What are the most secure front doors?

[samosamo]

Hi all

Please help if you can. Were moving to a house we've just bought. It has a florid history, one if the neighbours say they suspect it was used to stash drugs in recent years??!!

That, and fact that DH works late, I want a very secure front door.

I'll have a nest cam at the front and back door.

Which intruder alarms are best? I'm thinking of sensor ones for downstairs.

Any other security measures i should be thinking of?

Thanks!!!

Get a chain or door brace and a spy hole put in. Really it’s the rear doors that are generally more vulnerable than the front to burglary.

Rock door

Its a mid terrace (4 houses on each side) so they'd REALLY have to target me to want to bother, unless of course, the intruder is a neighbour!

But yes, alarm and best cam for the back (sliding doors).

Rock door

2 votes. Great! Thx

solid oak.
Lots of brass bolts.
No worries.

Reinforce all windows and doors. No point having a great front door when everything else is weak.

Banham locks are really secure

Have you thought about the door itself? There are lots of different types of front doors you can get. Timber and uPVC are good, but they're not as strong as some. Composite doors are really strong and secure, since they combine timber aesthetics with the strength of uPVC. They're manufactured under high pressure from multiple layers and materials. Plus, most composite doors will come with the latest locking mechanisms as standard.

Definitely a good idea to get a door cam, like you say you already have. And like others have said, think about ALL your doors. Back doors are one of the most commonly missed weak points of any property. You could get a composite back door too, to enjoy the same strength. This worked wonders for us in a less-than-desirable area!

Were doing an extension abd it'll be sliding doors at the back, so I'm thinking the lock will be the thing to ficus on at the back?

The windows are all key operated locks, what more can I do?

Thanks all, BTW!

@drpet49

Reinforce all windows and doors. No point having a great front door when everything else is weak.

Totally agree

Window latches and french door latches/bars - basically holda the doors together. I would think cctv would be a good deterrant?

Can anyome reccomend lock brands please? For either door locks, brands for bolts or any lockimg/deterring instrument

Sliding doors? So all they have to do is smash the glass then walk through the still-locked frame?

Just make sure, whatever you do, that keys etc are easily at hand inside so you can get out in case of a fire.

@user113424742258631134

Sliding doors? So all they have to do is smash the glass then walk through the still-locked frame?

Exactly! I'm hoping for an element of protection from being the very middle terrace in a fairly long row....

Any ideas on alternative doors for a side return extension?!

Maybe try a steel security door like these?

www.cerberusdoors.co.uk/doors/traditional-doors

Hi all,

I went away and looked at Rock doors. Heard criticism on quality recently, and foam core. Many saying Solidor is better?

Seriously considering the steel, thank you.

Solid oak someone said. Can i hear more on that from anyone who knows?

Thank you all!

We have a Solidor (after lots of research following a break in).

As pps have said, they got access through our back door (which was actually on the side of the house). We've extended and decided purposely not to have a back or side door. We went with bi-fold doors - again did lots of research - people don't tend to break in by breaking the glass (these days its toughened glass etc), they interfere with the lock / handle mechanism or the frame itself. We therefore don't have a lock or handle on the outside of the doors and looked particularly at frames when choosing a company.

We did a lot of research on front doors and Solidor, Rock and Endurance Doors all have a very similar product as far as security goes (both the door itself and the lock). There are small differences which give them all a USP but you will have a similar end result with all. We went with Solidor from the 3 because we had specific requirements in terms of panels on side and above the door and they best catered to this.

If you are really concerned about security and break ins then a steel core is going to be the most secure of them all but of course it comes with associated price tag.

Thank you both.

I am doing an extension at the back so I will be thinking about that over the next few months. Thank you

An ADT (or similar) burglar alarm with a big visible box at the front and back will deter criminals.

You need anti-snap locks on all windows and doors.

Whichever door you choose it’s also worth getting the door frame reinforced with a London bar or similar.

We got an Endurance door fitted. It feels very solid compared to our old (and admittedly cheap) timber door. I'm not sure if this was just salesman patter, but I was told they are the drug dealers' door of choice as the police struggle to break them down! We live in a fairly low crime area, so I was more concerned with looks and draft proofing than security, but it is nice to think it's so safe :)

Double glazing units are easy to break if you know how , it can be done without making too much noise as well . I wouldn’t worry about the front door too much.