M14 Forum

jim-analog

Greetings,

Well, after 9 months I'm getting close to finishing building our new house. Did this acting as GC (and a few of the trades as well). Anyway, I'm interested in finding some very good quality lock sets for the doors. They are all Pella and factory cut with 2 holes for dead bolt and lock set. Can anyone suggest brands that are very good quality but not over the top crazy priced? One other important specification is be able to get pad locks keyed the same as the door locks and dead bolts. I did this at our last house and found it to be really handy to only need a single key for everything.

Any opinions on re-enforcing the door jambs, striker plates, anti-kick plates, etc.? It's a log house so the exterior walls are pretty substantial, leaving doors and windows as the weak points.

Any other general security input would be appreciated. I did wire it all up for a hard wired security system that I'll install when there is a bit more time. Gun safe is in, on a 4" concrete riser in a separate room off the basement, back up generator with auto switch over, redundant heating systems, plenty of motion detector floods outside, etc.. I'm sure there are many things I haven't thought of though. Utilities are all underground. Thanks much!

Regards, Jim

phil conrad

I have been in the lock and key business for over 30 years. I finally have a topic that I can help with. :). I assume you are more concerned with forced entry than skilled entry such as picking or impressioning. For this I would suggest Schlage "B660" series deadbolt locks. These are not usually found at your big box stores. You would have to buy these from a locksmith. If you have any more qustions feel free to ask.

bd111

I can't add much unless you wanted to go with steel-reinforced framing around your entry doors. The material doesn't cost much, but it's something you'd need to do before your inside wallboard goes up.

tmcfalls

Replace the factory screws in the hings and lock plates with 3-4 inch screws. Leave out a screw in the top and bottom hing, drill a hole in the door that corresponds with the missing screw and install a pin that screws into your wall and sticks through into your door.

Also look on line for door jamb armor products.

Most of that should be enough to keep out the most determined meth head.

I doubt you can do this since it is a log home but if I ever build a home I plan on mortising in a piece of steal into my door jack studs at the lock and dead bolt that will butt up to the door jamb and help reinforce the locks.

Sweets

You can have the world's best lock, but if the door frame is weak, that will let someone with know-how walk right in. A simple way to strengthen the frame is to put in extra sideways bracing (simple if the wall isn't there yet). Myself, I've crossbraced with 2x4s about every foot, and across 2 studs. Steel framing is of course even stronger but costs more. Then use the big screws as described and you're probably better than 90% of your neighbours. I assume there'll be no glass in the door, BTW- don't get me started on that....

pepsi71ocean

if it is a log house, and its nice and tight between the door jam and the logs ide just blast some 4 inch screws where the deadbolt is, and the log, nd then 3 inch screws everywhere around the jam.

And then ide put in 4 inch deck screws on the hinged side as well, and then lastly, make sure your door is rock solid as well, so they can't kick the hinged side in either.

jim-analog

Greetings,

Thank you everyone for the replies!

Phil, thanks! Great suggestion. I'd read good reviews about Schlage products, but didn't know which one.

As it's a log house, no way to *easily* add any steel on the jamb or hinge sides (may have been able to do this much earlier in the construction process, but not now) nor to reinforce the walls (they are pretty sturdy; each "log" is about 7" X 6" and has a protruding 2" square tongue that is glued into a corresponding groove on the next course up). I'll definitely go for long decking screws on both hinges and strike plates.

tmcfalls.............Sorry, I'm not understanding about the pin suggestion; could you please clarify?

Hey Pepsi71! I haven't forgotten about our BAR trip; soon as I can get this house all done; most likely be spring time by then. The wettest year on record really slowed down construction here; thought we'd be done by now.

Regards, Jim

bigbang

I am in the masterlock business too, working for a Swiss company as a designer of high end masterlock systems, made of ChrNi steel. When I talk to my clients I start with the saying: home security is like pregnancy, there is no such thing as partialy pregnant. The best locking outfit doesn't help, if your windows, your roof, your basement isn't secured to the same standards.
Wolf

pepsi71ocean

He means a rivet or a metal pin that protrudes into the door when closed.


I have to agree with bigbang, and that the strongest area is the weakest. You might want to include shutters that can be closed from the outside and locked on the inside, or thick walled windows etic.

But personally a nice long flower garden, with rose buses filled in there will do you alot of good as an added barrier to getting into the house via the windows and such.

We have a rock wall that lines the proerty along the road, the wall is only about 1.5 feet tall and is stacked flat rock, and we have huge 4 inch rocks at the base to the street to make it tough to walk on.

IMO a good 4 foot bed with huge 4-6 inch river round rock, and rose bushes growing inside will make a huge problem for anyone who is walking in there, the rocks make it unstable and the bushes stick into anything. All that is left is the deck/front and rear entrances into the house.

If time permits might want to consider digging a walking tunnel to a barn or offsite Garage to facilitate in an escape route, that can be closed off and hidden as a last resort exit.



And yea i figured when things go better we would meet up and shoot it, i still have that can, but i might buy some loose stuff as well. Its a shame you and i were not close cuz i would love to put that BAR into the World War one Movie im shooting for my brother project.

huntinghawk

Most B&Es aren't threw a door but threw a window.

HH

blueroan

One simple thing is that your dead bolt locks should require a key on BOTH sides. They can't get big stuff out the windows near as easily as a door. It probably makes them nervous when they find that they'll be leaving through the window they broke in through.

Obviously, sliding doors to the patio or deck are another problem. Hardening them is next to impossible.

You have to inconspicuously make it harder to hit your home than someone else down the street.

m14forme

The only problem with those locks is when your house is on fire and you can't find the key.

phil conrad

So true. What I tell people that want double cylinder locks is to leave the key inside the inside cylinder when you are asleep.

bigbang

HH is right, most B&Es are through the windows. Home security is like a military barrage. If it is not monitored it can be overcome with the necessary time and effort. Thats the point: time and effort. If you don't have a monitoring system which is locked on to your next police station or a professional security guard you should at least reinforce your perimeter protection to gain at least 5 minutes. Intruders usually give up if it takes more than 5 minutes and if it makes noise.
At least we are taking about a junky or a sneak thief, assuming that you are not wealthy enough to get in the focus of a professional burglar. In this case you have the means of investing into professional armament
Wolf.

pepsi71ocean

agreed... more or less it keeps honest people honest. if they know what they are doing it doesn't matter because the professionals will know the way around the systems,