Speaking as a former Deputy, no door is burglar proof, best to refer to it as burglar resistant. This reinforcement kit looks like a good investment. Doors are likely the primary entry point, but don't forget that if the doors are too tough, they will probably move onto the windows. Note that anything that slows them down could prevent a burglary from happening.
I feel like everyone starts with front door...but doesn't really pay attention to garage doors, sliding doors, or the use of sticks and plastic film on lower windows that slide.
I once bought an old trailor from two guys off an ad, and it turned out they'd planned on scamming me. But by the end of it all they saw I was poor, and they ended up putting new tires on it, and they let me borrow their trailor license. A month after I used the trailor to move, one of the thieves even called me to tell me he'd started going to church.
The whole point to pre-drilling is so you don't split the wood. Doesn't matter if you have an impact driver or not - that doesn't change the physical characteristics of the wood the screw is going through. When you don't pre-drill you essentially "pre-split" the wood. That means your screws are not as strong as they could be. If you are spending $100 on a security device, why would you want to sabotage your efforts by NOT PRE-DRILLING? Seems counter intuitive to me. Never take shortcuts on anything that is safety or security related.
Agreed, the lack of pre-drilling the holes for the screws is a devastating and a game changer for the entire concept. Simply by stating that this pre-drilling is not necessary indicates that the individual in the video has no experience in construction or installation of anything related to wood products. The product is likely reliable, although the video is horribly inaccurate.
I know this may sound stupid, but hey, us girls don't know a lot about this. When you say "pre-drill", does that mean to take the longer screw and put it in first before applying the plate again? I'm just going to be replacing the smaller screws with 3" screws (maynards didn't have 3.5 ones). Will they work OK and as I asked, do I need to drill them in place before putting them over the hinges and plate? Thank you for your response.
Pre drilling is when you drill a hole in the timber prior to putting a screw in. The hole is drilled using a drill bit that is not as thick as the screw you are going to put in. It should be drilled a little longer than the screw going in there.
@assassinlexx -- Could you provide a link to what you mean by "murphy bars". When I did a good search for them, I ended up with liquor bars / tables that fold up into a wall... I'm probably familiar with what you are talking about, but have never heard that terminology for them... Things are called by different names in the same country, much less if you are in a different country...
@assassinlexx -- OK, I think I know what you are talking about. Just never heard them called "Murphy bars". Most be some regional term for them. Where are you located?
Being a landlord for 30yrs I have first hand experience with the processes and benefits of "fortifying" entry doors. In general I was with you until you removed the screws in the door hardware and simply replaced with longer ones (w/o predrilling I'll note too) which really does nothing. Everything you did to that point does help a lot. But you can accomplish the same thing much cheaper simply by going down to the hardware store. Also, it helps to replace the screws going thru the hinge into the door as that interface is a weak point. Installing a shield to the outside of the frame covering the area where the bolts interface the striker plates is another inexpensive fortification. For the people who mentioned the window...I've been intalling lexan instead of glass on first floor windows. But in the end the only way to defend againt a break-in is a dog, a gun, and training.
The "next step" is to replace ALL of the screws with 2.5- 3" long screws, on both (left and right) sides... so the hardware is SECURED into the vertical studs. (this alone will make the door 3x harder (or more) to enter. Then even if you don't have this "kit," you just made it MUCH harder to force the door (front, back, side, etc.) in!
For everyone assuming that ez armor doesn't work, look for more videos and proof on here. It really stops kick ins rather perfectly. Of course there needs to be layers to one's home security such as doing the windows, lighting, a dog, camera, alarm, fencing, etc. This just shows how to install one of those things....
Pre-drilling is not always only for ease of installation. It can also lessen the chance of splitting. Granted where the screws are being placed should not create a problem,but...
Lol 😝 😆😂... I love the way he started this video with the kid kicking the door in. That was Outstanding! Great way to capture your audience. I’m sold already. 😎👍
Just bought one at Lowes and looks like it will fit . Nothing is fool proof but this is better than having no extra support . Thank you for your video .
Note: predrilling prevents boards from splitting and if the wood is old and hardened the longer screws might slow down or stop and an empact driver can easily break off the screw. I use one extensively and it happens often. You don't want soft wood to split and hard wood to shear off the screws.
I'm amazed at the chintzy tiny screws that they put in strike plates and lock plates! I had the screws replaced at our home with the 3-1/2" ones you used here! Same with the hinges - replaced all the screws with serious, axe-kicking screws!
Many front doors are quite flimsy- you need a solid wood door in conjunction with the security kit shown. The door shown in this episode could still be kicked in because the locks are fastened to narrow vertical slats that are easily broken. The reinforcing shields for the locks, which were not used, add important stiffness to the edge of the door, so they should be used.
Adding Window Film is probably the best way to help secure a home. Its kind of tricky to put on but not that tough. You can purchase window film that is actually "BulletProof". BulletProof actually means the bullet can still go through the glass and the window film but the glass will not fall out of the window. It will shatter but the film keeps it together and its still really hard to kick out or beat out with a hammer. Window film will usually give you plenty of time to lock and load your gun to save your life. I might add that ANY sliding door should have window film. This glass is usually safety glass like you might find in a car window and shatters into very small pieces. If someone uses a metal punch and a hammer a sliding door can be shattered very quietly. This then offers an almost complete door size entry for a thief. The sad part is many homeowners might actually have a sensor on that door to detect if it opens through their alarm system but if the glass is shattered they can stroll in undetected. That might be one of the biggest home safety tips you can give your customers. Thanks again for your video. It was awesome.
Thanks for the wonderful tips James Fogal - I learned something new today because of you. I'm going to look into window film and who knows, maybe there will be a tutorial down the road.
If you look on TH-cam under 3m they have a few videos that are very impressive on window film. It made a believer out of us. We do not use 3M in our company but their videos were enough to convince us to look at adding it to our security line.
Should probably drive some 3-4in screws into the door side of the hinge too. Not just the frame side. Also, if you were to recess your hinges it would allow you enough space to mount the door shield parts.
Do not use this video as a good practice guide. An impact driver is still, at best, going to weaken the wood, if you don't pre-drill first. A steel frame reinforcer is a far better option than plate reinforcement.
I disagree about not using the door shields just because you can't close the door. It's an important part of the system. Go buy a wood chisel to make it fit. Most of the wood is already removed for the existing plate. You only have to shave off a little bit above and below it. You don't even have to be too precise because the shield will cover any mistakes.
yeah I've kicked in doors for a living I'm skinny and it takes 1 kick even with great state of the art locks, its all because the frame gives way, I would say all front door should have a metal frame, but they don't because metal can warp in heat like a fire and trap you inside. this product seems to address the problem while still being fire safe.
Thank you very much I did not know anything like that before learn something new everyday and my little screws are going to be coming out and my husband is going to put longer screws in there thank you again
Už zase a poněkolikáté je na cestě zásahová jednotka?! Stará legenda nikdy nerezaví... Tak snad dneska... Hlavně ať si neustreli uši... Pár videí jsem viděl a můžu říct, že bych s nima nechtěl bejt v partě...
8:45 The purpose of that fitting is to prevent the wood from splitting and the deadbolt prying out the sheetmetal when the door is forced open. That is the point of failure if the deadbolt is fully engaged.
This systems look really good the plates being screwed into the trimmer is a huge improvement but the best part is the continuous steel bar across the door . no one will be able to kick or even pry that door open .👍
I've done this before and ended up bowing the door. Just be aware not all door installers get the idea of shims. The door was literally held in place by the trim. No joke! I removed the kit and as soon as I removed the trim the door just fell out lol! Anyways great video.
Just a friendly heads up, make sure there is no electrical in the opposite side of your door jam, sending 3” screws could possibly strike a wire or plumbing, also just because you have a impact doesn’t mean you don’t have to pre drill, pre drilling your holes helps not to split the framing when your sending screws into it.
Lol. That's not possible. The jamb is 3/4 thick plus probably 1/4 to 1/2 of shimming before it even hits the jack stud which is 1 1/2 and then the king stud behind that which is another 1 1/2. Do the math.
