Door Security

Door security, from the frame out

When a door fails in a break-in it is almost never the lock that gives. It is the little softwood strip the strike plate screws into. Kick that, and the deadbolt rides along. So build your door in this order:

1. Reinforce where the door actually breaks

A strike plate kit with 3-inch screws anchors the lock into the stud, not the trim. It is the highest-value fifteen minutes of DIY in home security. Read why doors get kicked in for the full picture.

2. Add a second point of resistance

A reinforcement lock stops the door opening even if the main lock is defeated, and a security bar braces it from the floor. For patio sliders, use a sliding door bar; the full slider guide is here.

3. Add a warning layer

A door stop alarm wedges the door and screams if it moves. No wiring, no app, and it travels well. If your door has glass in it or beside it (a pane in the door, a sidelight, a patio slider), add a TremShield vibration alarm to the pane: it fires 125dB the moment the glass is struck, before the lock is ever reached.

Renting, or securing a door that is not yours?

The security bar, the sliding door bar and the door stop alarm need no screws and leave no mark, so your deposit is safe. For hotel rooms, Airbnbs and dorms, the portable travel lock adds a lock only you control and removes without a trace. We packed the whole approach into the carry-on security kit guide.

Where to start

Most homes need just two upgrades: the strike plate kit on the main entry, and a bar or secondary lock on whichever door is hidden from the street, usually the back door or the slider. Then give your windows the same attention in the Window Security collection. Not sure which alarm belongs on which door? The 60-second alarm finder sorts it out in a minute.