Replacement Doors And Improvements To Make Openings More Secure
The improvements you are planning for openings in your home may include replacing doors. This can be an opportunity to improve efficiency as well as security. Today, there are a lot of options to reinforce and improve the security of replacement doors. The following replacement door improvements will help reinforce and secure doors you have replaced:
Start with reinforcing structural framing
The structural framing of the door opening is one of the first places where you will want to add reinforcements. This can start with steel structural brackets that help reinforce the opening and secure it to the foundation or anchor points. These reinforcements can continue up through the height of the door casing to provide sturdy support for the frame and replacement door that you are installing.
Back the door casing with steel plate reinforcement
You can also back the door casing with steel plates to help support the door and ensure it is secure. These steel plates can be installed between the frame and structural openings to provide secure reinforcement. If you use steel plates to reinforce the opening, holes will need to be drilled where hinges are screwed to the opening. The steel plate reinforcement will make it nearly impossible to kick a door in.
Fasten hinges and door casings with structural screws
The door casings of entrances are usually fastened with finish nails from the exterior of the opening. This leaves the door opening weak and can easily be removed. Therefore, you will want to use long screws in the hinges to reinforce the door in the opening, so that it cannot be easily removed. The long screws can be used at the hinges and at the locks.
Use solid hardwood or metal replacement doors
Lastly, you want to make sure that the replacement door that you use is sturdy. For exterior entrances, solid hardwood doors are a good solution if you want to use wood doors. Steel doors are a more secure option and will provide your home with the security you are looking for. Steel doors can have the same style as wood models and give you the option of a steel or wood frame. The steel frames will make your entrance doors more secure.
These are improvements and reinforcements that can be done to make your replacement doors more secure. To make doors at the entrances to your home more secure, contact a replacement door service and talk to them about reinforcing openings for more security.