Placement of lock for maximum kick-in protection?

[bumpyraker]

Please accept my apologies as this is slightly off topic.

I'm upgrading an internal door to provide decent protection from kick-in attacks.

I'm fitting a solid core FD30 door blank and I want to have 2 mortise locks for good kick-in protection. I'll also reinforce the door jamb around the keeps with a steel plate screwed into the door frame, sort of a homemade "London" bar.

However, what lock positions are considered the best for protecting a door from kick in attacks?

A. Middle and top?
B. Middle and Bottom?
C. Both offset (1/3rd from the top and 1/3 from the bottom?

Having a little think about it, I'd expect both offset would give maximum protection as the point of impact will likely be the middle 1/3rd of the door, and having a mortice at the top and bottom of this area would been to make sense. Also the handle at the mid point of the door would provide some obstruction to an attackers foot.

Cheers!

[Squelchtone]

[EDIT: moved from Ask Beginner Hobby Lockpicking Questions to This Old Lock - repair and installation area]

[GWiens2001]

Make sure that the metal door frame has extra long screws or bolts to secure the door frame to the wood it fits into. I use 4" (10 cm) screws or bolts. A lot of kick-ins rip the screws out of the door and frame. Long screws hold much more firmly.

Use strong hinges. They should have at least four screws per side of a hinge. Take the screws that come with the hinges and throw them in the garbage. Use more of the 4" (10 cm) screws to secure the hinges to the door and the frame. You want maximum grabbing on those screws.

In most cases, throw away the screws that secure the strike (the part that fits in the door frame that the bolts and latches fit into. Use, you guessed it... screws that go through the frame and into the wood behind it.

Get at least three lag screws that are 4" (10 cm) long. On the hinge side of the door frame, drill holes slightly less than the diameter of the screws. Screw in the lag screws until the inner side of the head of the bolt is about 1/2" (15 mm) from the door frame. Now cut off the bolt head so there is a 1/2" (15mm) steel rod sticking out of the frame. Put some grease or wax on the end of each of those bolts. Lightly try to close the door.

When you are trying to close the door lightly, that will cause the grease or wax to be pressed into the hinge side of the door, marking where the bolts are located. Drill holes in the door where those bolt ends will fit. The holes should be only slightly LARGER than the bolt posts that fits into those holes. That gives more protection from being kicked in from the hinge side. If the door swings outwards, that will also keep someone from taking out the hinge pins to open the door from the outside.

Plenty more tips can be found on this site if you nose around.

Good Luck,

Gordon

[bumpyraker]

Thanks for the reply. However, it doesn't actually answer my question about the best position for the locks.

[GWiens2001]

Thanks for the reply. However, it doesn't actually answer my question about the best position for the locks.

The position of the lock is irrelevant when it comes to preventing breaking down a door if you don't reinforce the rest of the door properly. If the rest of it is protected, and you want multiple locks without concern for what is visually appealing, I'd say 1/3 and 2/3 up the door.

Gordon

[demux]

If you get a quality door, properly installed and reinforced as Gordon suggested, and put any decent quality lock on that door, you can put that lock just about anywhere and the door should resist forced entry for quite a long time. Mortise locks are the best. You'll probably want a lock that includes a deadbolt with at least a 1" throw, preferably one that also includes a steel pin insert to resist cutting (especially if the door opens out). See below for what a well-made and properly installed door can actually take. Note the position of the locks in the video.