You made the jam stronger, no question. The door is now the weak link, without using all the pieces that product has literally done nothing. It was a well done video, but the manufacturer should be clear that if you can’t use all the pieces, it will be ineffective.
@Advocatus Diaboli If they break in when I'm not home, my life isn't in danger. I also have a video surveilance system with a 24/7 monitored alarm systems. I have insurance for the material things. In the meantime I sleep well at night.
I watched the whole video and it was very useful. I do have one question. You mentioned 'bumping' multiple times but I never saw the explanation of what that is.
I wondered about this but differently. I don't know why the L-bracket for the hinge turns towards the frame. It should turn towards the door. This way if the door side screws give up the fight, the L on the bracket would still capture the door.
Great video, thanks! I have a door with glass panels on upper part. Do you think if someone broke the glass and reached in, that they could manevuever the frame and undo it from the outside?
I agree but adding a plate along the locking side and adding long screws wherever there are holes in the plate does help. Pre drilling the screws was something I’ve learned from the comment section. Seems like the hinge plate only protects the jamb not the door which I’ve seen as a weak point in a door. Longer the screw along the frame the better. I don’t know how thick the area inside the hinge is on the steel door, and would seem to me if it can take a 3” screw I would replace them too.
The hinge plate is so that the impact is spread out over a bigger surface area as well as if the hinges break they are still screwed into the actual frame
Not just longer screws but also thicker screws are way better. If you take your time and you drill out the counter sink in the hinges little more you can use thicker screws.
@z -- There is no way to make a house burglar **proof** -- all we can do is make it more difficult for them. My philosophy is to make it difficult enough for them to either make them give up and go somewhere it is easier or that they will make enough noise that I will wake up and decide the proper caliber of firearm to deal with the problem. I currently have a 14-round .45ACP, 7-shot .357mag, and 30-round AR-15 sitting beside my bed. For anything more challenging, I'll have to open my gun safe and decide what might be appropriate.
What if the door frame was already kicked in. And a 3/4 X 6 inch piece is broken off. Can this just be placed over the existing rest of the door frame and then used. The dead bolt was NOT affected, just the hole where the regular door handle was..
1)Replace all the hardware screws with ones that are 3" or longer. 2) Buy 2 door hinges with removable pins. 3)Remove hinge pins and sand/grind the shafts to where they slide in and out of the hinges freely. 4)Mount the hinges on the opposite side of the door from the upper and lower hinges. 5)When the door is closed,just insert the hinge pins. This set-up is inexpensive,easy to make/install,and will make it to where the door/frame has to be destroyed to breach. 99% of the time when a door is breached,it's on the latch side. (Note:You can also toss the hinge pins entirely,and use two Phillips screwdrivers instead.)
@@greenman7yyy Wouldn't work on the outside. I guess you could set it up for a trailer hitch pin lock. I personally wouldn't want something like that though. Someone could lock you inside.
@@definitelynotaheretic.7295 how do you place pin leaving the house Einstein? Even for the inside it would be against fire code in most jurisdictions. If your kids need to leave house in case of fire they should be able to do it using regular door latch.
I just ordered this! one question...I live in an apartment there are gaps underneath the door, at the top of the door, and the side of the door. how can I close those gaps? Do I just buy wood and measure it and nail it? what about the plate at the bottom of the door?how do I seal the gap between that and the door? it's a little flimsy when I step on it and I want something stronger
The point of the hardware on a door is to slow down an intruder if you’re home. I know it’s also for if you’re gone, but that might work since they won’t want to make a ton of noise repeatedly kicking the door or breaking the glass. Breaking the glass and having to climb in a window also slows them down. I just need someone slowed down long enough to grab the other tools I use to protect my home. And call 911
Door Jamb Armor makes a solution for double doors that open inward. It's very similar to the kit in this video, but it has a component that installs on the top jamb and on the floor. Very solid. I've had attempted break-ins at places I've installed it and they didn't get in.
I had to kick in my own door today because i had been locked out and did not have the time to wait for a locksmith, i have to say that your statement that anyone can kick in a door is no joke. After it was said and done i went in thru the garage and kitchen in less than 2 minutes, it really opened my eyes to how vulnerable my house was. Damn doorjambs on that outside door must of been made of pudding, no resistance at all. Im definitely doing this to all 3 outer doors now.
It is scary milfhunterX how easy it is to break into a home. The house two doors down from us had this happen and it's alarming. Glad you were the one to kick in the door and not someone else. Keep me posted on your project
Jeff Patterson sad part is that i have a door that is needing replacent but in the moment i forgot about that particular door, now i have a jamb torn to pieces and a swolen door that is hard to open
On one house i built i framed two king studs and a trimmer . then on the trim stud that accepts the jamb i rabbet in a thick steel l iron from top to bottom this was screwed into all three studs . holes were created to accept long throw dead bolts .
You need to replace a couple screws on each hinge plate with the ones with a solid stud on the other side. Or just add them in other sections of the hinge-side door jam. This review includes a very instructive picture: www.amazon.com/hz/reviews-render/mobile-media-feed/B01DG0TZ1A/ref=cm_cr_dp_mb_crsl_img_0?ie=UTF8&physicalId=71yv2weyYaL&imageExtension=jpg&reviewId=RN9EZKWR74I3G Not an endorsement of the specific product but rather the concept. This kind of approach will protect even a door with exterior hinges from the hinge bypass attack.
Pre-drilling is not for your ease of install, its to avoid cracking wood. The wood will also crack less easily if somebody tries to get in with brute force. Using this on a cheap door that is not solid wood but instead made of thin panels of plywood is similarly pointless as somebody could punch or smash straight through the door and turn the lock.
that's a touch one Lisa, you might want to consider a home automation system that runs through SmartThings. It's pretty affordable and can alert you if there's a break in. I know it's not perfect but something to think about. I made a video on this system awhile back th-cam.com/video/xcMmGcxcRIY/w-d-xo.html
We have glass light panels on both sides of our door and we used thick plexiglass panels with security type screws which require a special bit to extract them. Lexan is even better though more expensive. 3M also makes security films that can be applied over existing glass panels.
If I might just point out that alarm systems are like cops , they show up after the fact. If you can't keep them out in the first place, don't bother with an alarm system except as an after the fact alert. Learn to secure your house first, then learn to defend yourself. Bear spray is a non lethal alternative to firearms, although this will mess up your house and you if not used properly. I prefer firearms in the hands of trained adults.
While it is an effort to improve security, the results are untested. There are a few problems with this kit. 1. The hinge armor plate does nothing to prevent the short screws from where the hinges screw to the DOOR ( not the jamb ) from stripping and ripping out of the 1/4" thick piece of wood that makes up the edge of the steel clad door ( some doors DO have a big wooden hinge lock block behind the edge trim, most do not ) The hinge leaf on that door is ENGINEERED to be surface applied, it was not just something someone goofed up. The door width took the thickness of that hinge leaf into consideration to result in an optimal 1/8" gap on the lock side of door. The hinge leaf on many steel door has a PROJECTION that recesses into a divot in the mating hinge leaf, to prevent pin removal and thus entry on an OUT-SWINGING application. This projection would interfere with these hinge reinforcing plates. Also, these plates prevent the hinge leaves from coming together, putting stress on the hinge pin area, and thus bending the hinges. This will cause uneven door closure, and squeaking, unless you get a third plate for top hinge, and thus all three hinges can distort EVENLY. 2. The strike plate reinforcer is a lightweight version of an armor plate locksmiths have sold for decades. The one from Lock Shop will be 12 gauge, and is meant to be set FLUSH with the door jamb, thus replacing the strike plates that likely do not fit properly. a simple routing of the jamb area to a 1/8" depth allows such a plate to be set properly. 3. The bolt and latch U Channels will not support a bolt or latch that is unsteady. Using a Don-Jo wrap plate will truly REINFORCE the door against splitting, as well as cover up any uglies on the door from lock ill fitting or latches busting loose from a kick. These plates are meant to set flush with door edge ( Routing 1/6" of edge for plate ) and provide a means to re-secure latch and bolt with machine screws, as the plates have stainless steel threadserts in the edge. All 3 the items from Locksmith Shop, at retail; about 58.00 You can NOT get this stuff from Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, and hard to get correct ones on internet.
