Steel Entry Door

[Montana Rancher]

Ok so here is the skinny

Your typical "urban" front door is a wood frame POS that can be breached in .1 seconds with a decent piece of pipe.

There are ways to reinforce that POS door but only to the point it takes 2-3 strikes to open rather than 1.

Here is my solution

http://www.homedepot.com/p/L-I-F-Industries-6-Panel-Gray-Right-Hand-Security-Door-Unit-with-Knockdown-Frame-UKSP3280R/202516077

A steel door with a steel frame, many times better than the cheap wood version.

A lot of security for those that are bugging in, I just installed 1 of these as my main door.

[Inor]

The trouble is, by strengthening the door you just encourage attackers to go to the windows. Since houses all have more windows than doors...

[MrsInor]

Nice door. We will have to look into that when we get out of MN and build our new house.
Thanks.

[pheniox17]

Nice... I can see a few potential moderfacations to make it stronger ;) but its still nice :D

[James m]

The most overlooked thing that can be done to a door. The metal attachment on the door frame is only attached to the frame. Instead purchase longer screws and drill into the framing (2x4 or 2x6 studs)

[Baglady]

One thing we did once for a customer, was install angle iron to the framing studs. Once the deadbolt is engaged, (metal door) you can't beat it down.

[Arklatex]

The trouble is, by strengthening the door you just encourage attackers to go to the windows. Since houses all have more windows than doors...
You have a few options there as well. Just off the top of my head im thinking metal storm shutters, security bars or security film. But the sad truth is that if someone is determined to get in, they will. You just have to make it hard enough for them to consider moving on to the next place.

[RWalls]

The most overlooked thing that can be done to a door. The metal attachment on the door frame is only attached to the frame. Instead purchase longer screws and drill into the framing (2x4 or 2x6 studs)

Agreed, some 3.5" screws.

[Slippy]

Get a mean a$$ dog.

[Txwheels]

Get a mean a$$ dog.

Yep, we got one of those. Plus both front and rear doors are steel with the frames and jambs completely reinforced. All windows are tempered glass. Not unbreakable, but harder and much more noisy to break.

End result, if ya try to break in you'll make enough noise that by the time you enter, you'll be facing a pi**ed off 100lb dog and a pi**ed 200lb home owner holding a fist full of 1911.

[James m]

All you really need is a chainsaw and a tow rope.

The path of least resistance. Why bother the guy with 20,000 rounds when you can take your tow rope to the gas station ATM.

[Montana Rancher]

All you really need is a chainsaw and a tow rope.

The path of least resistance. Why bother the guy with 20,000 rounds when you can take your tow rope to the gas station ATM.

I am guessing you are being glib as the easy counter to your post is, if you need 20,000 rounds money will be worthless.

I'd be willing to be educated.

Also on the post about windows, I would easily prefer defending a window against invaders than a door, much easier.

Before SHTF if you are moving booty out of a window you are a felon, if you are moving it out the door, who knows?

Also as it was recently posted that policemen have the highest obesity rating of any profession, I again choose the window as a great alternative to a wide open door.

Actually a case could be made for a 24" door and anyone in a tactical body armor would wedge up trying to pass.

[dsdmmat]

Unfortunately that door can still be breeched with a hydraulic ram by those who want to get in bad enough. It is better than the average door though. in addition to the door a strong bar across the back of the door when closed that is securely anchored in the walls beside the door will prevent the hydraulic ram breaching method.

I have always wanted to build into my house a foyer area for both entry doors, at the end of the foyer area a safe door which eithe allows or denies entry to the main house. Of cours all of that is for not if they can burn your house down around you.

[Sparkyprep]

No shelter is siege proof. But, as was said earlier, the idea is to make your shelter difficult enough to make a would-be intruder move on to a softer target.

With unlimited resources, I could get into Ft. Knox

[dsdmmat]

No shelter is siege proof. But, as was said earlier, the idea is to make your shelter difficult enough to make a would-be intruder move on to a softer target.

With unlimited resources, I could get into Ft. Knox

Well they say engineers build weapons and civil engineers build targets.
Police entry teams have been known to use hydraulic Rams to penetrate tougher doors because most houses are made of wood so bending the door frame to bypass the locks is an easy solution. Won't be long before the scum get a hold of one of those and start doing the same thing. Takes less time and less effort to break into a house.

[Pauls]

A 12 gauge shotgun will tear the hinges of even a steel door. Three quick shots and you are in. The door knob lock is a waste of time in most cases and the only lock that is secure is the dead bolt - but only if it is a security dead bolt. They are hardened steel with at least a one inch throw. Door hinges are the weakest point of most doors - even if you use 3 1/2 " screws into the fram the hinge is held to the door with very short screws that are only #8 or #10 screws. Since most doors open inward there is little to stop then from being breached. Three solid 2x6's into steel hangers that are bolted to studs would be very effective in keeping out most anyone, police included.

Windows are harder to harden but not impossible. A tripple glazed window with the center pane of 1/4" lexan will make it difficult to breach but it is not bullet resistant. Bars and screens on the outside are easy to circumvent but if they are on the inside of a lexan window then they can be more effective. Shutters on the inside are another good level of defense.

The best way to keep your house safe is to have a secret way out. You can exit the home and deal with the attackers at your leisure.

[James m]

I want to breach a door with a shotgun every time I'm waiting for a public rest room to open up. What do those people do in there, BANG! No more problem.

