If you want to protect your home from burglary, a cunning bad locksmith, and other break-ins, you should consider door reinforcing. Reinforcing doors can make a big difference in your home's security.

Many individuals believe that burglars or criminals will try to get access to their homes through a window or other means. This, however, is not the case. The majority of the time, these crooks enter through the front door frame. Nothing will be able to stop them if the door is not reinforced. Don't put off protecting yourself against intruders until it's too late. Here's how to reinforce a door, as well as everything else you'll need to be secure.

 

What Is Door Reinforcement?

 

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Door reinforcement can refer to a range of ways for reinforcing doors against door breaching and lock picking, as well as deterring crimes such as burglary and home invasions. Commercial and government facilities, as well as domestic settings, use door reinforcement.

 

How to Reinforce a Door

 

If you're concerned that trading style for safety will mean abandoning security, you'll be relieved to learn that current locks, hinges, and strengthening equipment are meant to blend smoothly into your door. Aside from the fact that they can't just walk in, burglars are unlikely to detect the difference between a reinforced door and a regular one.

 

1) Reinforcement of Door Frames

 

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Door jamb reinforcement is surprisingly simple to construct. A steel bar is put into the jamb that is as long as the vertical height of the door frame's edge. The goal of door jamb security is to make it tougher for intruders to gain entry. They would have to shatter your entire door frame rather than just the locks to get in. This form of reinforcement is just what you need if you're worried that your door frame is weak.

Depending on the thickness of the bar, you'll need a certain amount of space between your door and your door frame to properly reinforce the door frame. The majority are 16 to 14 gauge thick, with a width of roughly two quarters. You won't have any trouble adding this security to your frame as long as you have that much space.

 

2) Strengthening the Edge of the Door

 

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After you've finished reinforcing the door frame, you should focus on the door. The edge of your door is usually the weakest component of it. The bolts go through this section of the door to lock into the frame.

The lock and latch attach the door's edge to the frame, but they don't disperse force evenly in the event of a kick-in. In a forced entry, this means that if your door's frame is strengthened, the door's edge will be damaged.

However, you can reinforce the edge of your door by adding a door wrap around it. A door wrap increases the surface area available for distributing force, making forceful entrance practically difficult.

 

3) Installing a More Robust Door Lock

 

Credit: Master Locks

 

The majority of builder-installed residential door hardware is grade 3. This is the weakest type of lock. Plastic parts, cheap materials, low resistance to lock bumping, and the shortest/narrowest bolts are all found in these locks. They're the polar opposite of what you're looking for. Deadbolt locks should be used instead of these low-quality locks.

 

Deadbolt Locks

 

If your door just has a knob lock, a deadbolt lock might provide an additional degree of security.

A single-cylinder or double-cylinder deadbolt has an exterior key slot and an inner thumb turn. You can't put the bolt back in when the deadbolt is completely extended, as you might be able to do with a knob lock. This stops someone from prying the bolt back and opening the door with a knife or other sharp item.

When completely extended, look for a deadbolt with a bolt that is at least 1 inch long. Look for a lock with a tapered cylinder guard as well. The cylinder is the slot into which you insert the key. The cylinder guard is a piece of metal that wraps around the cylinder.

Deadbolt locks have a number of security advantages:

• Because the locking mechanism is located inside the door, it cannot be simply blasted off.

• The deadbolt can't be pulled back in after it's fully extended, limiting the chances of a burglar using a shimming attack to open the door.

• Because the deadbolt is longer than the latch on a knob lock, a burglar will have a tougher time "spreading" the door and prying it open.

• When kicked, the lock penetrates far enough into the doorjamb wood and strike plate to hold.

 

4) Secure the Door Hinges

 

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The exposed hinges on most doors may be simply popped off and the door dragged out of the frame. Install jamb pins to reinforce the hinges and prevent the door from being pushed off the hinges.

Every hinge must have a screw removed and replaced with a security pin during installation. When the door is closed, you should also remove the screw on the opposite side where the pin goes through.

Both wooden and metal doors can be jammed with these security pins. They're generally composed of wood and threaded by machine.

 

5) Striker Plates

 

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The strike plate is a metal plate that attaches to the doorjamb. When the lock is locked, the deadbolt is inserted into this component. The doorjamb splinters when a burglar kicks your door open, even if you have a deadbolt lock since the strike plate screws are too short. As one piece of the jamb flies across the room, the door swings open.

Simply said, a strike plate is the metal component that is mounted on the jamb where your lock's cylinder enters the frame. Strike plates are available in a range of shapes, ranging from the standard plates seen on residential doors to more sophisticated plates built for specialist locks such as mortise locks and multiple cylinder deadbolt locks. Strike plates are usually included with locksets. This is advantageous because they will match your lock's style and form. However, the size of the screws included with your lockset may differ.

