Choosing a Door – Which Type of Door Is Most Secure? – IKS Locksmiths blog

If you are choosing new doors whether it is for a front door or back door or patio door it is a good idea to be well informed as to the security levels and implications that each door type will have. Door security is so important.

As a specialist locksmith in the North London area  it is quite clear to me which types of doors are targeted by thieves as doors that are easy to break into! Form my perspective as a break in repairs locksmith there is an obvious trend and I find myself repairing particular door types more often than others.

Typical questions about door security I get asked

We often get asked “which type of door should I choose?” and “Which type of door is more secure?” Security doors used for banks aren’t always suitable for residential purposes. The best home security doors aren’t necessarily the most expensive doors on the market. It is all about choosing a door wisely because let’s face it, it’s an investment. A door is something you would expect to stand you in good stead.

I’m also asked “Is there such a thing as burglar proof doors?” If a burglar wants to access a property they can find a way to do it. There is no such thing as a completely burglar proof door. What we can do is make it as difficult as possible for a burglar to access a property. It is most likely that a burglar will take the easier option and target the door which is easier to access. For example they will probably choose a property without security gates over one with a security door gate as pictured below.

It is very unlikely for a burglar to target a property with high security unless it has been a pre planned operation with a target in mind. Specialist security house doors may be something a celebrity or someone with objects of great value in their home may want to consider. Not something that the majority of us need to be concerned about.

Types of Doors for Security

This is my view on which types of doors are a secure and wise investment.

There are various types of doors available on the market for both front and back or patio doors. The materials that are available are

• Wooden doors
• PVC doors
• Composite doors
• Aluminium doors

Each of these gives a different look to a property. Personally I favour the look of a wooden door and as it happens I would also choose a wooden door from a security perspective.

In my opinion the locks available for timber doors are far superior to those for UPVC, composite or aluminium doors. Timber door locks can be worked into the door and thus you have the flexibility to fit a range of high quality door locks.

In summary the locks for timber doors are stronger and issues are less likely. It can be a common misconception that new more modern alternatives will provide more strength and security. In my experience as a locksmith this couldn’t be further from the truth.

When it comes to a UPVC door you are restricted as to the locks that can be used and with this comes problems with both security and maintenance. You can read more about the problems with UPVC door locks and how to prevent the problems here.

So if you are looking into buying a new front door I can’t stress enough the benefits of choosing a wooden door.

As well as the material the functionality, in terms of the way the door opens can have some bearing on the security and longevity of the door.

Security can be increased further by adding security accessories such as a Birmingham or London Bar which will strengthen the door. Double security doors are suitable in some cases. We have installed external and internal security gates for extra security on many of London properties. You can see more examples in our image gallery. It all comes back to making access as difficult as possible.

What Type of Patio Door is Best?

When it comes to choosing a patio door there are a number of options;

• Sliding doors
• Bi-fold doors
• Double of single doors

Once again the look of each of these may come down to personal preference. Any of these doors can be insecure if they don’t meet the criteria below;

• Bi-fold doors should have key operated locks from inside.
• Sliding doors should have locking points vertically up and down for maximum strength.
• UPVC doors (including sliding and bi-fold) should have anti snap locks in them.

My personal choice of patio door would be high quality sliding aluminium doors with reinforced glass and vertical locking points up and down. I would feel confident about the security they would provide and I would choose these from an aesthetic perspective for a large opening window. Whereas for front door security I would always choose a timber door.

Read here for our tips on front door security and here for tips on how to secure your patio door.

This is an interesting article on the BBC website that says french doors and patio doors are a burglars favourite. Retractable security grilles are not only a good deterrent but also offer high security to patio doors. At IKS we are folding security grilles specialists.

This article in the Independent recommends choosing a door which meets British Standard (BS) Kite mark PAS 24-1. It is advisable to avoid having glass in front doors and to have reinforced glass in sliding doors.

Should you require any advice on doors, locks or home security gates we would be happy to help. We are MLA Approved high security locksmiths in North London. We specialise in installing products which provide high security to doors and windows. We work with both domestic security doors and commercial security doors. We are specialists in locks, security grilles and safes and door entry systems in London and for larger properties we can install a master key system for your doors.  We are a mobile family run business offering exceptional value for money. IKS Locksmiths are the door locks specialist locksmith you can rely on. If you are looking for high quality security at excellent prices call us.

Patio Door Image Courtesy of Pexels
Main Image Courtesy of Pexels