Your bedroom door

[lovemachine]

I was thinking about my home defense plan today. And I figured one of the most important part of the plan was the "safe room." My safe room, would be the master bedroom. The goal for everyone is to keep the intruder/s from getting into the safe room. I have a few loaded pistols in the bedroom, along with a 20 gauge for my wife to use. I don't think I have a bad plan.

But, I can think of a weakness to my plan. The door itself. I don't know what kind of door it is, but it's one of those light weight ones you can purchase at Lowes. You just trim the door to fit it into your doorway. Plus, there's no lock on the door.

I'm curious on how to have a stronger door/barricade.

What kind of door do you guys have for your bedroom? Do you have a lock? What about a deadbolt? What are your thoughts?

 

[PapaScout]

Get a solid wood door, throw away the hinge-screws they give you, use deck screws on both sides of the hinges, and makes sure that the door opens out of the bedroom, not in?

 

[beararms1776]

I doubt they would continue to try and get in your safe room inside your home when you shoot through the door to stop them. If they do they're a fool.

 

[jbombelli]

Your door sucks. Unfortunately there's not a lot you can do about it at this point, unless you're willing to reframe the whole thing. A heavy wooden door will help, but then the frame etc. will be the weak point, and it can still be kicked right in.

If you've got the money, I recommend having a professional frame it in reinforced concrete and install one of these. It's a Browning Security Door. It weighs 500 pounds, and has 20 locking bolts. This is what I did when I built my house. Good luck kicking it in.

 

[lovemachine]

Hmmm. How much was that door? That's pretty neat. It's not something I would do, limited funds and all. But I do want a better door. I don't think reframing would be too difficult. Honestly, they just bought a door, couple crappy hinges, and slapped the door in.

 

[lovemachine]

I doubt they would continue to try and get in your safe room inside your home when you shoot through the door to stop them. If they do they're a fool.

True. But I'm thinking if I'm not home, and wife is there alone. Or even when I have kids. It would be nice to have a place to really keep the intruder out. Or at least make it harder for them to enter the safe room. Give my family just enough time to get a weapon, and call the police.

 

[MinuteMan47]

Get a solid wood door, throw away the hinge-screws they give you, use deck screws on both sides of the hinges, and makes sure that the door opens out of the bedroom, not in?

I'm confused on this one. If the door opened out, instead of in, then the hinges would be on the outside of the door....right? Then, all I would have to do is pop out the hinge pins and I'm in.

EDIT: Although after looking at Jbombellis picture his door swings outward....

EDIT to my EDIT: Every door in my house that swings out does have exposed hinge pins on the outside. Jbombelli just has a really sweet door.

 

[jbombelli]

Hmmm. How much was that door? That's pretty neat. It's not something I would do, limited funds and all. But I do want a better door. I don't think reframing would be too difficult. Honestly, they just bought a door, couple crappy hinges, and slapped the door in.

I paid a little over $3000 for that door. It was expensive, but lol at anybody thinking they're going to storm through it and get the drop on me.


With a door like THAT you definitely want to reframe. As I said above, it weighs 500 pounds. That's not an exaggeration.

By the way, that's a stock picture of my door. Not my ACTUAL door setup. THAT will NEVER be posted online. But yes, it opens outward.

 

[lovemachine]

I paid a little over $3000 for that door. It was expensive, but lol at anybody thinking they're going to storm through it and get the drop on me.


With a door like THAT you definitely want to reframe. As I said above, it weighs 500 pounds. That's not an exaggeration.

By the way, that's a stock picture of my door. Not my ACTUAL door setup. THAT will NEVER be posted online. But yes, it opens outward.

You, sir, are out of your friggin mind!

 

[jbombelli]

You, sir, are out of your friggin mind!

I can live with that.


I needed a gun safe... I wanted a safe room... I killed two birds with one stone. Besides, most people I know have more than what I spent on that door and install in guns and safes, anyway, so in the overall scheme of things, I think I came out ahead.

 

[rjstew317]

your better off spending the money on a alarm system, the loud sirens followed buy gun fire would be enough to scare off any would be intruder.
$3000 for a door? i would just kick the drywall in.

 

[littletommy]

If you don't care about looks too much, you could always bolt some brackets to both sides of the door frame, and use a steel flat bar, or even a good old fashioned board to brace across the door. It would definatly slow someone down long enough to arm yourself.

