Apartment safe room

[DirtyBrad]

My girlfriend and I live together in an apartment. We'll be buying a house as soon as we can, but it's looking like another couple of years where we are for now.

I'd like to make our bedroom a safe room where we can hunker down while waiting for the calvary if there's trouble. It's very large, has its own bathroom, and a walk-in closet. Its only drawback is that there is a large floor-to-ceiling window, but it's up on the third floor in a very visible location, so I'm not too worried about that right now.

When you enter the room, there's a little four-foot "hallway". On your right is the closet and the left is the bathroom. There's a long gun safe with loaded shotgun and tons of ammo in the closet and a combination pistol safe bolted to the bed frame with a loaded pistol and extra mags. We don't have a land-line, but we keep both of our cell phones next to us at night.

What I'm worried about is the door. It's an el cheapo hollow core that an eight year old could kick in. It's got a crappy push-button lock on the knob. I don't have full discretion over modifying the place, but I also don't have a problem doing something to keep us safer. I've done plenty of construction, so that's no problem, but I would probably like to do the simplest thing that's still effective.

I also wouldn't mind making the closet a secondary safe room. It's big enough for both of us to lie down in and has just the one door to defend.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

I've got a friend who is in a business where he has a "safe house".

One door leads in and goes up the steps. The one thing I noticed is that he has deadbolts on BOTH sides of the door ( the opening side and the hinge side ) Interesting...

Said it was to slow someone from kicking the door down. You could do the same thing with throwbolts.

 

[DirtyBrad]

Mongo,

Thanks for responding. I don't know what it's called, but our door is like fiber board or something. You could literally punch your fist through it if you hit it reasonably hard. I'm guessing they got some cheap leftover from a zombie movie.

Bolts on the outside seems like a pretty bad idea, doesn't it? You could get locked in. Or, if there were multiple exits, the bad guy could take one of them away from you that way.

I'm all for slowing intruders down, but I really want to make the room as impenetrable as possible. Or at least make the delay a matter of hours not seconds or minutes.

I guess a new door and some kind of frame reinforcement for a proper deadbolt is probably going to be in order, but I don't know much about this stuff yet.

 

[The Undertoad]

On a deadbolt you want a minimum 1" throw. You want a solid wood core door. Hopefully the hinges are on the inside? If not, use a non-removable hidden hinge pin. You want a good sturdy wood or metal doorframe. Use 2 or 3" screws in the hinges and the little plate thingy that the deadbolt goes into (forget the technical term)

I believe the type of lock Mongo is referring to is a double cylinder. There is no latch on the inside, if it is locked, you need the key to open it, regardless of which side of the door you are on. Very useful if there is a window within arms reach of your front door. Not so good if there's a fire in the house unless you know EXACTLY where the key is, every time.

 

[charliemopic]

Weakest Link

Everything is only as strong as the weakest part.
Idunno how any house or apartment can have a very safe room because its only as safe as an interior or exterior wall.
Looking around my own very small house I figure I would pick one room or large closet and reinforce it. Maybe put 4"x4" oak planks between the studs about 4 feet or so up from the concrete slab floor instead of insulation.Maybe even a small section of that backed up with 1/4" steel plate for a section safe from most ammunition within the safe room. Depends on what your planning for, a few hours, a day or 3 weeks?
Far as having multiple guns and ammo available you'll find you'll need only the guns you can use at the time. Any more guns and ammo and you may find yourself defending the guns so the bad guy(s) won't get them and use'em on you!
Since there is 2 of us here I keep 2 weapons and 3 times reload for both at the ready and 2 U.S. mil. surplus flak vests at the ready. Its the best I can do at this time.

 

[DirtyBrad]

Thank you, Andrew.

1" throw means that's how much is sticking out, right?

Putting in a new frame is a project. Actually, the wall studs in the apartment are aluminum, which makes me think the door frame probably is, too. If so, I'm guessing I could get away with the existing frame and just install a good door and lock.

