How To Install Strike Plate On Metal Door Frame
When it comes to home security, strike plates play an essential part: they go along the door securely closed.
A strike plate is a minor plate fabricated of metallic that's mounted on the jamb over a mortise. The door commodities or latch extends into this hole when the door is closed.
No matter how secure the deadbolt you install or how strong your door is, a weak strike plate volition make all your efforts futile.
By upgrading and reinforcing your door strike, you can reduce the risk of forced entries.
Allow's see how you tin can do that the correct style.
1. How to Reinforce Your Existing Strike Plate
If you need a quick fix on a upkeep, the most obvious step is to reinforce your existing door strike.
A simple way to upgrade a strike plate is to replace the erstwhile screws with longer and more robust ones which provide more than holding ability. This way the strike will withstand greater forces.
Hither's how you can do information technology:
- Go hardened steel screws that are at to the lowest degree 3 inches long. Stainless steel fabric is peculiarly important for outside doors to forestall corrosion.
- Make sure the bore of the screws is a good fit for the material of the door frame. Screws with a larger bore are commonly more secure, still, also thick screws may cause the door jamb to carve up.
- Remove the existing screws
- Make sure the strike plate is aligned with the existing holes and secure it with the new, longer screws
To prevent the strike plate from sliding out of its original position, replace one spiral at a time.
Again, strike plate screws should be at least 3 inches long if your goal is to increase the level of security.
Tip
For extra security, make sure y'all use screws that you tin drive deep into the stud next to the door frame. Most door frames have a width of about 1 inch, that's why screws with a 3 inches length are a practiced choice in most cases. Sometimes you might need even longer screws to reinforce your strike plate.
Benefits of this method:
- It costs but a few bucks and can be washed in a minute
- Longer screws allow the strike plate to withstand a greater lateral strength
- Anchoring the strike plate to a stud correct adjacent to the door frame provides additional back up and makes it more than difficult for an intruder to kick the door open
The drawback is that fifty-fifty though your strike plate is now deeply attached to the jamb, you lot're still heavily relying on the strength of the door frame. Therefore, if the frame is made of weak fabric or shows signs of clothing, such every bit splits or cracks, reinforcing it is highly recommended.
two. Replacing Your Existing Strike Plate With a Heavy-Duty Model
Yous can take the previous method one footstep further by replacing the whole strike plate with a heavy-duty model that's designed for improved security.
What are the criteria for choosing a heavy-duty security strike plate?
- Opt for a robust model that's made of high-quality steel, which is less probable to break under stress
- Make sure it has a thickness of at least ⅓ inches
- Reinforced corners further better sturdiness
- It must exist a solid production consisting of a single slice
- Information technology should come with long screws (at least 3 inches); if it doesn't, you must purchase them separately
Plainly, you also desire to make certain it has the right dimensions for the mortise and door jamb and it's compatible with the existing locking system. It'southward a good exercise to measure the dimensions of your old strike plate earlier buying.
Yous may need to adjust the size of the mortise to the new strike. In most cases, you can exercise the task using a chisel and a hammer.
A skillful example of a hardened door strike is a box strike plate. Information technology's a type of security strike plate that comes with a steel cup that'south inserted into the pigsty in the jamb. This box receives and encloses the deadbolt when you lot lock the door.
The primary advantage of a box strike plate over a standard strike plate is that when you lock the door, the bolt extends into a steel cup which provides actress security for your exterior door. So instead of a relatively thin piece of metal and wood, the deadbolt is surrounded by stainless steel, which is much more resistant to force attacks.
Hither'due south what information technology looks like:
When buying, brand sure the box has the proper depth for the mortise and deadbolt.
Security lip strike plate is another reliable type. It's secured to the door jamb with ordinarily vi long screws. Information technology partially protects the jamb besides which reduces the likelihood of successful tampering.
You lot tin can also choose a double strike plate, which has openings for both the latch and the bolt. Information technology'south normally thicker and more robust than a standard strike plate.
3. Use a Door Reinforcement Kit
Although this method requires more investment than the previous ones, it can really take door security to the next level.
A loftier-quality door reinforcement kit provides a higher level of security than a single hardened strike plate. Information technology not but makes your strike plate stronger but also improves the overall resistance of your door.
A door security kit typically consists of the following components:
- security strike plate
- jamb shield
- hinge shield
Some kits may comprise additional pieces of hardware, such as an anti-pry plate.
The main advantage of a door reinforcement kit is the holistic arroyo. The individual components help yous reinforce some of the weakest parts of your door: the strike plate and the hinges. Too, most kits will protect against prying, boot-ins, and other high-force attacks.
Door Armor from Armor Concepts is a expert example of a high-quality security kit just there are many other products to choose from.
Installing a door reinforcement kit usually does not require a professional person. So in about cases, it shouldn't cause any problem for anyone who has at least some experience with DIY projects. If you ask me, information technology's i of the most effective ways to reinforce a door and discourage burglars.
Keep in mind that the above measures aren't worth much without a loftier-quality deadbolt lock (preferably an ANSI Grade i lock). So if your door lacks a reliable deadbolt lock, getting one should exist your first footstep to improve home security and reduce the chance of a burglary.
If your master goal is to preclude your door from being kicked in, here's a comprehensive guide.
FAQ
How exercise you fix a gap between the strike plate and the door?
To gear up a gap between the strike plate and the door, you accept to endeavor to adjust the strike as a first step. You tin do that by removing the strike plate and using a slice of cardboard cut to size as a shim. As an alternative, you tin use woods filler. If the gap is still too big, y'all may need to adjust the door likewise.
When should I supersede my strike plate?
You lot should supervene upon your strike plate if it's not working properly, at that place are visible signs of habiliment or information technology's damaged. When security is a concern, it'due south always recommended to replace a standard strike with a security strike.
Do longer strike plate screws brand a door harder to kick in?
Longer strike plate screws fabricated of hardened steel volition definitely make a door harder to kick in. However, much depends on the strength of a door frame and the door lock. If you want to secure a door from existence kicked in, you lot'll do good most from installing a door reinforcement kit.
Source: https://dailyhomesafety.com/reinforce-door-strike-plate/
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