What about the door side of the hinge? I watched this to see about the kit though I generally make my own (I'm in property management) including welding the hinge pin for outward swinging doors. But with these cheap standard metal doors which are standard now I'm trying to find a way to secure the door side of the hinge. Really a good storm door or solid slab makes all the difference but not all my customers can afford all that.
I had a door just like it: a metal door. Unfortunately, I found out when somebody kicked it in, that the door just peels apart because the metal is just GLUED to the SOFT WOOD that is in the edges. When somebody kicks in the edge of the door, the metal peels off the glue (or the soft wood breaks). When, this happens the lock completely falls apart because nothing is holding it together! The jam did not give way. The hinges were not the problem. The door peeled apart. My door company explained why I should have gotten a VINYL DOOR: It has HARDWOOD at the edges, the vinyl goes all around the edges to bind the front to the back - all around, and the door has steel reinforcement in it - to keep it from warping in the heat. I found out the hard way that metal doors are terrible at preventing forced entry. Maybe a reinforcement that completely wraps around the door edge at the the lock, and fits underneath the lock, would hold the lock together - however, you door would be so bent up that it would have to be replaced. Vinyll will flex a little with the blows and probably will not be bent out of shape.
@@no_peace Fortunately, I was away when my door was kicked in. So, I could not barricade the door. Also, I expected my "sturdy metal door" to repel attackers - WRONG.
A few years ago, I was in the UK and went through a few castle tours along the way. In one of them, it had a door that I would love to have for the front door of my house, even though it was **just** and **interior** door. It was created from timbers that were easily a full 2" thick and probably 8" across. There were two layers of these timbers and they were laid at 90 degree to each other -- in other words, on one side of the door, the timbers were vertical and on the other side they were horizontal. At each intersection of the timbers, there were heavy steel bolts going through the two layers. I think there were 4 bolts per intersection. Add to that a lot of heavy iron hardware on the door.
your video is even better than the manufacturer's installation video. one thing i'm curious about is the size of the screws used to secure the hinge to the door. those are still tiny screws. shouldn't they also be replaced with something stronger/longer?
Hi, for the hinge plates, why should you screw in one 3" into the top hole, then put the plate over the hinge and screw in the second 3"? Would it not be better to put the plate over the hinge, then just screw in both 3" screws?
You're right Mike Co - that's a good option. In fact, I'd take it a step further and just use 3 inch screws for all the hinge plates. The longer the screws the more secure the hinges and plates will be.
First off, you mean burglar resistant, ain't nothing proof! Don't waste your time & $ on any residential dr & frame combo. Pull that junk out and get a good commercial door, frame & hardware. Then put in the steel dr & frame swinging OUT. Here is why, there is a 5/8" stop all the way around the 3 sides of the frame. There isn't a punk out there that can kick a steel door through that opening, drive a stolen car through it, yes, kick it... Not just no...BUT Hell No! Now, when you swing the door out, you will need NRP Hinges, NRP= Non removable pin, you can't pop the hinge pins with out having the door open to access the set screw. Fill in those sidelights, transom panels are usually OK. Most scumbags don't carry a ladder, just crow bars & stolen guns. Get your steel dr & frame prepped for 2 dead bolts and a lockset. Buy 2 sgl cyl DB's & 1( at least grade 2) lockset, have them keyed alike (KA). Have the 2 DB preps centered(1 above the lock, 1 below the lock) between the head & floor and the lockset. Your frame should be 16 ga, the door a min of 18 ga. They do offer Insulated & Galv for cold/hot and wet areas. Panel doors are available in 1, 2, 6 & 8 panel drs(depending on the Manuf). I would suggest ordering as a unit and having it factory prepped, it will cost less and have the factory warranty. You'll pay more for what I've told you about, but it's a real door, frame & hdwe, it will hold up way beyond the cheap res junk. What is your family & your things worth? There are other things you can do, but the above is FAR beyond what 99.9% of your neighbors have. The easiest will get hit, they will give up before they get in yours. I tell people, doors keep the most evil things on the planet out or in, depending on the purpose. A $19.99 lock and a coke can thin skin dr and wood jamb won't keep you safe, PERIOD. Yes, 3.5" screws help and with wood studs are recommended. Not trying to dog this vid, just giving my years of exp dealing with doors and what's left after the scum gets in. Keeping thugs out is impossible for most, making them PAY dearly for trying, isn't!
@@roamlikekane That's a great idea, but not sure I'm the right one for the job? I forget most have no idea what I'm referring to as I'm usually dealing with those that have been in commercial const for years. If you would like an explanation or clarification and or a material list/product info, I would be happy to do this for you. Thanks for the suggestion, it's much appreciated.
Just curious, what's stopping someone taking 10 seconds with a battery angle grinder, and cutting the deadbolt/latch in this scenario? I guess if you went to the effort of a commercial door, you'd probably spend the effort or cost in putting a welded plate over the locking mechanisms/catchs/gap between the door and frame.
One good reason to pre-drill is to prevent the heads of the screws from shearing off due to resistance. Another reason is to prevent the wood from splitting if the shear force is too high.
My Uncle Gus is old school.... "Well, I'm ready for them! I got 50,000 volts running through the bar's over my window's. I got a bucket of battery acid over the front door, & a .30-06 rigged to the back door!" "But Uncle Gus," I had to ask, "How do you get IN your house???" He glared at me, & replied, "Wouldn't YOU like to know!" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😝😝😝
@G B ; (The story above is just a joke.) Yes, it's sad criminals seem to have more rights than their victims. It's why I don't have much faith in our legal system any longer.
Great vid, and so helpful. In terms of using the 2.5 inch screws that would have been used for the door shields, do you need to check first that these screws will not hit either your deadbolt or the door knob once they are screwed the way in?
Jeff great video. What if the door jamb has cracked when someone kicked the door in ? What would you recommend ? Is there a video you have that shows how to repair or replace an exterior door jam before adding such measures to increase security ? Thanks
Thanks Nav C for your question, if the jamb is broken I'd recommend replacing it. Sorry I don't have a video on that but you'll likely find a good one on YT :D
Hey Man, nice video, but I have some friendly advice… I believe the instructions advise to pre-drill the holes is to eliminate the jamb splitting… which can happen much much easier when screwing a few inches apart in a straight line, parallel to the wood grain. An impact driver won’t save you from that. Well done tho, thank you for the video
The longer 2 1/2" screws for the bolt and latch don't help anything at all and could interfere with the locks as standard backset for residential locks is only 2 3/8" Also you should have installed the knob strike OVER the guard as it doesn't have(or appear to have) a "lip" to push the latch in when closing the door
Thank you SO much for your very helpful, informative and excellent video. IF I need to drill out the screw holes first, what size bit would you recommend? Thanks again!
This seems like the kind of solution that makes you *feel* better, but I can't see how those thin bits of metal are going to reinforce anything. Also, in the unlikely event that the "jamb shield" and the "bolt shield" actually fit, then you must have had a pretty badly fitting door in the first place. Might be great for climates where you don't need to worry about rain or cold air getting through the gaps!
