The Most Cost-Effective Upgrade for Exterior Doors
When an intruder tries to kick in a door, the lock cylinder rarely breaks. Instead, the wood frame surrounding the strike plate splits, letting the door fly open. Reinforcing your door frame strike plate is a cheap way to increase kick-in resistance.
The Weakness: Short Factory Screws
Standard locksets come with tiny 1/2-inch screws to secure the strike plate. These screws only latch into the thin decorative pine molding of the door frame, which splits under a single kick.
The Upgrade: 3-Inch Hardened Screws
- The Fix: Replace the standard strike plate with a heavy-duty, 4-hole security strike plate. Use 3-inch hardened steel screws. These screws reach through the door frame and anchor deep into the solid structural 2x4 framing studs of your house.
Why the frame is the weak point
Most forced-entry attempts on doors use a kick or shoulder near the latch. The bolt is rarely the part that breaks. Instead, the wood of the jamb splits because the strike plate is fastened with short screws that only hold the trim.
What to fit
Replace short screws with three-inch screws that reach the wall stud. Add a metal strike box, and consider a jamb wrap or a longer strike plate on the latch side. Check that the hinge screws are also long enough, particularly on outswing doors.
Check the results
Push on the door near the latch: it should not flex. Close the door and look for even gaps. If the jamb is already cracked, replace that section first. We do this work across Brampton, Vaughan, Caledon and Etobicoke, and it pairs well with a deadbolt upgrade.
Questions about a lock or key problem? Apna Locksmith is a Brampton-based mobile locksmith serving Brampton, Vaughan, Caledon, Etobicoke and Halton Hills. Call (289) 406-1500 or see our service areas.