Thomas Moore Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I'm looking for ideas on what to do with the door to our master bedroom. I would like a little more security without going to the panic room level. I've installed an 8in striker plate, with six 3in screws, to the existing jamb. As soon as I get a solid core door I want to add a deadbolt and 4in hinges all with 3in wood screws. Anybody else out there do anything like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Sheath the walls with 1/2" plywood or some sort of metal mesh if they are just standard sheetrock. Easiest way into a locked room with a good door is to just smash through the sheetrock between the wall studs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betterment Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Browning makes a laminated safe door the looks like a regular interior door,(even sounds hallow if you knock on it ). But that seems like it would be a little panic room'ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 What are you going to do with the window(s)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 .... and the floor ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 We're looking to slow up somebody just enough so I can grab the gauge from the closet or behind the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 The knob on my bedroom door has a button that I can push that keeps it locked from the inside. The only problem is that there is a little hole on the outside that when something small like an Alan wrench or punch is inserted, it unlocks the door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonT Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I'm looking for ideas on what to do with the door to our master bedroom. I would like a little more security without going to the panic room level. I've installed an 8in striker plate, with six 3in screws, to the existing jamb. As soon as I get a solid core door I want to add a deadbolt and 4in hinges all with 3in wood screws. Anybody else out there do anything like this? You're on the right track. If you get a solid core door w/deadbolt and use 3" screws in striker and hinges. It would be a PITA to do now but if you didn't mind taking off casing and doing some drywall repair, you could drill and countersink some strips of 1/4" steel plate to be mortised into the trimmer (stud next to jamb) and king stud (stud sistered onto trimmer) at striker and hinge locations. Steel plate would overlap the gap between trimmer and jamb and fit flush to jamb. Would all be concealed with drywall and casing. Very difficult to kick in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Unless you rip part of the drywall off and reinforce the studs/deadbolt interface, it is very easy to kick the door in. 120lb female (aka my sister) kicked one in when she got locked out of the house... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Slow them down getting into the house in the first place with good entry doors. Get a good alarm system. If they gain entry quickly you may have a family member that can't make it to the cover of the MBR. An alarm of truly mind numbing volume will put them to flight before they make it to your "safe room." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 (edited) Thomas ........ did you run over your neighbors cat or something ? Edited January 4, 2009 by CHRIS KEEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 An extra 15 seconds would go a mile..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonT Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 drift on/ no matter how serious the topic, now-a-days when Merlin shows up I lose all train of thought drift off/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Cooper had some interesting thoughts on defensive architecture in one of his books..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Thomas - Either this is a new idea or you saw Michael Bane's new show with Michael Janich Wednesday. I'm kidding. Speaking architecturally (it is my real job after all), the weak link in a doorway is the lockset/hardware of the door. Replace the lockset and strike plate with at least 1 but ideally 2-3 dead bolts. This will disperse the force placed upon the jam. Second and probably equally important is to use large screws on the strike plate and replace the plate with something more significant. Like noted in the show, use 3-4" screws and use a large strike plate that has 6-8 screw holes to again distribute the weight. Before all the above, though you need to replace the actual door. Most houses have a hollow-core, panelized door and these are easily damaged. The cheapest way to get a good door is to find a Habitat For Humanity Re-Store. They have old building materials that are in great condition and are SUPER cheap. Get a solid core wood door. Cut to fit your opening and paint to match. Heck, you can even attach some molding to where when the door is closed it looks similar to a panel door. At the same time, replace the normal hinges with ideally a full length piano hinge and use long screws. If busting through the gyp is a legitimate concern, reinforcing it with some simple 1/4-1/2" plywood will do the trick although it's ugly as sin. Truth be told this is less a concern to me, given the extra locks on the door. After that, just know what's behind your bad guy if you have to shoot. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 A good way to reinforce the safe room door is to reverse it to an out-swing. If someone tries to kick it in, as they are likely to do, they'll have to defeat the entire door stop. Did this years ago. In a nut shell. Remove the case molding. Drive the casing nails completely through the jamb into the framing. Remove the whole pre-hung door unit. Reverse it. Plumb it. Case nail it in. Reinstall the case molding. Buy and install a good dead bolt. Solid core or steel pre-hung doors are pretty cheap at Home Depot. But yours will works fine. Biggest nut shell ever! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Micah, I just added the push button lock to the door tonight. Looks like I'm on the right track. Chris, no I didn't run over my neighbors cat but there was a home invasion just 1/4 mile away recently. DonT, I was at a local mill today trying to find a solid wood door and the guy behind the counter was talking about the plate behind the jamb. If I decide to tear out the pine jamb for a harder species of wood then I will install the steel plate. Matt, was that a hollow core interior door? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 OK Tom, here's your best plan of defense. But don't blame me if it doesn't work ....... I slept through most of World History. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Matt, was that a hollow core interior door? No, it was a solid exterior door and deadbolt. While the screws were not 3", the 2x4 into which the deadbolt extended ripped in half when kicked. Longer screws might have helped, but it's a bit of an eye opener. Not that many people have actually tried to kick down a door to really see what it takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaster Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 You need a steel door, a solid core door just has 1inch pine around the edge and is filled with wood chips glued together , heavy but edge splits easily. Also if door opens out instead of into the room it can withstand more force. Blaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Rich, I did watch that show and the next day is when I heard about the home invasion. It scared my wife a little because she's alone when I'm shooting out-of-state matches. I got some ideas from the show which I've used, i.e. larger strike plate. I'm trying to find a solid wood door but having trouble in my area. Thanks for idea about Habitat Re-Store, may have to look in to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 (edited) OK ... ok, seriously I agree with Merlin. You may not have time to get to the MBR. Or you do and your wife doesn't (or vice versa). You need to concentrate on your perimeter. A good alarm system is what you need. And by good, I mean LOUD. And you HAVE TO USE IT RELIGIOUSLY. Turn it on when you turn in for the evening .... even while just watching tv. You can arm just the perimeter, then later when you go to bed, arm the rest of the house for maximum protection. I've had an alarm in my home for a little over 15 years, and I use it every single day. I'm not just preaching this because it's what I do for a living ...... statistics prove it WILL DETER most criminals. However if they are hell-bent on doing you harm, then no counter-measure in the world (besides your guns) will stop that. Thomas if you want any more info on alarms, PM me. I can hook you up, or at least give you some good ideas. Edited January 4, 2009 by CHRIS KEEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 You need a steel door, a solid core door just has 1inch pine around the edge and is filled with wood chips glued together , heavy but edge splits easily. Also if door opens out instead of into the room it can withstand more force. Blaster If someone is trying to break in your door, wouldn't it be better to have a wood door, so you can shoot through the door before they get in? Once upon a time I designed hurricane proof patio doors, and the hardest doors to destroy by large pressure forces (way more than any human could ever exert) were solid core wood doors with a solid piece or laminated glass. Not the best for privacy in a bedroom, but they are very strong. Add a deadbolt and manual throw bolts at the top of the frame and bottom (ceiling and floor) and they aren't getting in before you can get your shotty. A good pair or throw bolts greatly increase the "hard to get through" factor. I also had to shoot these with 2x4's going 70 miles per hour and they took three impacts and were still able to withstand hurricane forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 +1 on outward swinging door being best move besides stronger door and hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Chris got the alarm but we don't use it all the time. Need to do some repairs on contacts which I'm doing right now. Should have a working alarm by time we go to bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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