+Mat Smith A reinforcing bar/jamb shield and longer screws can make a door go from being kicked in in one kick (literally one kick) to about 50-60 kicks. The issue with door security is that the door is only secured to the framework, which can crack very easily - kicking through framing (which is about 1/2 inch thick) and stripping whatever remains of the 3/4 inch screw is no problem. Take a look at some of the crownmolding or baseboards in your house, consider that less than double the thickness of the wood used in your baseboards/crownmolding is all that's keeping your door shut. Even people who aren't physically strong can easily break wood of that thickness with their hands, and there's a lot more force and strength in a kick (especially with proper technique). If you ever have the opportunity to do so, I highly suggest you try kicking a door in - it's very easy (Especially on interior doors, which feature no reinforcement and are typically hollow). When you reinforce a door like this, you're securing the screws to the actual surrounding struts in the door (2x4's) and framework, giving you 3 inches (minus half an inch for the gap in the framework and struts) of wood that's being supported. That's a significant difference, and now what an assailant is kicking through isn't 1/2 an inch of wood (as most people are simply not capable of kicking through a piece of braced 2x4 (let alone two of them, a 4x4 or a 'garden post')), but the actual tensile strength of (in this case) 7 3 and 1/2 inch steel screws embedded in hard lumber. Since our screws aren't going anywhere, we're going to need to snap them. One screw has about 121lbs tensile strength, so we're looking at 847lbs of tensile strength in this door to break the screws. Holly Holm (A professional MMA fighter) kicks with about 50 pounds of force, a professional male athelete (or someone with a hefty build) may be able to manage 60-80. They're not snapping those screws any time soon, the more likely failure is now going to be on our hinge side but since we've secured the hinges with hinge plates (which reinforces the framework and ties it directly to the struts) that's not going to happen either (In this case, we're looking at dealing with 8 screws, plus the additional strength provided by the additional three non-reinforced 3/4 inch screws on the hinge). This leaves the weak point of the door being the mechanical systems of the door, such as the actual knob and deadbolt (since the space is hollowed out), which is negated by those additional shields (in this case, he could not fit them into the door). Assuming you have the shields in place, you've made the door more or less invulnerable to being beaten in by brute force methods (you're not breaking through the frame, or any of those screws), and if repeated kicks are applied (upwards of 40), you're not going to see the frame fail, you're going to see the actual DOOR itself fail (depending on material). If we assume it's a standard entry way door with a particle core, you will see failure of the door itself (IE: They will have to actually kick holes through the door) before you see failure of the locking mechanisms, strike plates, or framework, or hinges. You can perform this technique without shields (simply by replacing the default screws) to get the same effect, with slightly less reinforcement (because the stress is not spread across the system). Keep in mind with a reinforced door (no matter the system) the lower left of the door and upper right of the door are always structural weakpoints as there's no bracing behind them. However, as you're never going to be able to kick the upper right of a door (above the deadbolt), this issue can be mitigated by a deadbolt placed lower on the door or by having a door brace installed. In fact, a single and properly installed door brace that fits into the floor actually offers just as much protection as whole-door reinforcement as seen in this video, at least for the non-hinge side of the door. Hope that helps clarify how, and why these methods of reinforcement are actually incredibly effective for home defense (not deterrence).
It works by distributing the impact of the kick so that impact isn't in a lot of force in one place but a little bit of force in a lot of places. Basically it is radiating the energy away from the point of impact instead of letting the door's design focus it on the weaknesses.
I have a door like this but with a side light. Poor choice I know but I was wondering if you have any tips for securing a door with a side light? On the lock side I have a pane of glass that runs the length of the door. Thanks.
Unless u have a solid core door, replacing the screws for the deadbolt & handle is a waste. 2 1/2 screws into foam core does nothing. Good video otherwise.
Used 3.5in.screws on everything,Also have a good door.Mine is OAK center sheet steel on either side.They'll break a foot or shoulder before door will give.
Thanks for making this looks so doable! I think I can actually tackle this project w/o expecting my husband to do it all. And...I'll feel more secure in my humble abode after I'm done! (I hope :-)
But how do you pre-drill a hole that is 3.5" deep anyway? For #10 screws in softwood you need a 3/32" drill bit which is only 2.25" long. Once you put it in the chuck there is only 1.75" left!
Speaking as a former Deputy, no door is burglar proof, best to refer to it as burglar resistant. This reinforcement kit looks like a good investment. Doors are likely the primary entry point, but don't forget that if the doors are too tough, they will probably move onto the windows. Note that anything that slows them down could prevent a burglary from happening.
Agreed. If I am home I just want some extra time to get the wife and kids up stairs and calling 911 while I prepare for the turd kicking in my door.
How about a steel door?
I'm pritty sure the door to Chyanne Mountain is burglar proof once sealed.
Anything that slows them down gives the homeowner time to react.
I feel like everyone starts with front door...but doesn't really pay attention to garage doors, sliding doors, or the use of sticks and plastic film on lower windows that slide.
I just leave a picture of my pay stub outside, nobody ever tried to rob me...sometimes i even find money
😂
I once bought an old trailor from two guys off an ad, and it turned out they'd planned on scamming me. But by the end of it all they saw I was poor, and they ended up putting new tires on it, and they let me borrow their trailor license. A month after I used the trailor to move, one of the thieves even called me to tell me he'd started going to church.
😂
@z probably!
Lol
The whole point to pre-drilling is so you don't split the wood. Doesn't matter if you have an impact driver or not - that doesn't change the physical characteristics of the wood the screw is going through. When you don't pre-drill you essentially "pre-split" the wood. That means your screws are not as strong as they could be. If you are spending $100 on a security device, why would you want to sabotage your efforts by NOT PRE-DRILLING? Seems counter intuitive to me. Never take shortcuts on anything that is safety or security related.
that's ture
Agreed, the lack of pre-drilling the holes for the screws is a devastating and a game changer for the entire concept. Simply by stating that this pre-drilling is not necessary indicates that the individual in the video has no experience in construction or installation of anything related to wood products. The product is likely reliable, although the video is horribly inaccurate.
I know this may sound stupid, but hey, us girls don't know a lot about this. When you say "pre-drill", does that mean to take the longer screw and put it in first before applying the plate again? I'm just going to be replacing the smaller screws with 3" screws (maynards didn't have 3.5 ones). Will they work OK and as I asked, do I need to drill them in place before putting them over the hinges and plate? Thank you for your response.
Pre drilling is when you drill a hole in the timber prior to putting a screw in. The hole is drilled using a drill bit that is not as thick as the screw you are going to put in. It should be drilled a little longer than the screw going in there.
daschundloverable you nailed it 👍
Does not matter what sort of drill you use, pre-drilling is done to stop the wood splitting.
:(
Thanks Cumbriahandyman
@assassinlexx I'll bet that went way over his head. he just wasted 60 bucks
@assassinlexx -- Could you provide a link to what you mean by "murphy bars". When I did a good search for them, I ended up with liquor bars / tables that fold up into a wall... I'm probably familiar with what you are talking about, but have never heard that terminology for them... Things are called by different names in the same country, much less if you are in a different country...
@assassinlexx -- OK, I think I know what you are talking about. Just never heard them called "Murphy bars". Most be some regional term for them. Where are you located?
@assassinlexx< great advice, where do you buy those "Murphy bar" setups ?
You forgot the part where you test it by trying to kick it in.
lol 😄
🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lol
🤣
Being a landlord for 30yrs I have first hand experience with the processes and benefits of "fortifying" entry doors. In general I was with you until you removed the screws in the door hardware and simply replaced with longer ones (w/o predrilling I'll note too) which really does nothing. Everything you did to that point does help a lot. But you can accomplish the same thing much cheaper simply by going down to the hardware store. Also, it helps to replace the screws going thru the hinge into the door as that interface is a weak point. Installing a shield to the outside of the frame covering the area where the bolts interface the striker plates is another inexpensive fortification.
For the people who mentioned the window...I've been intalling lexan instead of glass on first floor windows.
But in the end the only way to defend againt a break-in is a dog, a gun, and training.
And be home
Wm H Lol got all of those items👌😂💃
I have a german shepherd, my friends dont even come visit me anymore lol .
The "next step" is to replace ALL of the screws with 2.5- 3" long screws, on both (left and right) sides... so the hardware is SECURED into the vertical studs. (this alone will make the door 3x harder (or more) to enter. Then even if you don't have this "kit," you just made it MUCH harder to force the door (front, back, side, etc.) in!
the jamb side will bust right out still easy peasy that's the place I've always seen it break irl
For everyone assuming that ez armor doesn't work, look for more videos and proof on here. It really stops kick ins rather perfectly. Of course there needs to be layers to one's home security such as doing the windows, lighting, a dog, camera, alarm, fencing, etc. This just shows how to install one of those things....
