Welded vs Fixture-Fitted Burglar Bars: Which to Use Where

Updated September 2026 by Noah Heymans, Fabrication Supervisor & Draftsman.

Fixture-fitted burglar bars are Robo Door's standard window products, Econo, DuPlus, Deluxe and Alu-Deluxe Fixture, each with a named warranty of five or ten years. Welded burglar bars are one-piece patterns, Cottage Pane, Spanish or custom, fabricated to suit the window's look. Both start from R1,000. The frame, the look and the warranty you want decide which to use.

The two families side by side

	Fixture-fitted	Welded
Products	Econo Fixture, DuPlus Fixture, Deluxe Fixture, Alu-Deluxe Fixture	Cottage Pane, Spanish, Custom Welded
Construction	Channels and uprights in a standard system, made to the measured window	One-piece welded pattern made to the measured window
Manufacturing warranty	Econo and DuPlus 5 years; Deluxe 10 years with a 5-year Break-In Repair Guarantee; Alu-Deluxe 10 years	2 years
Best for	Standard frames, coastal sites (Alu-Deluxe), owners who want break-in cover	Cottage windows, heritage homes, matching existing ornamental steel
Price anchor	From R1,000	From R1,000

When fixture-fitted bars are the answer

Choose fixture-fitted when the window is a standard steel, aluminium or timber frame and you want a named warranty. Deluxe Fixture is the only window product with the five-year Break-In Repair Guarantee: if a confirmed forced-entry attempt damages Robo Door-made components, Robo Door repairs or replaces them, subject to a police case number and a written claim within 30 days. On the coast, Alu-Deluxe Fixture avoids steel corrosion altogether.

When welded bars are the answer

Choose welded when the pattern matters. Cottage Pane bars follow the glazing bars of small-pane windows so the steel lines up with the glass. Spanish bars carry scrollwork for character homes. Custom Welded takes your own approved pattern. The bars are still made to the measured window and fixed to the frame or surround, and the same finishes apply as on any Robo Door steel product.

Fixing matters more than the label

Both families are fixed barriers. The wall, reveal and frame decide how the unit is anchored, and the quotation states the fixing method. Aluminium window frames are treated as their own fixing condition; ask for the fastener detail rather than assuming the bars will bolt to the frame.

Emergency escape

Neither family opens. Bedrooms and any room that forms part of your escape route need a plan before fixed bars go in. Robo Door's site visit includes that conversation. Where a window must open, a retractable trellis door or a louvre security shutter may be the better product.

How to compare two quotations

Same product line, same window dimensions, same finish, same fixing method, same named warranty. If one quotation says "burglar bars" and the other says "Deluxe Fixture, sandblast, primer and powder coat, 10-year manufacturing warranty", they are not comparable, and only one of them tells you what you are buying.

Next step

Tell the consultant which windows must still open fully; that usually decides between fixed and welded bars. Request a free quote, WhatsApp +27 82 888 1919 or call 082 888 1919.