Securing the front door (or any entry door) to your home

[Amishman44]

3" screws at a minimum. Door Devil or other products could also help. But frankly from what Ive seen, the 3" screws are enough for all but the most determined. (e.g. SWAT battering rams)

I've always used 4" screws...and use Grade 8 screws!
At the minimum, the repeated banging (kicking) on the door is enough to alert you and give you a few extra seconds to react, grab the kids, get to a secure room, get on the phone with 9-1-1, access a weapon, etc. I've helped a few lady friends 'fortify' their apartment and/or home and have always used 4" Grade 8 screws.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I've always used 4" screws...and use Grade 8 screws!
At the minimum, the repeated banging (kicking) on the door is enough to alert you and give you a few extra seconds to react, grab the kids, get to a secure room, get on the phone with 9-1-1, access a weapon, etc. I've helped a few lady friends 'fortify' their apartment and/or home and have always used 4" Grade 8 screws.

Thats the great thing about the screw upgrade trick. even renters can do it without breaking lease terms.

 

[Amishman44]

Thats the great thing about the screw upgrade trick. even renters can do it without breaking lease terms.

I started doing it in 1995, when I was living in NW Atlanta, after a neighbor in the same apartment building got broken into...and I saw first-hand how easy the door jamb tore out.
After the apartment complex repaired the door, she asked me if she could do anything I I said, 'Yes... anchor that thing into the stud!'
I helped her install 4" screws in the door jamb and then installed 3" screws in her door chain wall anchorount and she felt a lot better / safer!
I might add that she was a 'Miller-Lite Girl' who's job it was to go around to different bars every evening and 'talk' with customers...some of whom 'desired' her but she wouldn't give in...I suspect it was job-related!

 

[Leadeye]

Curious if the main objective is burglar or home invasion deterrence.

 

[J Galt]

Curious if the main objective is burglar or home invasion deterrence.

Short answer: The goal I set out with was making the door(s) harder to enter. I didn't frame it in terms of burglary vs home invasion. [Did you see what I did there? Door hardening. Frame it. You frame a door. ]

Longer answer: Based on conversations with public safety personnel and locksmith(s), the most common forced entry technique is brute force, not an elaborate movie scheme involving specialized equipment. So I started looking at options to make the door less susceptible to brute force without going overboard. That was why the 2 bullet points for criteria.

 

[firecadet613]

Great points in this thread but don't go overboard on securing the front door. They can easily go though a window or if you're like most, a glass sliding back patio door...

 

[Mij]

 

[J Galt]

View attachment 229541

Doesn't work. His back paws keep slipping on the tile when he tries to push the door closed.

 

[Mij]

You should see my front door trim. It’s down to the drywall again. That’s not B. S. I’ve taken huge wood splinters from my dogs front paws for years. I’m tired of replacing it. It‘s a steel door, I just paint it. I buy door knobs 6 at a time. Think beer can run over by a lawn mower. They are only under your control when you are there, when you are gone, they’re dogs.

 

[Mij]

Doesn't work. His back paws keep slipping on the tile when he tries to push the door closed.

Don’t know if you are serious or not, so I’ll refrain from saying anything.

 

[Denny347]

And what would you recommend for reinforcing a door frame to resist a hydraulic ram? If their carrying around that, they probably have a battery operated sawzall and can just cut a hole in the side of the house in about 2 minutes or less. It's pretty much impossible to stop a thief, you just want to delay/deter them enough so they pick a different house.

Heck you want to know just how easy it is to open most locked windows? About 15 seconds or less. And that's taking your time.

What kind of thieves do you have in your neck of the woods that use hydraulic rams? It's exceedingly rare that burglars use ANY tools, let alone a hydraulic ram. With all this talk of hardening the front doors, I hope as much attention is paid to the back doors and each and every window, 1st and 2nd floor. Burglars use front doors to exit. If you have a sliding rear door...there is your likely point of entry.

 

[J Galt]

What kind of thieves do you have in your neck of the woods that use hydraulic rams? It's exceedingly rare that burglars use ANY tools, let alone a hydraulic ram. With all this talk of hardening the front doors, I hope as much attention is paid to the back doors and each and every window, 1st and 2nd floor. Burglars use front doors to exit. If you have a sliding rear door...there is your likely point of entry.

He was responding to someone else's claims of hydraulic rams being used. I think they were just drunk and needed to go to bed.


The topic is specific to door(s) in the title. If you try to cover too many things in one post then it's easier for it to get wayyyy off topic. Even more than usual.

 

[Mij]

He was responding to someone else's claims of hydraulic rams being used. I think they were just drunk and needed to go to bed.


The topic is specific to door(s) in the title. If you try to conver too many things in one post then it's easier for it to get wayyyy off topic. Even more than usual.

“Even more than usual” gotta love that.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

What kind of thieves do you have in your neck of the woods that use hydraulic rams? It's exceedingly rare that burglars use ANY tools, let alone a hydraulic ram. With all this talk of hardening the front doors, I hope as much attention is paid to the back doors and each and every window, 1st and 2nd floor. Burglars use front doors to exit. If you have a sliding rear door...there is your likely point of entry.

None in my neck of the woods. Lpherr made the claim that they are used, see below. And I agree with your post.

If the structure around the door isn't reinforced, a simple hydraulic ram will open the door in seconds.
A few pumps of the handle will spread the jams apart plenty to bypass a standard dead bolt.
If someone wants in, they will get in.

I've seen it done. So, you try longer screws, and aluminum plate. That will stop them.