+mikecampanella1990 thank you for adding s great comment, couldn't have said it better 👍👍
My home is a house of God, anyone entering can expect to meet their maker.
Pre-drilling is not always only for ease of installation. It can also lessen the chance of splitting. Granted where the screws are being placed should not create a problem,but...
Pre drilling is never for ease of installation. It prevents damage always, from splitting the wood
Once again, pre-drilling seems a safe way to go! Thz Craig!
Lol 😝 😆😂... I love the way he started this video with the kid kicking the door in. That was Outstanding! Great way to capture your audience. I’m sold already. 😎👍
Hmm... I wonder if he should have pre-drilled? I think I’m gonna check the comments. I’m sure some helpful soul will address this...
LOL, Now that's funny!
Yeah but his driver makes it easier to split the wood. 😂
🤣
Just bought one at Lowes and looks like it will fit . Nothing is fool proof but this is better than having no extra support . Thank you for your video .
Note: predrilling prevents boards from splitting and if the wood is old and hardened the longer screws might slow down or stop and an empact driver can easily break off the screw. I use one extensively and it happens often. You don't want soft wood to split and hard wood to shear off the screws.
I'm amazed at the chintzy tiny screws that they put in strike plates and lock plates! I had the screws replaced at our home with the 3-1/2" ones you used here! Same with the hinges - replaced all the screws with serious, axe-kicking screws!
+Cheriette Jackson 👍
I did the same. No expensive kits needed here.
Many front doors are quite flimsy- you need a solid wood door in conjunction with the security kit shown. The door shown in this episode could still be kicked in because the locks are fastened to narrow vertical slats that are easily broken. The reinforcing shields for the locks, which were not used, add important stiffness to the edge of the door, so they should be used.
My son owns a home security business and this is a great instruction video on ways to help you stay safe. Great job.
Thanks James Fogal - do you have any tips that would help secure a home even more?
Adding Window Film is probably the best way to help secure a home. Its kind of tricky to put on but not that tough. You can purchase window film that is actually "BulletProof". BulletProof actually means the bullet can still go through the glass and the window film but the glass will not fall out of the window. It will shatter but the film keeps it together and its still really hard to kick out or beat out with a hammer. Window film will usually give you plenty of time to lock and load your gun to save your life.
I might add that ANY sliding door should have window film. This glass is usually safety glass like you might find in a car window and shatters into very small pieces. If someone uses a metal punch and a hammer a sliding door can be shattered very quietly. This then offers an almost complete door size entry for a thief. The sad part is many homeowners might actually have a sensor on that door to detect if it opens through their alarm system but if the glass is shattered they can stroll in undetected. That might be one of the biggest home safety tips you can give your customers. Thanks again for your video. It was awesome.
Thanks for the wonderful tips James Fogal - I learned something new today because of you.
I'm going to look into window film and who knows, maybe there will be a tutorial down the road.
If you look on TH-cam under 3m they have a few videos that are very impressive on window film. It made a believer out of us. We do not use 3M in our company but their videos were enough to convince us to look at adding it to our security line.
How does an impact driver prevent wood from splitting? I've never heard of that before.
Should probably drive some 3-4in screws into the door side of the hinge too. Not just the frame side. Also, if you were to recess your hinges it would allow you enough space to mount the door shield parts.
Absolutely I thinking the same thing.
Do not use this video as a good practice guide. An impact driver is still, at best, going to weaken the wood, if you don't pre-drill first.
A steel frame reinforcer is a far better option than plate reinforcement.
...and by not pre-drilling before screwing the larger screws into the door, you have just made it easier for that door to split when being forced.
Some screws don't need predrilling, I don't if he used those kinds in video with the kit, but on safe side pre-drill to prevent splitting
They supplied spaghetti screws.
Just wanted to thank everyone in the comments for the crash course on woodwork! This is why I always go straight to the comments on any video
I disagree about not using the door shields just because you can't close the door. It's an important part of the system. Go buy a wood chisel to make it fit. Most of the wood is already removed for the existing plate. You only have to shave off a little bit above and below it. You don't even have to be too precise because the shield will cover any mistakes.
the door looks to be layered steel, which will also require grinding to fit the lock gaurd.
yeah I've kicked in doors for a living I'm skinny and it takes 1 kick even with great state of the art locks, its all because the frame gives way, I would say all front door should have a metal frame, but they don't because metal can warp in heat like a fire and trap you inside. this product seems to address the problem while still being fire safe.
Thank you very much I did not know anything like that before learn something new everyday and my little screws are going to be coming out and my husband is going to put longer screws in there thank you again
To keep from splitting the wood it is always a good idea to pre-drill when possible
Good thorough video! I prefer predrilling in order to prevent splitting the inner 2X4 framing behind the 3/4" door jam.
Great advice Peace Maker :D
the purpose of predicting is to keep lumber from splitting. an impact driver doesn't help. pre-drill.
@Solenya. Pickle man Ur gay if ur reading this
Now that is fricken funny!
That looks great but what about the door hinges with those tiny screws the only thing holding the door but the jam is good !! ?
You should always pre-drill the holes to prevent potentially splitting the wood.
Už zase a poněkolikáté je na cestě zásahová jednotka?!
Stará legenda nikdy nerezaví...
Tak snad dneska...
Hlavně ať si neustreli uši...
Pár videí jsem viděl a můžu říct, že bych s nima nechtěl bejt v partě...
8:45 The purpose of that fitting is to prevent the wood from splitting and the deadbolt prying out the sheetmetal when the door is forced open. That is the point of failure if the deadbolt is fully engaged.
This systems look really good the plates being screwed into the trimmer is a huge improvement but the best part is the continuous steel bar across the door . no one will be able to kick or even pry that door open .👍
I've done this before and ended up bowing the door. Just be aware not all door installers get the idea of shims. The door was literally held in place by the trim. No joke! I removed the kit and as soon as I removed the trim the door just fell out lol! Anyways great video.
Half-assed carpenters installed your door.
Joel T.: By the sound of that crummy installation job you must live in Florida.
In Australia a lot of front entry doors are hollow. That s a good product.
Just a friendly heads up, make sure there is no electrical in the opposite side of your door jam, sending 3” screws could possibly strike a wire or plumbing, also just because you have a impact doesn’t mean you don’t have to pre drill, pre drilling your holes helps not to split the framing when your sending screws into it.
Lol. That's not possible.
The jamb is 3/4 thick plus probably 1/4 to 1/2 of shimming before it even hits the jack stud which is 1 1/2 and then the king stud behind that which is another 1 1/2.
Do the math.
You made the jam stronger, no question. The door is now the weak link, without using all the pieces that product has literally done nothing. It was a well done video, but the manufacturer should be clear that if you can’t use all the pieces, it will be ineffective.
I installed this kit and as an added layer I have a 12 gauge on standby.
@Advocatus Diaboli If they break in when I'm not home, my life isn't in danger. I also have a video surveilance system with a 24/7 monitored alarm systems. I have insurance for the material things. In the meantime I sleep well at night.
I watched the whole video and it was very useful. I do have one question. You mentioned 'bumping' multiple times but I never saw the explanation of what that is.
if you live in a neighborhood where this is an issue install a steel frame
It can happen anywhere even a nice neighborhood!
People show how to pick locks in youtube, get a dog.
AviationNationHD people show how to bribe a dog with treats on TH-cam, get a gun
It doesn't matter where u live really your house could always be broken into
You can get a door barricade to use while you're at home.
I have did this a few times but I like to use self drilling deck screws for those that do not want to pre drill.
What good does the hinge guards do if you are still using the 1 inch screws that are in the door itself?
+richard hall Good question. In my 33 years experience I have never seen the hing side on residential houses. I use DSA from nobreach.com.
+Lamar Rogers Is your website recommendation safe? McAfee popped up a warning on the website listed above!!!
