How to Secure a Door From Being Kicked in? (Top 6 DIY Ways)

Working in security I come across many doors that have been kicked in, it’s more common than you may think. Many homeowners want to know how to secure a door to prevent attacks and feel safer. Below I cover some of the most commonly used methods in the industry to secure your door. All of these methods are easy to implement and require just a few steps.

Quick Summary

The best ways to secure a door from being kicked in is:

• Adding Steel Bars 
• Adding a solid core door 
• Reinforcing the door frame
• A Security Bar or Door Barricade
• Installing a Strike plate lock
• Adding a Door Security Bar

1. Metal door or Adding Steel Bars (10/10 Effectiveness)

If you really want to stop a kick in its tracks or keep burglars out of your home, then installing a metal door or steel door grill is the best way to go.

If you want to add some additional protection to your current door a steel security grille may be the most obvious choice. The main benefit is the reinforced design provided by metal grilles or gratings. There is a wide variety of security gratings with different designs each providing an extra layer of steel to prevent increased braking force.

There are many factors that can affect whether or not a metal door will withstand a kick. The most important factor is what type of metal it is made out of. For instance, if the door is made out of steel, then a burglar would be unable to break through it without tools such as an ax. However, if it’s made out of aluminum or copper, then a robber could kick through it fairly easily.

Another factor to consider is the thickness. Again using steel as an example, if the steel was thin enough for someone to punch through with their fist, then it would be classified as “thin” steel and therefore not very sturdy. When choosing a door be careful to avoid these thin steel options.

The resistance factor for the door can provide different advantages. A security grille is also a great deterrent. Burglars who see a security grille if they are less experienced will tend to avoid these houses.

2. Incorporate a solid core door (6/10 Effectiveness)

A solid core door is a type of door made from solid wood, particleboard, or fiberboard. These doors typically have a stile and rail on the outside, and the opposite on the inside. The panel that covers the door is called a jamb. (1) 

A solid core door is the best option for those who want protection against kicks without sacrificing aesthetics. Solid core doors are made up of one solid material and they are generally less expensive than framed doors.

A solid core can be one of the easiest ways to improve the strength of an entry point.

People often choose a hollow core door because it is a less expensive option. The reason is obvious and is that fewer materials are necessary to manufacture a hollow plate door.

The disadvantage lies in the fact that these doors are much easier for burglars to kick through. This is a disadvantage that not many people consider.

Among the more secure and convenient options are solid core doors that incorporate solid metal. These are usually highly resistant due to the type of metal contained in this type of door. Metal is not the only material that is generally used to make up a solid core. Different options on the market are common. This type of door can typically make it harder for robberies but their durability depends on the type of locking and door mechanism you have attached to them. (2)

3. Reinforcing the Door Frame (6/10 Effectiveness)

There are a variety of ways to improve the security and strength of the home’s front door. One of the most common is to improve the power of the door frame. This will allow most of the kinetic energy of a kick to go directly to the door frame. When this happens, the door will not break, and the burglar may move on to another home.

It would help if you reinforced the door jamb, and there are several door frame reinforcement kits for this purpose. That means a set of metal guards. The user installs each of these components on the door jamb of the door they wish to protect against burglars.

Door jamb protectors come in a variety of styles and materials that suit different needs. Some are made of metal, while others are made of plastic. Any of these kits offer the user secure hinge guards and strike plates as the most common accessories. 

4. Security Bar or Door Barricade (6/10 Effectiveness)

Having a door barricade is another method or solution to improve the door’s strength from the inside. There is an advantage to this method, and that is the versatility in applying the door barricade. This method uses the strength of the floor to provide more protection.

Any of the options on the market offer great right results after a few installation steps. The door barricades are perfect for different doors, such as French or double entry doors. 

5. Adding a Strike Plate Lock (6/10 Effectiveness)

People use standard door chains to add extra strength to the front door. The results are not suitable for most attempted robberies or entries. Kicks with considerable force make standard door chains the wrong choice.

A strike plate lock may be the better choice instead of a standard door chain. It is a very similar option that incorporates superior durability. It is a lock that is rated to withstand more than 50 kicks with tremendous force. Basically, a strike plate is a plate installed on the door with a cuff that goes around your door handle moving the force of impact to the door handle and the plate allowing it to withstand much more force than a common chain.

It only takes a few kicks to break a standard door chain.

Installing is effortless and simply requires attachment to the door jamb. It is an excellent method to reinforce the front door or any other type of door. It should also note that there are different options with different levels of resistance.

6. Adding a door security bar (5/10 Effectiveness)

Security bars are a multi-purpose, widely used safety device. They help to protect doors and windows from intruders. The bars usually consist of a steel bar that is mounted to the door frame with screws or bolts. The bar can be installed on both the inside and outside of the door frame.

Door security bars are available in two types: the rolling type and the sliding type. The rolling type is often used for temporary or emergency situations while the sliding type is generally used for long-term installations.

Wrapping Up

Any of these below methods make it possible to protect a home’s front door from being kicked in. 

• Adding Steel Bars 
• Adding a solid core door 
• Reinforcing the door frame
• A Security Bar or Door Barricade
• Installing a Strike plate lock
• Adding a Door Security Bar

They are easy to incorporate as a set of options that require a tiny budget overall.

References:
(1) solid wood – https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ba-1984-0207.ch001
(2) Metal – https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/metal.htm