How to Burglarproof Your Doors

Last Updated: September 2, 2022 References

Burglaries are always a concern for homeowners. But what's the best way to keep your house safe? Undoubtedly you've already installed an alarm system (if not, do so right away), and maybe you've got a guard dog patrolling your property too. Statistics prove that most burglars enter a house through the front or back door. So keep those doors locked and secure. Here are some suggestions.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Do You Have the Right Door?

1
Get the right doors. If your front and back doors are hollow, you need to replace them immediately. How do you know if your door is hollow? Simply knock on it. Hollow doors are merely sheets of veneer over a cardboard core. All exterior doors should be solid and made from the following materials:
- Fiberglass
- Solid wood
- Solid wood core (a layer of veneer over solid wood)
- Metal (Note: make sure metal doors are reinforced inside and have what is called a lock block. Otherwise, they can be bent out of the frame using a car jack)
2
If installing/replacing a new door and frame, consider a fiberglass door that swings outward rather than inward (and don't forget using security hinges).^{[1]
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Research source} Having a door open in this way helps absorb any type of forced entry.

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3
Replace all windowed exterior doors with windowless doors. For maximum security, all doors should be windowless, and you should not have windows close enough to the door so that a thief could break the window and unlock the door from the inside. A deadbolt isn't much help on any door like this for that reason. A big dog's the only possible hindrance with these doors, but only with the landlord's permission.
- If you do have sliding glass doors, glass door panels or nearby windows, however, cover the glass with a security grate or grille on the outside or a clear, unbreakable polycarbonate panel secured behind the glass on the inside.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Lock Your Doors

In a significant percentage of burglaries, the criminal enters the victim's home through an unlocked door. Even the strongest locks in the world are useless if you don't use them. Lock all exterior doors whenever you go out - even if you'll just be gone a few minutes.

1
Install deadbolt locks.^{[2]
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Research source} With the exception of sliding doors, all exterior doors should have a deadbolt lock in addition to the lock built into the doorknob. The deadbolt should be high quality (grade 1 or 2, solid metal with no exposed screws on the exterior), with a throw bolt (the bolt that comes out of the door) at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The lock should be properly installed. Many homes have lower quality deadbolts or throw bolts less than 1 inch (2.5 cm). These must be replaced.
2
Install a dead-lock.^{[3]
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Research source} Adding an additional lock will provide extra security when you are home. The dead-lock (sometimes called an 'exit-only deadbolt') is a deadbolt that does not have an external key. It may be clearly visible on the door from the outside, but it cannot be broken into without destroying the door, frame, or lock itself. While this security won't help directly when you aren't home, its visibility may discourage an intruder from trying the door.
3
Secure sliding doors. The best way to secure sliding doors is to install keyed locks at the top and bottom. You can also make or purchase a bar that swings down from the door frame to the middle of the door to prevent the door from sliding. At the very least, place a rod (a thick wooden dowel, for example) in the bottom track of the door to keep it from being opened. Regardless of the method you use, it's a good idea to reinforce the glass with polycarbonate panels, as recommended in the previous step.^{[4]
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Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Reinforce Your Entryway

1
Install cylinder guards around the lock cylinders (the part where you insert the key). Burglars can sometimes remove or damage lock cylinders by hammering, wrenching, or prying. Protect these with metal guard plates or protective rings on both sides of the door. Install guard plates with round-head carriage bolts to prevent them from being unscrewed. Free-spinning rings around the cylinders will prevent the use of a pipe wrench to twist out the cylinder. Many locks come with these already, but if yours doesn't, you can purchase them.
2
Replace flimsy strike plates. The strike plate is the metal plate that surrounds the lock-set (the hole in the door frame where the lock bolt enters). All exterior doors should have heavy-duty metal security strike plates secured by four 3-inch screws. Many homes are built with lower quality strike plates or have strike plates that are secured with short screws that just attach to the door jamb, not the underlying stud.^{[5]
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Research source}
3
Secure exposed hinges. Hinges should be on the inside of the door. If yours are not, rehang the door or secure the exposed hinges with non-removable pins. You can do this by removing at least the two center screws of the hinge (on each side) and replacing them with non-removable hinge pins (you can get these at the hardware store) or double-headed masonry nails. Even hinges that are not exposed should be secured to the frame with 3-inch screws.^{[6]
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Research source}
4
Fortify your frame. Even if your door is strong and has high-quality, properly installed locks, a burglar may be able to gain entry by breaking or prying the door frame. Most door frame moldings are simply tacked to the wall, so a crowbar or a solid kick can easily separate the frame from the wall. Secure your door frames to the walls by installing several 3-inch screws along the frame and doorstop. The screws should reach the wall stud.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Peepholes

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Install viewers.^{[7]
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Research source}Viewers (also called peepholes) allow you to see who is on the other side of the door. Install wide-angle viewers at eye level on all exterior doors. If you have to open your door to see, your locks won't do you much good. Try to find peepholes with covers to prevent people from looking back in with special tools, like a reverse peephole viewer.^{[8]
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Research source}

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you burglarproof a bedroom door?

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

You could always install some locks on the inside of the door. If someone breaks into your home and they have access to everything except your bedroom, they're probably going to skip the bedroom. Home invaders aren't trying to stick around super long, and they definitely don't want to make a ton of noise by trying to kick a door down. In that sense, a lock will probably do a lot of work.
Question

What can I do to deter burglars if I already have locks?

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

Exterior lights are a big help. Burglars typically want to work in private, so the less private you make the area outside of your home, the less likely they'll be to try and break into your home. Also, keep your bushes trimmed. If someone can hide in your hedges at a moment's notice, it will be an attractive home for a criminal.
Question

Do those fake security cameras work?

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

Yes. Criminals are lazy. They want things to be easy. Even something like a fake security camera can serve as a bit of a deterrence, and every little bit counts when it comes to deterring crime.

Warnings

Don't become obsessed with security. Naturally, you want to take all reasonable measures to protect yourself, your family, and your belongings, but don't turn your house into a prison. No matter what precautions you take, you could still become the victim of a crime at some point, and you've got a life to live - don't let fear prevent you from enjoying your life.

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Even the most solid lock system is worthless if the frame around the door is weak. Make sure the door frame is as strong and secure as the lock.

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If you're not used to locking your doors and you have a door that you can lock without a key, take care to remember your keys whenever you leave the house. You may lock yourself out once or twice despite your best efforts, but you'll soon get into the routine. Leave a copy of your key with a neighbor, or discuss hiding it somewhere on their property, rather than leaving an obvious hide-a-key device with your key next to the door.

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Double-cylinder locks, while more secure, can present a danger in the event of a fire since you must find and use a key to open them, even from the inside. In some jurisdictions, building codes prohibit their use in residences. Consider the risk these locks present before installing them.

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Lock picking is easy if you know how to do it correctly, even on a dead bolt. Also a bump-key proof lock is something you should look into. Medeco locks, although expensive, provide the best protection from picking.

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