I wondered about this but differently. I don't know why the L-bracket for the hinge turns towards the frame. It should turn towards the door. This way if the door side screws give up the fight, the L on the bracket would still capture the door.
Lamar Rogers
Most people don't want to go through that much trouble for installation.
This works just fine and took me less than an hour.
richard hall exactly what i was thinking
Great video, thanks! I have a door with glass panels on upper part. Do you think if someone broke the glass and reached in, that they could manevuever the frame and undo it from the outside?
This kit is extremely overpriced, and hinge guards 🤔.. I don't see the point, just replace all screws with longer ones.. Thx for the vid.
I agree but adding a plate along the locking side and adding long screws wherever there are holes in the plate does help. Pre drilling the screws was something I’ve learned from the comment section. Seems like the hinge plate only protects the jamb not the door which I’ve seen as a weak point in a door. Longer the screw along the frame the better. I don’t know how thick the area inside the hinge is on the steel door, and would seem to me if it can take a 3” screw I would replace them too.
The hinge plate is so that the impact is spread out over a bigger surface area as well as if the hinges break they are still screwed into the actual frame
Not just longer screws but also thicker screws are way better. If you take your time and you drill out the counter sink in the hinges little more you can use thicker screws.
@z -- There is no way to make a house burglar **proof** -- all we can do is make it more difficult for them. My philosophy is to make it difficult enough for them to either make them give up and go somewhere it is easier or that they will make enough noise that I will wake up and decide the proper caliber of firearm to deal with the problem. I currently have a 14-round .45ACP, 7-shot .357mag, and 30-round AR-15 sitting beside my bed. For anything more challenging, I'll have to open my gun safe and decide what might be appropriate.
@@CurmudgeonExtraordinaire That's great if you're always home. If you're not, you won't be getting any gun.
What if the door frame was already kicked in. And a 3/4 X 6 inch piece is broken off. Can this just be placed over the existing rest of the door frame and then used. The dead bolt was NOT affected, just the hole where the regular door handle was..
1)Replace all the hardware screws with ones that are 3" or longer.
2) Buy 2 door hinges with removable pins.
3)Remove hinge pins and sand/grind the shafts to where they slide in and out of the hinges freely.
4)Mount the hinges on the opposite side of the door from the upper and lower hinges.
5)When the door is closed,just insert the hinge pins.
This set-up is inexpensive,easy to make/install,and will make it to where the door/frame has to be destroyed to breach.
99% of the time when a door is breached,it's on the latch side.
(Note:You can also toss the hinge pins entirely,and use two Phillips screwdrivers instead.)
How the hell does this only have 9 likes… this is brilliant.
While I must concede that this is a sound method to secure a door from the inside, how exactly do you set the pins when you are of your home?
@@greenman7yyy Wouldn't work on the outside.
I guess you could set it up for a trailer hitch pin lock.
I personally wouldn't want something like that though.
Someone could lock you inside.
@@definitelynotaheretic.7295 how do you place pin leaving the house Einstein? Even for the inside it would be against fire code in most jurisdictions. If your kids need to leave house in case of fire they should be able to do it using regular door latch.
Thank You. Did not know that the screws were so short. Thank you for showing this get idea.
You just made it easier to break in by not pre drilling, sometimes it's better to leave the work for the professionals
I just ordered this! one question...I live in an apartment there are gaps underneath the door, at the top of the door, and the side of the door. how can I close those gaps? Do I just buy wood and measure it and nail it? what about the plate at the bottom of the door?how do I seal the gap between that and the door? it's a little flimsy when I step on it and I want something stronger
Puts all that hardware on the door.
Brick thru the 1/16" thick window🤔
My thought as well, lol.
The point of the hardware on a door is to slow down an intruder if you’re home. I know it’s also for if you’re gone, but that might work since they won’t want to make a ton of noise repeatedly kicking the door or breaking the glass. Breaking the glass and having to climb in a window also slows them down. I just need someone slowed down long enough to grab the other tools I use to protect my home. And call 911
Door Jamb Armor makes a solution for double doors that open inward. It's very similar to the kit in this video, but it has a component that installs on the top jamb and on the floor. Very solid. I've had attempted break-ins at places I've installed it and they didn't get in.
I had to kick in my own door today because i had been locked out and did not have the time to wait for a locksmith, i have to say that your statement that anyone can kick in a door is no joke. After it was said and done i went in thru the garage and kitchen in less than 2 minutes, it really opened my eyes to how vulnerable my house was. Damn doorjambs on that outside door must of been made of pudding, no resistance at all. Im definitely doing this to all 3 outer doors now.
It is scary milfhunterX how easy it is to break into a home. The house two doors down from us had this happen and it's alarming. Glad you were the one to kick in the door and not someone else. Keep me posted on your project
Jeff Patterson sad part is that i have a door that is needing replacent but in the moment i forgot about that particular door, now i have a jamb torn to pieces and a swolen door that is hard to open
The DIY stuff never ends...
I use self tapping Star head Screws or you must pre drill for Screws over two inches.
Thank you! Great video--this will be my weekend project.
On one house i built i framed two king studs and a trimmer . then on the trim stud that accepts the jamb i rabbet in a thick steel l iron from top to bottom this was screwed into all three studs . holes were created to accept long throw dead bolts .
Seems like the weakest point now is the hinges where they're attached to the door. Overall it would be harder to just kick it in.
You need to replace a couple screws on each hinge plate with the ones with a solid stud on the other side. Or just add them in other sections of the hinge-side door jam.
This review includes a very instructive picture:
www.amazon.com/hz/reviews-render/mobile-media-feed/B01DG0TZ1A/ref=cm_cr_dp_mb_crsl_img_0?ie=UTF8&physicalId=71yv2weyYaL&imageExtension=jpg&reviewId=RN9EZKWR74I3G
Not an endorsement of the specific product but rather the concept. This kind of approach will protect even a door with exterior hinges from the hinge bypass attack.
Yes. You should be replacing at least some of the screws with longer, tougher screws on BOTH sides of the hinge.
What about doors that open outward? How can you secure the entrance?
I hate when I see the same comment in 95 % of the comment section. Shame on this man for no pre-drilling. lol
>complains about seeing the same comment in the comment section
>makes the same comment
@@ninetails6218 That was sarcasm saying shame on him...
I appreciated watching this to make installation easier. My comment; why don't you have a dead bolt lock, aren't they more secure also? thank you.
Pre-drilling is not for your ease of install, its to avoid cracking wood. The wood will also crack less easily if somebody tries to get in with brute force. Using this on a cheap door that is not solid wood but instead made of thin panels of plywood is similarly pointless as somebody could punch or smash straight through the door and turn the lock.
So now, what stops them from breaking a window to get in ?
Stop talking sense. 🇬🇧👍
Did anyone else see the large glass window ten feet to the left of his new and improved door?
id remove door jamb, and install thick steel tube into ground on both sides, and over top.
What can I do if I have two side windows next to the door?
that's a touch one Lisa, you might want to consider a home automation system that runs through SmartThings. It's pretty affordable and can alert you if there's a break in. I know it's not perfect but something to think about. I made a video on this system awhile back th-cam.com/video/xcMmGcxcRIY/w-d-xo.html
you can buy a double cylinder if you want
We have glass light panels on both sides of our door and we used thick plexiglass panels with security type screws which require a special bit to extract them. Lexan is even better though more expensive. 3M also makes security films that can be applied over existing glass panels.
If I might just point out that alarm systems are like cops , they show up after the fact. If you can't keep them out in the first place, don't bother with an alarm system except as an after the fact alert. Learn to secure your house first, then learn to defend yourself. Bear spray is a non lethal alternative to firearms, although this will mess up your house and you if not used properly. I prefer firearms in the hands of trained adults.
Thank you for the feedback . I will look into the 3m security film.
What if your deadbolt and doorknob holes in the jamb are not the same distance apart as the knockouts in the jamb shield?
Good look closing the door when the wood swells when the weather is damp
These are great tips. Any tips if the frame or door are made of metal?