Longer screws may be used for added security. You may need to use a drill to make a hole large enough for the striking plate and lock cylinder to fit if your door frame does not have one. Fortunately, in contemporary homes, the height of door locks and strike plates is standardized, making installation simple. The aim of such a small piece of metal is to keep doors shut securely.

 

6) Strengthen the Door Material

 

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It's time to work on the door now that you've reinforced the strike plates and hinges. Is there a weak spot in that door?

Yes, the strip through which the levers and deadbolts pass. As a result, you should install a door wrap to prevent your door from splitting in the event of a break-in.

The door wrap is installed behind the door and wraps the door in steel or aluminum. It's made to disperse the force of a burglary attempt over a vast surface area, so burglars will have to use more power to do damage.

 

7) Install Peepholes

 

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Is there a security chain on your door? You know, one of those small chains that you can clasp and open a couple of inches to gaze out the open crack while remaining safe?

If you have a security chain, don't expect it to keep you safe.

The issue with the security chain is that it conceals a weakness. If you leave your door unlocked, an assailant can easily push their shoulder up against it and snap the chain, gaining admission. This is something that cops have to do all the time to get access to people's houses in the event of an emergency.

If you have a security chain, remove it and replace it with a peephole. You can now look via the peephole instead of opening your door a crack to see who is outside while keeping your door secured. Peepholes now exist in a variety of forms, but the conventional style provides a nearly 180-degree field of view.

 

9) Door Stop Alarm

 

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Installing a door reinforcement stop alarm is another simple method to fortify your doorway. If enough force is exerted, the product will stop the door from opening and activate an audio signal.

The advantages of a doorstop alarm are that it is simple to install, requires no wiring, and has alarm features. The disadvantage is that it has to be "installed" every night.

 

10) Door Jammer

 

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Another alternative for increased door security is a door jammer. It's comparable to shoving a chair under the doorknob in terms of functionality, but it's more secure and sturdier.

 

Strengthening a Door with Glass Panels

 

Credit: Al Habib Panel Doors

 

It makes no difference how robust a door's framework, locks, or hinges are if it has any glass components. Whether it's due to flying storm debris or an intended hit, standard door glass is readily cracked.

You must safeguard door glass by creating some form of physical barrier over it in order to secure your property. Based on your individual security needs and aesthetic choices, you have numerous options to pick from:

• Grills or bars

• Window security film

• Laminated security glass

• Polycarbonate glazing shields

 

Grills or Bars

 

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One of the most common techniques to reinforce doors is to use metal bars and grills. Though they perform a decent job of preserving the glass, they aren't the most appealing alternative.

 

Window Security Film

 

Credit: Fort Worth Window Film

 

Ideally, you want to reinforce door glass without changing its appearance much. Applying a window security film directly on top of the glass is one technique to do it. Security window films consist of a malleable Mylar covering that supports glass panels. It won't stop the glass from shattering, but it will keep the broken fragments in place. This may keep the pane of glass in place during a storm, or it could delay forcible entry long enough to prevent it or allow authorities to arrive. Security window film can provide a simple security enhancement to glass doors on a budget.

 

Laminated Security Glass

 

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Laminated security glass is the next degree of protection in terms of glass safety. Laminated security glass comes in a variety of thicknesses and compositions that can withstand a variety of impacts.

Even though laminated security glass is extremely durable, it is still possible for a determined burglar to break through it, or for it to be broken during a storm or other extreme weather event.

 

Polycarbonate Glazing Shields

 

Credit: Window Film Depot

 

Polycarbonate glazing shields are the best way to reinforce door glass with the highest level of protection. These glazing shields have a glass-like surface hardness and look, but are made of polycarbonate, which is nearly indestructible.

You won't notice a difference in the appearance of your glass entry door after installing polycarbonate glazing shields. When anything hits the door and bounces right off, though, the upgrade will be obvious.

 

Summary

 

Home invasion and burglary are terrifying scenarios that occur far more frequently than they should, and they can even occur in broad daylight. Fortunately, with all of the wonderful sorts of defenses installed on your outside and exterior doors, robbers and house invaders will have a hard time breaking in without being seen. Apart from the obvious purpose of front door security, the entire point of home security is to deter someone from attempting a break-in by making the procedure take longer than it is lucrative.

An unlocked exterior door is the most common way criminals gain access to the property. The alternatives listed above can make a significant difference in your home security.

If you're afraid of your personal belongings being stolen, Travah offers diversion safes that will hide your valuables from plain sight. Add it to your cart today!