Interior Wall and Door Security

[buckmark13]

I'm looking for advice & suggestions on how to best build an interior wall w/ a door in order to add a level of security to a gun / safe / valuables room. Three sides are already secure; in a basement below grade with concrete walls. The fourth wall will be built with a door for access. It does not have to be over the top and I'm not concerned about people coming in from the above floor, etc. nor am I interested in concrete, cinder block.

My gut is to build a stud wall with the studs spaced very close, say 6-8 inches. Then use an exterior steel door with a deadbolt. Maybe put a thin sheet of plywood over the wall, then typical drywall. I'll probably hide the door from obvious view with a sliding bookcase or something similar, but that's not terribly relevant to my question.

Is there anything specific one can do to really reinforce the door to help prevent a kick in?

Any thoughts, suggestions, or things to take into consideration?

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Hinges/pins which can't be removed from the outside and a steel door which opens out on a steel frame. Would pretty much have to knock the wall down to force it open.

Mortise pins on the hinge side for extra strength.

Spend money on a good lock also!

 

[txblackout]

there are steel meshes designed to strengthen walls.

http://www.clarkdietrich.com/products/security-systems/barrier-mesh-security

for the door, steel frame and multiple bolts. Door opens out.

 

[yugorpk]

Ive done the same thing but instead of putting the studs real close together ( 12 inch spacing ) I drilled through the studs horizontally every 9 inches and ran a length of 1/2" rebar into the holes horizontally with rebar welded vertically between the studs floor to ceiling.. Basically making a hidden jail cell. Then I nailed expanded metal between the studs and drywalled over the top. Steel door with interlocking hinges and double dead bolts ( each side of door ) . Didnt really cost more than $ 250 more than building standard small room . That room is impenatrable. I'll be building another one like it starting next week.

 

[buckmark13]

Thanks Yugorpk. What do you mean by "interlocking" hinges? I did a quick search and couldn't find anything.

 

[rcmodel]

Tornado / storm door??

http://www.prosteelsecurity.com/prosteel-security-doors/doors/vanguard-tornado-door

http://www.prosteelsecurity.com/prosteel-security-doors/doors/ultra-security-door

rc

 

[X-Rap]

Expanded metal under sheetrock, steel door and frame with three deadbolts, (top bottom & middle) the rebar,s a good idea.
Stiffen the door with some angle iron bolted through the door. Make trouble and consume time for thieves.

 

[yugorpk]

"Thanks Yugorpk. What do you mean by "interlocking" hinges? I did a quick search and couldn't find anything."

http://www.hingeoutlet.com/collecti...inges/products/stainless-steel-security-hinge

Its got a tab that stick out on one side that locks into a recess on the other. If you knock the pin out you can't pull the door out or the hinge apart. I use a dead bolt on both sides of the door so it doesnt matter much but its a cheap extra layer of security.
Wer'e moving into a new house in a few days and I'll be starting on my newest fortress soon. Guns stay in the safe in the room but ammo and reloading supplies all go in the "fortress".

 

[buckmark13]

Thanks again. Let me know how your new room goes and if you come up with anything along the way during the build out. Congrats on the new home!

 

[TBJK]

I used 3/4" plywood & drywall over that. It's hidden in plain sight.

 

[CB900F]

Buckmark13;

I would suggest not using a normal door lock on that door, or if you do, also install a good deadbolt. Somebody who knows how can usually go through a common spring latch door lock in seconds. Cheap deadbolts don't take much more if there's no concern for damage. I won't get into the how's and whyfor's on an open forum. Suffice to say I made my living for years as a locksmith.

If you want a suggestion for locks, use the better grade of Schlage, have the knob and D-bolt keyed alike for convenience. The better grade being a B560 D-bolt. Don't use a Schlage F-series knoblock by itself. Without going to the expense of Medeco or Keymark, use a Schlage A series knob & the B560. Both can also be pinned to a 6-pin key. You'll have about $200.00 into the locks, but what are your guns worth?

900F

 

[buckmark13]

Appreciate the advice! I was planning on just using deadbolts anyway, and probably 2. But I had no idea on the model yet, so I really appreciate the suggestions.

 

[CB900F]

Buckmark13;

Here's the thing with cheap hardware store D-bolts, the bolt looks just as sturdy as the more expensive lock to the average guy. However, the bolt itself when extended in the locked position, goes into the doorjamb just fine, but does not extend the other direction back into the lock itself any further than to be out of sight. They are susceptible to kick-in's. The better D-bolts will have a half-inch longer bolt that's then supported by the lock body as well as the doorjamb.

900F

 

[spur0701]

When I built my last house I had the contractor build a hardened room in one corner of the basement. I had initially told him I wanted the walls poured or CMU filled with concrete but after looking at the cost of that which would still leave the ceiling/floor above vulnerable decided to just have the walls be double OSB covered by a double thickness of sheetrock inside and out (increase in fire proofing)...I also had him install an exhaust fan and a slop sink and a steel exterior door. This was in 2001 and at that time I believe everything was about $400, most of which was the door. Originally the door was hidden and covered by an oak book case stiffened with plywood on the back mounted to the wall on a piano hing, but while it would pass a casual inspection it was easy to spot if you were looking for it and you couldn't put many books in it before it was a pain to move.

The original gunroom was about 12X15 and I ran out of space by 2005 or so since I put work benches, reloading, drill, and shop presses in there.....so I needed to expand. My neighbor was in contracting and he built another wall outside the door to the gunroom giving me a small extra room where all the rifles were stored.....he installed another steel exterior steel framed door with hidden hinges and put heavy security wire mesh between the studs and the exterior sheetrock, he said it was something they used in constructing government SCIFs and you would have to use some sorta of chop saw blade to get through it. Medco deadbolts on both doors plus the normal door locks completed it......

Fast forward to last year. I moved to VA and had a contractor do the same thing in a unfinished area of the basement. This time I did the same as above (security mesh, OSB, drywall) except that I added two 4x4s on each side of the steel exterior grade security door so that the door frame couldn't be spread. The door had the same Medco dead bolt but I also added an electronic passage lock that automatically locks every time the door closes. I also installed an monitored alarm and motion sensors. .....plus I've got everything covered by collectors insurance.

 

[Drop45]

"I used 3/4" plywood & drywall over that. It's hidden in plain sight". QUOTE

We just did this to an office wall at the gun range I shoot at. I don't think a bull could charge through that. Well maybe a large bull.

 

[buckmark13]

Thanks everyone....good info.

spur0701 - where in VA are you? NoVa here. Where did you get the door from?

 

[spur0701]

Thanks everyone....good info.

spur0701 - where in VA are you? NoVa here. Where did you get the door from?

I'm around Sterling/Reston/Great Falls now and shoot mostly at Silver Eagle Group, I used to live in Southern MD (Waldorf/White Plains) and used St Charles Sportsman's Club.....how about you?

My neighbor in MD that's in contracting, he had Capitol Building Supply deliver the steel security door and 8 sheets of 3/4" 9 gauge security mesh directly to my house.......I think it was about $1000 for all of it, but the door was better than the ones I used in the MD house, which were just exterior grade ones from Home Depot.

 

[buckmark13]

That's awesome as we do some work with capital building supply. I'll check them out. I'm in Herndon and usually go the the NRA.