While it is an effort to improve security, the results are untested. There are a few problems with this kit.
1. The hinge armor plate does nothing to prevent the short screws from where the hinges screw to the DOOR ( not the jamb ) from stripping and ripping out of the 1/4" thick piece of wood that makes up the edge of the steel clad door ( some doors DO have a big wooden hinge lock block behind the edge trim, most do not ) The hinge leaf on that door is ENGINEERED to be surface applied, it was not just something someone goofed up. The door width took the thickness of that hinge leaf into consideration to result in an optimal 1/8" gap on the lock side of door. The hinge leaf on many steel door has a PROJECTION that recesses into a divot in the mating hinge leaf, to prevent pin removal and thus entry on an OUT-SWINGING application. This projection would interfere with these hinge reinforcing plates. Also, these plates prevent the hinge leaves from coming together, putting stress on the hinge pin area, and thus bending the hinges. This will cause uneven door closure, and squeaking, unless you get a third plate for top hinge, and thus all three hinges can distort EVENLY.
2. The strike plate reinforcer is a lightweight version of an armor plate locksmiths have sold for decades. The one from Lock Shop will be 12 gauge, and is meant to be set FLUSH with the door jamb, thus replacing the strike plates that likely do not fit properly. a simple routing of the jamb area to a 1/8" depth allows such a plate to be set properly.
3. The bolt and latch U Channels will not support a bolt or latch that is unsteady. Using a Don-Jo wrap plate will truly REINFORCE the door against splitting, as well as cover up any uglies on the door from lock ill fitting or latches busting loose from a kick. These plates are meant to set flush with door edge ( Routing 1/6" of edge for plate ) and provide a means to re-secure latch and bolt with machine screws, as the plates have stainless steel threadserts in the edge.
All 3 the items from Locksmith Shop, at retail; about 58.00
You can NOT get this stuff from Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, and hard to get correct ones on internet.
Wow. That's an education!!
I can make that for 1 -10th of that price
@@antonvdmerwe551 Well good for you! Please explain me in which way your comment is useful to the rest of us?
Don-Jo door guards can be easily found at Amazon and all home hardware stores.
How is your comments relevant to any of us Mike M
What about the door side of the hinge? I watched this to see about the kit though I generally make my own (I'm in property management) including welding the hinge pin for outward swinging doors. But with these cheap standard metal doors which are standard now I'm trying to find a way to secure the door side of the hinge. Really a good storm door or solid slab makes all the difference but not all my customers can afford all that.
I had a door just like it: a metal door. Unfortunately, I found out when somebody kicked it in, that the door just peels apart because the metal is just GLUED to the SOFT WOOD that is in the edges. When somebody kicks in the edge of the door, the metal peels off the glue (or the soft wood breaks). When, this happens the lock completely falls apart because nothing is holding it together! The jam did not give way. The hinges were not the problem. The door peeled apart. My door company explained why I should have gotten a VINYL DOOR: It has HARDWOOD at the edges, the vinyl goes all around the edges to bind the front to the back - all around, and the door has steel reinforcement in it - to keep it from warping in the heat. I found out the hard way that metal doors are terrible at preventing forced entry. Maybe a reinforcement that completely wraps around the door edge at the the lock, and fits underneath the lock, would hold the lock together - however, you door would be so bent up that it would have to be replaced. Vinyll will flex a little with the blows and probably will not be bent out of shape.
Did you have a barricade on it? Were you away from home?
I have a barricade on my door but only certain hours of the day :/
@@no_peace Fortunately, I was away when my door was kicked in. So, I could not barricade the door. Also, I expected my "sturdy metal door" to repel attackers - WRONG.
A few years ago, I was in the UK and went through a few castle tours along the way. In one of them, it had a door that I would love to have for the front door of my house, even though it was **just** and **interior** door. It was created from timbers that were easily a full 2" thick and probably 8" across. There were two layers of these timbers and they were laid at 90 degree to each other -- in other words, on one side of the door, the timbers were vertical and on the other side they were horizontal. At each intersection of the timbers, there were heavy steel bolts going through the two layers. I think there were 4 bolts per intersection. Add to that a lot of heavy iron hardware on the door.
your video is even better than the manufacturer's installation video. one thing i'm curious about is the size of the screws used to secure the hinge to the door. those are still tiny screws. shouldn't they also be replaced with something stronger/longer?
Thanks Adam, it wouldn't hurt to use longer screws
$60 for a little bit of metal I think you got ripped off you can get same kind metal plates pieces in the hardware store galvanized is like 12 dollars
XD so ture
with all the holes in it? for 12 dollars? You good at cutting rectangular holes, measuring and drilling all the holes?
Gary I'm pretty sure that's why it's expensive, its machined.
It's very well made and looks good and $60 is less than one hour pay for me. Took me less than an hour to install.
i doubt people buying this have the ability to drill the holes in the proper spaces, bend the steel at the right angles or even cut to proper length
Hi, for the hinge plates, why should you screw in one 3" into the top hole, then put the plate over the hinge and screw in the second 3"? Would it not be better to put the plate over the hinge, then just screw in both 3" screws?
You're right Mike Co - that's a good option. In fact, I'd take it a step further and just use 3 inch screws for all the hinge plates. The longer the screws the more secure the hinges and plates will be.
Use 3 inch, weather resistant screws and lager/ thicker strike plates from any hardware store.
My question is I know they say use three inch screws is their a point of longer screws like six inches is there a point of diminishing return.
First off, you mean burglar resistant, ain't nothing proof!
Don't waste your time & $ on any residential dr & frame combo. Pull that junk out and get a good commercial door, frame & hardware. Then put in the steel dr & frame swinging OUT. Here is why, there is a 5/8" stop all the way around the 3 sides of the frame. There isn't a punk out there that can kick a steel door through that opening, drive a stolen car through it, yes, kick it... Not just no...BUT Hell No! Now, when you swing the door out, you will need NRP Hinges, NRP= Non removable pin, you can't pop the hinge pins with out having the door open to access the set screw. Fill in those sidelights, transom panels are usually OK. Most scumbags don't carry a ladder, just crow bars & stolen guns. Get your steel dr & frame prepped for 2 dead bolts and a lockset. Buy 2 sgl cyl DB's & 1( at least grade 2) lockset, have them keyed alike (KA). Have the 2 DB preps centered(1 above the lock, 1 below the lock) between the head & floor and the lockset. Your frame should be 16 ga, the door a min of 18 ga. They do offer Insulated & Galv for cold/hot and wet areas. Panel doors are available in 1, 2, 6 & 8 panel drs(depending on the Manuf). I would suggest ordering as a unit and having it factory prepped, it will cost less and have the factory warranty. You'll pay more for what I've told you about, but it's a real door, frame & hdwe, it will hold up way beyond the cheap res junk. What is your family & your things worth? There are other things you can do, but the above is FAR beyond what 99.9% of your neighbors have. The easiest will get hit, they will give up before they get in yours.
I tell people, doors keep the most evil things on the planet out or in, depending on the purpose. A $19.99 lock and a coke can thin skin dr and wood jamb won't keep you safe, PERIOD. Yes, 3.5" screws help and with wood studs are recommended. Not trying to dog this vid, just giving my years of exp dealing with doors and what's left after the scum gets in. Keeping thugs out is impossible for most, making them PAY dearly for trying, isn't!
Look at profile name..It tells me everything about who and what you're about.T T
@@ATLIEN333 Your point? Your comment has what to do with my post? Feel better now you've shown you have a mighty fine grasp of the obvious?
Why not make a youtube video yourself? It would be easier to understand. And would make a good video.
@@roamlikekane That's a great idea, but not sure I'm the right one for the job? I forget most have no idea what I'm referring to as I'm usually dealing with those that have been in commercial const for years. If you would like an explanation or clarification and or
a material list/product info, I would be happy to do this for you. Thanks for the suggestion, it's much appreciated.
