Security Doors — Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Buying Guide
A security door is more than just an improved lock on a regular door. The frame, the door leaf, the hinges, the locking system, and everything in between is built with a different purpose. Standard doors are built to open and close in the long-term, while security doors are built to resist forced entry. Did you know these doors are built to have different jobs and produce with different outcomes in mind?
What Makes a Door a Security Door?
Most standard doors fail in the frame first. A simple kick or a ‘shoulder charge’ puts a lot of pressure in the frame and a timber frame fixed to a stud wall will not hold for long. Security door frames are made of steel fixed to a solid masonry wall with multiple fixings that provides a more controlled distribution of the pressure across the surrounding wall instead of putting all the pressure in one spot.
Security door leaves are made of steel or composite construction with a strong core. This is not a hollow frame panel with veneer on either side – this is an engineered panel designed to withstand and absorb the impact.
Security doors utilize a multi-point lock. Designed to engage at three, five or more points at the same time. When multi-point locks are employed, the top and bottom and sides all lock at the same time. This design distributes the resistance across the whole frame. A single, center bolt can be easily overcome by applying a force to either the top or the bottom of the door. Multi-point locking eliminates this weakness.
Security doors use hinges that are designed to prevent removal to best secure the door to the frame. Traditional hinges on a door that swings outward have a security concern. If someone gain access to those hinges, they can easily be removed from the outside. Security hinges have certain non removable pins or an interlocking design that secures the hinge to the door and frame.
Security Door Standards
Most insurers that insure either domestic or commercial premises in the UK use the British Standard PAS 24. This security door standard tests drilling, levering, and impact attacks. LPS 1175 tests for more progressive attacks and determines security door ratings from SR1 to SR8. SR1 may hold against basic tool attacks of a minute or less. SR8 protects against serious tools attacks that last 10+ minutes. SR2 and SR3 cover most needs of commercial security door ratings. SR4 and all ratings that follow may be utilized in specialized high-security situations that may warrant such door protection.
Secured by Design is supported by the police in that it is an independent security door standard. Insurance underwriters recognize this standard and some mortgage lenders require it on new security door and door frame installations.
Security Doors for Homes
The front door is the most targeted area for forced entry in residential burglaries. A standard wood door with a single cylinder lock is no challenge to a determined kick specifically in the lock area. A proper security door on the same opening is more challenging and time consuming to burglaries, preventing most attempts at breaking in.
Composite doors are the most common security doors used in domestic premises in the UK. They are made up of an outer shell of GRP (glass reinforced plastic) surrounding a solid core of either polyurethane foam or wood and are housed in a steel or aluminium frame. Composite doors are popular because they provide security to the home, while still looking attractive.
Steel doors are the strongest but are typically used in residential situations due to the weight and aesthetics. They are suitable for use in garages, outbuildings and side access doors. A lot of homeowners forget about the connecting door between a garage and the main premises. While it is an important access point into the main premises, many owners do not treat it in line with the main access point of the premises, the front door.
The required minimum for a residential security door is PAS 24. Doors that receive the additional approval Secured by Design (SBD) have been subjected to broader testing. Confirm the requirements with your insurer as some will provide a premium discount for doors meeting the required standards.
Commercial Security Doors
Standard doors do not meet the access and security needs of server rooms, cash offices, stores, plant rooms, etc. The door needs to resist forcing entry and integrate with the building’s access control system. Combined with security technology, steel door sets are the right choice.
A doorset comprises the frame, door leaf, hinges, and associated hardware, supplied and fitted together as a system. The security rating is void if any part of the doorset is substituted and/or if the doorset is installed incorrectly. Hence, the rating of the door leaf becomes null and void if the frame is poorly fitted.
Electric strikes, magnetic locks, card readers, and keypad entry modules all install directly to steel doorsets. Consequently, the door becomes an integral part of the access control system as opposed to being a separate unit alongside it.
LPS 1175 SR2 is the most prevalent specification for commercial doorsets. It resists attack tools for three minutes. Premises that have valuable materials, pharmaceuticals, or sensitive information would warrant the specification of SR3 or SR4. The cost differential for the higher ratings is surprisingly less than expected.
The fire rating is a separate consideration, but fire and security ratings do tend to be considered concurrently. Building regulations specify fire doors between a living space and a garage, fire doors between distinct sections within a building, and fire doors in additional locations. A door fitted with an LPS 1175 rating and a fire rating fulfils both criteria.
Security Doors for Industrial Use
Industrial door sets have to endure significant daily use, as well as serious security requirements. A door set on a storage area for pharmaceuticals may be required to maintain its security rating and be opened and closed 50 times a day. Standard commercial door sets are not specified for this purpose.
Where industrial security door sets are used, heavier gauge steel, with hardware rated for high-cycle use, are employed. Frames are fixed into reinforced structural openings. Impact protection is used to prevent accidental impact from forklifts and other vehicles from impacting the door and causing the frame and the security rating to fail.
LPS 1175 SR3 is typically used for industrial high-security applications. Utility infrastructure, defence sites, and high-value manufacturing facilities may even specify SR4 or SR5 levels. SR4 and SR5 levels require significant opening preparation to accommodate a structural security installation.
Blast resistant and ballistic doors are used for defense, utility and other specialized applications, where explosive and/or ballistic threats are present. These doors are engineered to order for the specific threat and opening dimensions.
Specification Requirements
At a minimum, all houses/domestic properties require PAS 24, and if possible, Secured by Design. Commercial properties need LPS 1175 SR2 at a minimum, but should be higher if there are valuable or sensitive stocks. Industrial properties that require serious security impose a need for specification before a purchase decision is made.
The installation is as important as the door. An incorrectly rated door installed incorrectly does not deliver the required performance. The installer needs to understand the standard the door is rated and install it accordingly.