Methods of Reinforcing Door Latches

Metal-Shelled Door

• The door latch in a wooden door can be weakened by a hammer and chisel, or by a criminal with a large screwdriver. To help secure your door latch and doorknob in place, you should replace your wooden door with a metal-shelled door. This is a wooden door with a thick, metal shell on the outside to give additional support to your door latch and door security system. The door latch holes are already drilled into a metal-shelled door to make installation easier.

Reinforced Door Frame

• A reinforced door frame made of metal can act as added support to your door latch. You can purchase a full door and reinforced frame assembly that comes with the door already balanced in the frame and the frame properly insulated to resist moisture. You can install the door and frame yourself, or hire a professional contractor.

Strike Plate

• The strike plate is the metal piece installed into the door frame that the door latch settles into when the door is closed. To reinforce your door latch, replace your old strike plate with a thicker one. Mount the strike plate into the frame using 1-inch-long screws as opposed to the 1/2-inch-long screws that normally come with a strike plate.

Door Wrap

• A door wrap is a metal piece that installs around the door at the door latch area and reinforces the door latch and the deadbolt. With a metal door wrap, criminals cannot get a chisel or screwdriver in behind your doorknob to pop off the top and expose the door latch mechanism. The metal plate also acts as a reinforcement where the door latch meets the strike plate.