Just curious, what's stopping someone taking 10 seconds with a battery angle grinder, and cutting the deadbolt/latch in this scenario? I guess if you went to the effort of a commercial door, you'd probably spend the effort or cost in putting a welded plate over the locking mechanisms/catchs/gap between the door and frame.
One good reason to pre-drill is to prevent the heads of the screws from shearing off due to resistance. Another reason is to prevent the wood from splitting if the shear force is too high.
My Uncle Gus is old school....
"Well, I'm ready for them! I got 50,000 volts running through the bar's over my window's. I got a bucket of battery acid over the front door, & a .30-06 rigged to the back door!"
"But Uncle Gus," I had to ask, "How do you get IN your house???"
He glared at me, & replied, "Wouldn't YOU like to know!"
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😝😝😝
😩😂
I like your plan A is really GOOD ❗️
@G B ;
(The story above is just a joke.)
Yes, it's sad criminals seem to have more rights than their victims. It's why I don't have much faith in our legal system any longer.
@G B oh for crying out loud.
Great vid, and so helpful. In terms of using the 2.5 inch screws that would have been used for the door shields, do you need to check first that these screws will not hit either your deadbolt or the door knob once they are screwed the way in?
did it .. the next item on the list is radio proofing and faraday caging the house..
Jeff great video. What if the door jamb has cracked when someone kicked the door in ? What would you recommend ? Is there a video you have that shows how to repair or replace an exterior door jam before adding such measures to increase security ? Thanks
Thanks Nav C for your question, if the jamb is broken I'd recommend replacing it. Sorry I don't have a video on that but you'll likely find a good one on YT :D
The pre-drill brigade are out in force.
Hey Man, nice video, but I have some friendly advice… I believe the instructions advise to pre-drill the holes is to eliminate the jamb splitting… which can happen much much easier when screwing a few inches apart in a straight line, parallel to the wood grain. An impact driver won’t save you from that.
Well done tho, thank you for the video
The longer 2 1/2" screws for the bolt and latch don't help anything at all and could interfere with the locks as standard backset for residential locks is only 2 3/8"
Also you should have installed the knob strike OVER the guard as it doesn't have(or appear to have) a "lip" to push the latch in when closing the door
What about the short hinge screws hinge to door?
Thank you SO much for your very helpful, informative and excellent video. IF I need to drill out the screw holes first, what size bit would you recommend? Thanks again!
use a drill bit that's slightly smaller than the screws
Pre-drilling is to prevent the wood from splitting, making this useless. It’s not because the drill isn’t strong enough.
you predrill so you don't split any studs.
Was also going to mention this. Pre drilling is not just for ease of screw installation. As mentioned, it prevents wood from splitting. Cheers!
Can you get the jam kit with rounded corner deadbolt and knob/lever latch covers? I don't have square corners.
This seems like the kind of solution that makes you *feel* better, but I can't see how those thin bits of metal are going to reinforce anything. Also, in the unlikely event that the "jamb shield" and the "bolt shield" actually fit, then you must have had a pretty badly fitting door in the first place. Might be great for climates where you don't need to worry about rain or cold air getting through the gaps!
+Mat Smith I specialize in doors as a handyman and I found that the DSA from nobreach.com fits almost any door with no adjustments needed.
+Mat Smith A reinforcing bar/jamb shield and longer screws can make a door go from being kicked in in one kick (literally one kick) to about 50-60 kicks.
The issue with door security is that the door is only secured to the framework, which can crack very easily - kicking through framing (which is about 1/2 inch thick) and stripping whatever remains of the 3/4 inch screw is no problem. Take a look at some of the crownmolding or baseboards in your house, consider that less than double the thickness of the wood used in your baseboards/crownmolding is all that's keeping your door shut.
Even people who aren't physically strong can easily break wood of that thickness with their hands, and there's a lot more force and strength in a kick (especially with proper technique). If you ever have the opportunity to do so, I highly suggest you try kicking a door in - it's very easy (Especially on interior doors, which feature no reinforcement and are typically hollow).
When you reinforce a door like this, you're securing the screws to the actual surrounding struts in the door (2x4's) and framework, giving you 3 inches (minus half an inch for the gap in the framework and struts) of wood that's being supported. That's a significant difference, and now what an assailant is kicking through isn't 1/2 an inch of wood (as most people are simply not capable of kicking through a piece of braced 2x4 (let alone two of them, a 4x4 or a 'garden post')), but the actual tensile strength of (in this case) 7 3 and 1/2 inch steel screws embedded in hard lumber.
Since our screws aren't going anywhere, we're going to need to snap them. One screw has about 121lbs tensile strength, so we're looking at 847lbs of tensile strength in this door to break the screws. Holly Holm (A professional MMA fighter) kicks with about 50 pounds of force, a professional male athelete (or someone with a hefty build) may be able to manage 60-80.
They're not snapping those screws any time soon, the more likely failure is now going to be on our hinge side but since we've secured the hinges with hinge plates (which reinforces the framework and ties it directly to the struts) that's not going to happen either (In this case, we're looking at dealing with 8 screws, plus the additional strength provided by the additional three non-reinforced 3/4 inch screws on the hinge). This leaves the weak point of the door being the mechanical systems of the door, such as the actual knob and deadbolt (since the space is hollowed out), which is negated by those additional shields (in this case, he could not fit them into the door).
Assuming you have the shields in place, you've made the door more or less invulnerable to being beaten in by brute force methods (you're not breaking through the frame, or any of those screws), and if repeated kicks are applied (upwards of 40), you're not going to see the frame fail, you're going to see the actual DOOR itself fail (depending on material).
If we assume it's a standard entry way door with a particle core, you will see failure of the door itself (IE: They will have to actually kick holes through the door) before you see failure of the locking mechanisms, strike plates, or framework, or hinges.
You can perform this technique without shields (simply by replacing the default screws) to get the same effect, with slightly less reinforcement (because the stress is not spread across the system). Keep in mind with a reinforced door (no matter the system) the lower left of the door and upper right of the door are always structural weakpoints as there's no bracing behind them.
However, as you're never going to be able to kick the upper right of a door (above the deadbolt), this issue can be mitigated by a deadbolt placed lower on the door or by having a door brace installed. In fact, a single and properly installed door brace that fits into the floor actually offers just as much protection as whole-door reinforcement as seen in this video, at least for the non-hinge side of the door.
Hope that helps clarify how, and why these methods of reinforcement are actually incredibly effective for home defense (not deterrence).
It works by distributing the impact of the kick so that impact isn't in a lot of force in one place but a little bit of force in a lot of places. Basically it is radiating the energy away from the point of impact instead of letting the door's design focus it on the weaknesses.
Mat Smith
I guess you failed math and physics class.
not thin, heavy guage.
But, why? Did you explain the reason for the shielding or did I dose off & miss that?
good video but really loved the ending with the ninja warrior thief...lol
I would also recommend replacing the short screws holding the hinges to the door. Fix the weakest links.
Great video...thanks!!
+Bun B thanks, hope it helps
Does this work on steel doors and steel facings?
I reinforce my door with a S&W 357
I have a door like this but with a side light. Poor choice I know but I was wondering if you have any tips for securing a door with a side light? On the lock side I have a pane of glass that runs the length of the door. Thanks.
They make sidelight versions: armorconcepts.com/Side-Light-Doors/
Unless u have a solid core door, replacing the screws for the deadbolt & handle is a waste. 2 1/2 screws into foam core does nothing. Good video otherwise.
Screw a lexan or steel mesh reinforcement for weak areas. That would help a quick pop in through a panel to get to the lock.
Poopyface Tomato Nose o shit you are that character cris created on family guy.
Used 3.5in.screws on everything,Also have a good door.Mine is OAK center sheet steel on either side.They'll break a foot or shoulder before door will give.
Thanks for making this looks so doable! I think I can actually tackle this project w/o expecting my husband to do it all. And...I'll feel more secure in my humble abode after I'm done! (I hope :-)
But how do you pre-drill a hole that is 3.5" deep anyway? For #10 screws in softwood you need a 3/32" drill bit which is only 2.25" long. Once you put it in the chuck there is only 1.75" left!