Which Are the Most Secure Home Doors: Wood, Fiberglass or Metal?

Wood

• Tradition, appearance, durability and the sense of security a thick wooden door gives to many people help make wood the most popular choice for home doors. The security level the door provides depends on the type of wood, the design and construction of the door and the frame and locks. According to the Steel Entry Doors Help website, the best woods for home doors include oak and mahogany.

Metal

• Doors made of steel are stronger and provide more security than either wooden or fiberglass doors. However, they have drawbacks. While steel doors do not warp or crack, impacts can dent them. Exposure to weather can produce rust. Intruders can force open a steel door just as they can a wooden one.

Fiberglass

• The popularity of fiberglass doors has grown as manufacturers design them to look more like wooden doors. Fiberglass doors require less maintenance and repair than either wood or steel, and weather does not affect them. They are stronger than wooden doors by a factor of about three.

Other Factors

• The frame and locks used with a door determine the door's effectiveness. An intruder can kick open a steel door just as easily as a wooden one if the door has a soft wood jamb or short screws attach the lock's strike plate. Glass panels can reduce the security of a door. Glass panels close to the door knob allow an intruder to break the panel, reach through and open the door.