical scenario may involve a number of valuable bicycles stored in a garden shed or bike storage container. While the shed or container should always be locked the bikes inside would be easily stolen if the lock was overcome. For this reason, security professionals and UK police forces recommend that bikes are securely attached to an immovable anchor point, even when they are locked away inside a secure container or shed.

Similarly, a valuable motorbike that’s securely locked away in a garage might be targeted by specialist thieves who’ve tracked the motorcycle to the owners home. If they gain access to the garage they would be able to quickly lift the motorbike into the back of their vehicle and make their getaway. But if the motorcycle was firmly locked to an immovable anchor point inside the garage, even if they managed to get inside they wouldn’t be able quickly snatch the valuable bike.

And as noted, security anchors are not only a good idea for bikes and motorbikes, they also prevent other valuable machinery and equipment from being stolen. Ride-on mowers, for example, can be readily resold on the black market so criminals are continuously on the lookout for easy targets like these. Similarly, workshop equipment and farm machinery that isn’t locked down can attract the unwanted attention of opportunist thieves. And its worth noting how ladders, garden furniture and power tools can also be targeted by thieves who know they can quickly resell these valuable items for cash.

Types of Security Ground Anchors

There are basically two key types of security ground anchor. Concrete-in ground anchors and bolt down ground anchors.

The manner in which a ground anchor is affixed to the ground is obviously an important aspect of the security provided. Concrete-in ground anchors are recognised as the most robust form, offering the highest level of security and resistance to attack. They require a hole to be excavated in a concrete substrate, such as a garage floor or driveway. The security ground anchor is then immovably concreted into this hole to provide an extremely robust anchor point.

Bolt down ground anchors are attached to a concrete, brick or stone substrate using appropriate bolts. The key advantage of this ground anchor design is that it doesn’t require the excavation of a hole as the anchor sits on top of the surface. Some bolt down ground anchors can also potentially be used as wall anchors.

Protrusion above ground is an important aspect of ground anchor design that needs to be considered. The surface-mount design of bolt down ground anchors means they stick up above ground which in some situations (e.g. inside a garage or on a driveway) presents what can be an unacceptable trip hazard.

A key feature of the best concrete-in ground anchors is they don’t protrude significantly above ground and therefore don’t present a significant trip hazard. Our Big Boy Motorcycle Ground Anchor is an example of the best security ground anchor available today. The compact, robust design was highly praised by bennetts.co.uk in their independent review. And while the need to excavate a hole for installation might be concerning this is what Bike Social member Joe Murdoch said:

“Fitting was a simple process – to be honest it was a joy to install.”

Our Big Boy Ground Anchor uses a retractable design which presents only a small above-ground protrusion which doesn’t present a trip hazard and can be safely driven over. And this remarkable security ground anchor has achieved Sold Secure Motorcycle Diamond standard which means its been subjected to some seriously aggressive attacks including an angle-grinder. Even with a mains powered angle grinder (not typically available to most criminals) the grinder disc was destroyed way before the Big Boy could be cut through.

An important consideration when evaluating ground anchors is how you intend to attach your bike, motorbike or other equipment to the anchor point. People typically use high security chains and padlocks but it must be ensured that the selected security anchor will accept the size of the security chain. Our Big Boy comfortably accommodates high security chains with link dimensions up to 19mm.

Security Wall Anchor Options

The big difference between wall anchors and ground anchors is that wall anchors don’t present a trip hazard. Some designs of bolt down ground anchor also make highly effective wall anchors as they can be firmly bolted to solid brick, concrete or stone walls.

One of the key challenges with wall anchors is providing a wall mounting that’s adequately robust in the location where the anchor is needed. The Shed Shackle is specifically designed to fulfil this need. This clever wall anchor device is designed to allow adjustment, enabling the assembly to be firmly bolted to the most robust part of a shed’s framework structure using security fixings.

The high level of in-shed security provided by this device has resulted in the achievement of both “Sold Secure” and “Secured by Design” certifications. This is what a couple of our Shed Shackle customers have told us:

"Additional shed security at a good price. Installation is easy too."

"Bought a shed shackle a few years ago after the shed was broken into and 2 bikes stolen. Since then, no issues. Now that we`ve increased the number of bikes in the shed, another shackle is needed and we will link up the two with a security chain."

Selecting the Best Security Anchor

The best security anchor for you is the one that fulfils your needs and achieves the security you require. Answer these questions and follow these steps to determine which is the right ground or wall anchor for you. 

• What do you need a ground or wall anchor for?
  
  • Bicycle security?
  • Motorbike security?
  • Equipment security?
  • Something else?
• Where will the anchor be installed?
  
  • Inside a shed or bike storage locker?
  • Inside a garage?
  • In a driveway or vehicle parking area?
  • Somewhere else?
• What will the anchor be attached to?
  
  • Wooden shed wall?
  • Brick, stone or concrete wall?
  • Concrete garage floor?
  • Concrete driveway?
  • Asphalt driveway?
  • Block paving?
  • Something else?
• How will valuables be attached to the anchor?
  
  • High security chain and padlock?
  • Other security chain and padlock?
  • Security cable and padlock?
  • Something else?

It should be noted that the chosen security anchor is just one component in what should ideally be a multi-layered security barrier. The selected security chain and padlock are additional components that need to be carefully considered along with garage and shed security locks and property security precautions - such as motion-triggered lighting, security cameras and perimeter security. Always remember that any security system is only ever as strong as its weakest component.

• Go here for the best concrete-in ground anchors
• Go here for excellent bolt-down ground anchors
• Go here for wall anchors
• Go here for high security chains
• Go here for the best selection of high quality padlocks

If you have any questions about ground or wall anchors remember that we are here to help. Give us a call on 01273 475500 and we’ll provide you with free, expert advice.

This message was added on Thursday 25th November 2021