I think a deadbolt on one side will be sufficient. I don't want to have a lock on the outside of the door. Being an interior door, it's nowhere near a window, so I'll be fine without a key. Also, the hinges are on the inside, so that's all set already.

 

[DirtyBrad]

Charile,

I know what you're saying. Being able to just bust through drywall is something I've thought of. I know I'm not creating a fortress here. I'd love to do something like what you're talking about when I have my own place, but while renting, my goal is to have a room to hole up in long enough to call the cops and for it to be secure enough that an intruder is going to give the door a few tries, realize he's not going to bring it down any time soon, and hit the road. Also something secure enough that I know I'm not going to be awoken to a knife at my throat and something to give my girlfriend piece of mind when I'm on the road.

 

[The Undertoad]

Yep, throw is the length of the deadbolt stickin' out of the door That's good news about the hinges. I agree re: the choice of lock. IMHO double cylinders only make sense on external doors.

 

[CAS700850]

My advice, as a former renter, is to minimize the expense you put into the apartment. It's lost money in the long run. I suggest you harden the exterior door, and consider some type of alarm. I had on on my door that would start making very loud noise as soon as the door was opened, and had to be turned off by a key. Consider cheap door wedges for the bedroom door. Won't hold them off for very long, but it should give you time to get armed and prepared.

Another option, if you have time and real interest, is to build a better door. I guess you could buy one as well. Then, when you get your house, you can take it with you, and put the cardboard door back up.

 

[DirtyBrad]

CAS,

I hear you. My plan was to do as you suggest and take it with us when we leave. We have a few things in the place that fit that bill -- light fixtures, switch plates, etc. We might not be able to use the new door in a new place, but we'd find a place for the deadbolt, I'm sure.

Building a door is a great idea to save money. Two-by-fours, plywood, some filler, and paint would probably do the trick.

I like the alarm idea. I've seen those little ones like you're talking about. My only hesitation is the multiple heart attacks I'll be inviting when I set them off by mistake. I wonder if there's something similar for a renter involving lights rather than an alarm.

Our front door is very stout, but we have so many huge windows, that I'd really feel better with the bedroom more secure.

 

[1 old 0311]

Without going to far into this, I had a job that required people coming into a home to purchase Gold Coins, and Antique Jewelery. We stacked up cinder bolcks 4 high on the back side of the wall, bedroom.The coins were sold in the living room. My job was to stay in the bedroom and in case of a robery a signal was given and my employer would hit the floor, and I would fire through the wall. Never had to shoot but the blocks were a big comfort.

Kevin

 

[Tokugawa]

If the frame is reasonably solid, just go get a good solid core door (sometimes called a slab) . This will be the same size and thickness of your existing hollow core. Get one that is plain, no simulated panels, etc. Then use 3 1/2" screws into the door and frame for hinges. the point is to get past the door jamb into the studs. Next buy a good slage deadbolt,( commercial grade,) a door protector( a "shoe to fit over and around the lockset/deadbolt area on the door), and a corresponding "bulldog", reinforced strike. (this uses a 3" long pin that fits into the studs. This will buy some significant time. If you have a friend in the building trades he can buy this stuff wholesale and save you some bucks. Rough costs-- door- $60-80, deadbolt $80, door reinforcer $25, bulldog strike $20 Time about a day to do a good job. The door may need triming, painting etc. A pro will be a lot quicker, remember your building buddy...... now do the same to your entry door.In many case you will only neeed the reinforcing hareware on an entry door, they are allmost always solid core.

 

[QuickDraw]

I was going to post what Tokugowa said.
Go to a big box store of your choice and get a
solid core door.
When you move, take it with you.
If you can't use it in your new house,
make a reloading bench out of it!

QuickDraw

 

[DirtyBrad]

Excellent info, thank you very much.

If I have a deadbolt, what exactly is the lock protector stuff doing? Is there a way someone can defeat a deadbolt or is this doing something else I'm not thinking of?

Thanks again.