 

[jbombelli]

your better off spending the money on a alarm system, the loud sirens followed buy gun fire would be enough to scare off any would be intruder.
$3000 for a door? i would just kick the drywall in.

I have an alarm system. And you'd actually have a hard time kicking in the drywall to get through the wall... you'd have to see the layout of the hallway and stairs to see why that would be a royal pain. Especially while the alarm is wailing away.

That said, if someone is motivated enough and has the time and tools, there's not a door in the world that can't be breached.

But as I said above, I still did pretty well for myself when you compare this to what many people spend on multiple gun safes. And I have a pretty secure room to go along with it. The primary goal of that door was to prevent people from just being able to storm into my bedroom and get the drop on me. It is awesome for THAT!

 

[rjstew317]

in a SHTF type of situation every second counts, so i can see how a door like that would come in handy. i guess when it comes down to it, you cant put a price tag on "piece of mind".

 

[cklein6576]

that door has more lock points then my work safes!

 

[Zoub]

What kind of door do you guys have for your bedroom? Do you have a lock? What about a deadbolt? What are your thoughts?

Steel core door

 

[colt45er]

Get a solid wood door, throw away the hinge-screws they give you, use deck screws on both sides of the hinges, and makes sure that the door opens out of the bedroom, not in?

Very bad Idea...see below.

I'm confused on this one. If the door opened out, instead of in, then the hinges would be on the outside of the door....right? Then, all I would have to do is pop out the hinge pins and I'm in.

EDIT: Although after looking at Jbombellis picture his door swings outward....

EDIT to my EDIT: Every door in my house that swings out does have exposed hinge pins on the outside. Jbombelli just has a really sweet door.

This is correct. Normal interior an exterior residential doors have pins that can be popped out very easily. Usually with a screw driver. When your door open in, the hinges are on the inside and actually harder to breach.

If you simiply flip the door, you can get in it in about 2 seconds. If you are going this route, get a door that is made to swing out from that room.

Steel core door

Any solid core door will do. Steel or wood. Now most exterior doors are steel doors and the advertise as solid becuase there is no hollow space, only foam.

You want a solid door all the way through. HOWEVER the door itself is not the week link here. The frame is. The first thing you should do is use 3" security screws into the hinges. Two should be plenty per hinge. These screws cannot be backed out (unless you cut a slit in the head). The handle side needs to be reinforced with metal....not anything that comes with the standard doors. A metal plate screwed into the wall framing would be good.

Remember, as said, people will get in if they want to. This is only a measure to slow them down.

 

[Whosyer]

Very bad Idea...see below.



This is correct. Normal interior an exterior residential doors have pins that can be popped out very easily. Usually with a screw driver. When your door open in, the hinges are on the inside and actually harder to breach.

If you simiply flip the door, you can get in it in about 2 seconds. If you are going this route, get a door that is made to swing out from that room.



Any solid core door will do. Steel or wood. Now most exterior doors are steel doors and the advertise as solid becuase there is no hollow space, only foam.

You want a solid door all the way through. HOWEVER the door itself is not the week link here. The frame is. The first thing you should do is use 3" security screws into the hinges. Two should be plenty per hinge. These screws cannot be backed out (unless you cut a slit in the head). The handle side needs to be reinforced with metal....not anything that comes with the standard doors. A metal plate screwed into the wall framing would be good.

Remember, as said, people will get in if they want to. This is only a measure to slow them down.

to this ^, and you could add one of these.
KatyBar

 

[Trina82]

A safe room is a great idea but we live in a one level home. We have a double side deadbolt on the front and back door. We also have a heavy door on the front porch with a lock and a double deadbolt on the back porch door. We also have shotguns 22rifles and pistols. Our goal is to keep them out of the house period. We definitely do not live in the best area and we make it obvious that we both carry (my husband and I). We get a lot of scoffs from people walking down the street! But a safe room is a great idea!

 

[Timjoebillybob]

$3000 for a door? i would just kick the drywall in.

There are ways to make a drywall wall a little more secure. Double layer of drywall with even chicken wire fastened to the studs sandwiched between will slow someone down from "just kicking" the drywall in. Do it on both sides it will slow them down even more. Heck switch the chicken wire to expanded steel and even better.

That said, if someone is motivated enough and has the time and tools, there's not a door in the world that can't be breached.

This is true.

in a SHTF type of situation every second counts, so i can see how a door like that would come in handy. i guess when it comes down to it, you cant put a price tag on "piece of mind".

Yep exactly.