[rice paddy daddy]

Agreed, some 3.5" screws.
And also replace a few of the hinge screws with long screws that go into the stud. The typical hinge screw that goes into the door frame is only 3/4" long.
And if your door opens out, and you do not have safety hinges, the hinge pin can be popped right out with a hammer and screw driver.

[Pauls]

Door hinges are easy to weld the pins in - it doesn't look pretty but no more wondering if you have "safety" huinges or not.

even with a good hinge and 3 1/2" screws into the frame 6there are still short, weak screws into the door itself. There is no way to use longer screws unless to order the door as a "barrier" door.

Nearly all entry doors in residences open in. That way if it snows three feet you can still open your door. Commercial doors open out because OSHA requires that exit doors in a public access areas allow for easy egress. It also makes it difficult to kick the door in. I like having a double door entry. The exterior door opens in to a "mud room" or "air lock" and the door into the residence actually opens out. The purpose of such an entry is to keep the warm air in the house and the cold air outside (or vice versa in the summer). The added benefit is that it is a double bottle-neck for unwanted guests with a confined area that has no easy access to the inside. It would be an ideal place to spray said unwanted guests with a flammable liquid to discourage the use of firearms or other ignition sources.

[James m]

Spray flammable liquid in the foyer? What's going to stop them from backing up and lighting your house?

[Pauls]

Well if you are going to spray flammible substances, I would assume that you have already made the area fireproof. ;)

[SquirrelBait]

Get a mean a$$ dog.

Get two! Two dogs working in tandem will hit 'em coming and going!

[Montana Rancher]

A 12 gauge shotgun will tear the hinges of even a steel door. Three quick shots and you are in. The door knob lock is a waste of time in most cases and the only lock that is secure is the dead bolt - but only if it is a security dead bolt. They are hardened steel with at least a one inch throw. Door hinges are the weakest point of most doors - even if you use 3 1/2 " screws into the fram the hinge is held to the door with very short screws that are only #8 or #10 screws. Since most doors open inward there is little to stop then from being breached. Three solid 2x6's into steel hangers that are bolted to studs would be very effective in keeping out most anyone, police included.

Windows are harder to harden but not impossible. A tripple glazed window with the center pane of 1/4" lexan will make it difficult to breach but it is not bullet resistant. Bars and screens on the outside are easy to circumvent but if they are on the inside of a lexan window then they can be more effective. Shutters on the inside are another good level of defense.

The best way to keep your house safe is to have a secret way out. You can exit the home and deal with the attackers at your leisure.

Wow, one of the few times I disagree with you paul, but unless you really look at one of these steel doors, trust me it isn't a 3 shot and you are in.

Now it could be said that it is a 6-7-8-9 shot and you are in, but my point is most people don't come equipped to breach with shotguns, and this will stand up to the kick test all day long.

[Pauls]

I don't mind when folks disagree. Most often I learn a new view at least and sometimes I find that miscommunication enters into the picture.

I put steel, insulated, fire doors on my shop, garage and two entry doors, In the shop and garage there are three 2x6's making up the door jam but I didn't build the house so there are likely two 2x4s around the jam. One good kick and you're in. And that is with the long throw deadbolt locked. If a person can't break a 2x4 with a 1" hole bored in the center of it they're not trying.

I put in the bit about the weak point being the hinges because on the shop and garage the weakest link is the hinge screws into the door itself. A 3/4" sheet metal screw is a weak link no matter what kind of a door you have. One the best side of this is that there are 4 screws on each side of each hinge. Going into the door frame I have 3 1/2" # 12 screws. That is as close to you get as "shotgun proof".

I am pretty sure that with three blasts from 1 1/4 oz. Load at 1400 fps will break the screws going into the doors or shatter enough wood in the frame to tear it loose in my garage or shop. I wouldn't guarantee it because I don't know wood well enough to figure it out but I do know metal and its limitations.

[Montana Rancher]

Hey Paul, sorry for the late reply but I'm done putting up hay now and have more time to devote to internet.

The door I posted doesn't have a wood frame, both the door and the frame it mounts in is steel, so really even your 1400 fps shotgun load is not a good choice. Unless you have a lot of time and a lot of ammo, but that gives me options on how to respond to the attack, which is my origional point.

[Ricekila]

If I had it to do all over again or in my next house ( if ever ) -- no rear sliding glass doors -- instead a 36" basement fire rated door W/ wire lite --

http://www.homedepot.com/p/L-I-F-Industries-36-in-x-80-in-Vision-Lite-520-Left-Hand-Steel-Prehung-Commercial-Door-with-Welded-Frame-UWVS3680L/202510530

And if I painted it in a nice wood grain finish for the Wifey -- front door too --

In fact I told her if the rear ever gets broken -- there's my excuse --

P of S -- I like piano hinges --

[juskom95]

Hey Paul, sorry for the late reply but I'm done putting up hay now and have more time to devote to internet.

The door I posted doesn't have a wood frame, both the door and the frame it mounts in is steel, so really even your 1400 fps shotgun load is not a good choice. Unless you have a lot of time and a lot of ammo, but that gives me options on how to respond to the attack, which is my origional point.

The goal of security is not to make an impenetrable target, but a target which is harder than your neighbor or the 'next guy'

Door breaching, even of a wooden door, is not that surgical. Even with known hinges, a blast does not 'magically' open the door and make an easy entry. One thing to consider, even if they have breached your door with a 12ga round, that is three rounds and someone clumsily trying to move through the wreckage to alert.

Security in layers.