 

[riverdog]

It's all weakest link stuff. You are trying to eliminate weak links such as the hollow core door and cheap locksets. A quality deadbolt lock is great but it needs solid hardware to sit in on the door and lock into in the frame. The door protector and reinforced strike plate are what allow the deadbolt to be effective. All the exterior doors here had the locks replaced and reinforcing plates (door and frame) added using long screws. Everything fits much tighter and is much stronger -- feels more solid too.

 

[JamisJockey]

If at all possible, place a dresser or other tall piece of furniture directly next to the door. If you ever have to hunker-in, knock it over in front of the door.

 

[RioShooter]

Room of Last Resort

If someone manages to get into the bedroom, would you consider seeking shelter in the bathroom?

Or would you start shooting when BG came through the bedroom door?

 

[jmf]

What I'm worried about is the door. It's an el cheapo hollow core that an eight year old could kick in.

You say you have guns in the bedroom? Easy. If someone tries kicking in the door, shoot through the door.

 

[jwmoore]

The one thing I noticed is that he has deadbolts on BOTH sides of the door ( the opening side and the hinge side ) Interesting...

I think what Mongo means is that his friend's door has two deadbolts, both on the inside of the room. One is on the left side (with the door knob) and one is on the right side (with the hinges). Kind of like the door of a safe, which has active locking bolts on more than one side.

~W

 

[DirtyBrad]

Thanks for all of the tactical advice, but I think I'll save that for another thread. I'm just asking here about reinforcing an interior apartment door. The responses about that have been really helpful, thank you. I'd love to hear more if you've got 'em.

 

[DirtyBrad]

jw, yeah looks like you're right. You read more carefully than I did. That's an interesting idea.

 

[Manedwolf]

My girlfriend and I live together in an apartment. We'll be buying a house as soon as we can, but it's looking like another couple of years where we are for now.

I'd like to make our bedroom a safe room where we can hunker down while waiting for the calvary if there's trouble. It's very large, has its own bathroom, and a walk-in closet. Its only drawback is that there is a large floor-to-ceiling window, but it's up on the third floor in a very visible location, so I'm not too worried about that right now.

When you enter the room, there's a little four-foot "hallway". On your right is the closet and the left is the bathroom. There's a long gun safe with loaded shotgun and tons of ammo in the closet and a combination pistol safe bolted to the bed frame with a loaded pistol and extra mags. We don't have a land-line, but we keep both of our cell phones next to us at night.

What I'm worried about is the door. It's an el cheapo hollow core that an eight year old could kick in. It's got a crappy push-button lock on the knob. I don't have full discretion over modifying the place, but I also don't have a problem doing something to keep us safer. I've done plenty of construction, so that's no problem, but I would probably like to do the simplest thing that's still effective.

I also wouldn't mind making the closet a secondary safe room. It's big enough for both of us to lie down in and has just the one door to defend.

Thanks a lot.

Also keep in mind that most apartments are just drywall in their dividing walls, which won't stop anything. Unless yours is brick, unfortunately, an "apartment" safe room is sort of like saying "protective cardboard box."

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

Yep, that is what I meant DirtyBrad.

Here is my idea -- rim bolts (fasten flush to the door) on both sides of the door. Two or four.

That should be enough to stop an intruder long enough for you to GYST.

If they keep coming ... make neat round holes in the door.

My lady's grandfather had a nice neat hole punched in his neck by a piece of doorframe which was blown away by a bullet btw. He lived but was pretty messed up for a while... (door stuff made me think of it).

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

As a renter, I know it is a difficult thing to do as you can tick off your landlord (or slumlord), but as far as I know on building codes, any entry/exit door must be solid. I found this out when the lady downstairs from me was broken into through her front door which was hollow.
See if your landlord will let you install a solid door with deadbolts and if he'll take it off of your rent.
I've had landlords appreciate that because if they hire someone to do it, it'll cost them more money.

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

II not mistaken, we are speaking of a bedroom door, not an entry door...