Fact Sheet
Home Security
Doors, Frames & Locks
All locks are not created equal!
A few seconds ... that’s how long it takes the average
burglar to get into a home.
Door systems
Think about it: it can take less time for
a burglar to forcibly break into your
home than it does for you to fumble for
your keys and open the door that way. A
burglar, with one forceful, well placed
kick, can break open the average door.
Kicking in the door requires no special
tools and surprisingly, makes very
little noise.
(b) Door frames should be installed
to close tolerances (0.5 cm or
0.2 inches) inside the rough
opening. An alternative is
filler plates * around frames
at critical areas, including all
locks, latches and hinges.
strong structure to support the
required security hardware.
Doors
1. Wood
Filler plates add to the integrity
of the frame, reduce the gap
between the door frame and
the wall studs (a potential
pry area), and allow for a
PRP 52
Revised – May 2008
All exterior doors, including
exterior and interior garage
doors, should be of solid wood
construction such as high density
particle board, solid wood, or
wood block core. No panels
should exist on the doors.
2. Steel
*
Filler material should extend
30 cm (12 inches) above and
below the strike plate area,
and 7.5 cm (3 inches) above
and below the hinges. Filler
material should consist of
solid hardwood blocks.
(b) The Canadian General
S t a n d a r d s B o a r d ’s
specification for insulated
steel doors (CAN / CDSB
82.5-M).
Strikes for Wooden
Frames
Frames
(a) All exterior door frames should
be set in frame openings
constructed of double studding,
including garage doors, but
excluding overhead doors.
The strike is a crucial part of the
locking mechanism. Its purpose is to
reinforce the frame allowing the lock
to do its job.
Good door security starts with the
proper installation of the frame and a
good quality door without glass near
the lock. Skipping this step in favour
of installing a good quality lock, is the
equivalent of securing a paper lunch
bag with a padlock.
(a) The Canadian General
S t a n d a r d s B o a r d ’s
specification for wood
flush doors (CAN / CDSB
0132.2-M).
Door Strikes
Doors & Frames
1. Wood Frames (exterior door only)
Steel doors should be of steel
grid, or steel edge construction
with a minimum steel thickness
of 20-gauge.
Some steel doors are equipped
with wood frames that are steel
clad. Although these frames
may offer a greater degree of
protection, they should still be
considered as wood frames and
installed accordingly.
A good starting point is to look
for doors that meet the following
standards:
Strikes should be of a minimum 5mm
(1/8”) thick solid metal with four
off-set screw holes. Screws securing
the strike should be a minimum of
8.75 cm (31/2”) long and penetrate
a minimum of 2.5 cm (1”) into the
supporting wall structure regardless
of filler thickness.
Escutcheon plates
Once the strike is properly secured, the
force of any attack is transmitted to the
door. Most residential doors, including
steel faced insulated doors, are built
using wooden edges (stiles) that split
easily under the force of attack. To
strengthen the door, an escutcheon
plate is required.
For more information on
this subject, please contact:
Peel Regional Police
Crime Prevention Services
7750 Hurontario Street
Brampton, Ontario
L6V 3W6
Tel. 905-453-2121 ext. 4021
Fax 905-456-6106
You may also want to examine our
Internet site at:
www.peelpolice.ca
Home Security – Doors Frames & Locks
Fact Sheet
a minimum of 10.6 cm (4 1/4 inches) length carriage or hex
bolts mounted through the door and into the escutcheon plate.
The lock shall incorporate the following features:
• drill-resistant cylinder
• twist-resistant cylinder with tapered, hardened steel or
free-spinning cylinder guard
• hardened steel locking bolts
NOTE:
Rim-mounted locks shall be used in conjunction with
angle strikes.
Double Doors
All exterior doors should have
escutcheon plates with back plates or
wrap-around door channels installed
around any deadbolt lock. Plates are
to be secured from the inside with 1.9
cm (3/4 inch) carriage or hex bolts that
cannot be removed from the exterior.
The small screws that are supplied
with most escutcheon plates should
be replaced with bolts. (Redrilling the
holes in the escutcheon plate may be
required.)
In addition to the above mentioned lock, double doors also
require added hardware that may be difficult to install.
1.Sliding Bolts
Locks
2.Escutcheon Plates
Tubular Deadbolt Locks
Deadbolt locks should have the
following features:
• minimum of 5.6 cm (2 1/4 inch)
interlocking bolts to hold the
cylinder together
• pick-resistant cylinder
• drill-resistant cylinder
• twist-resistant, tapered hardened
steel, or free-spinning cylinder
guard
• hardened steel bolt, minimum
2.5 cm (1 inch) long (when
thrown) and shall incorporate
a saw-resistant feature.
Rim mounted vertical drop deadbolts
should be installed on these doors with
All slide bolts and locks shall
be protected with an escutcheon
plate. (Note: This may be difficult
to accomplish due to weather
stripping.)
NOTE:
If at all possible, avoid using double doors unless the manufacturer has
specifically designed them to forced entry specifications. If retrofitting,
contact Crime Prevention Services for alternatives that might help.
DOUBLE CYLINDER DEADBOLT
The Peel Regional Police DO NOT RECOMMEND the use of double
cylinder deadbolt locks on doors due to the exit requirements in an
emergency.
Vertical Drop Deadbolts
Vertical drop deadbolt locks can be
used in the following situations:
• double doors
• doors in which the frame cannot
be secured against spreading
(i.e. double studding and filler
plates)
• circumstances where minimum
length screws cannot be
installed, such as a window
next to the frame.
The inactive leaf on a double door
should be provided with heavy duty
slide bolts, top and bottom. All slide
bolts shall penetrate a minimum of
2.5 cm (1 inch) when thrown and use
a high security strike. This protection
is not required when the slide bolt
penetrates into concrete.
If there is glass within 40 inches of a deadbolt lock, the glass itself should
be fortified or replaced with a UL/ULC or other suitable standard burglary
resistant glazing product.
Other Home Security fact sheets
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
• Home Security Challenge
• Home Security – Residential Alarm Systems
• Home Security – Window Security & Patio Doors
• Mark Your Property
• Residential Hi-Rise Security
• Repeat Burglaries