Steel door

[BobTheTomato]

Does anyone know a source for steel doors? I am building a room and got an idea from another house I saw where they used a surplus prison door (solid not bars). Anyone know where to get something like that?

Thanks

 

[a1abdj]

There are companies that distribute steel doors for the constuction industry. Here in the St. Louis area, there are about 5 of them. Although some of the oddball stuff isn't something they would have in inventory, it is something they can order in.

You may want to Google around a bit to find the manufacturers, and then use their dealer locator to see who is near you. There are several types of steel doors made for prison use that aren't steel bars. They look like regular doors, but are made very tough.

 

[Drail]

I have lived in several places where steel doors or bars were necessary. The thing to remember with either is to reinforce the CRAP out of the door jam. In 90% of the break ins I have seen the door held fine, but the jam failed. Put a piece of heavy steel angle on the full length of the jamb. Use at least a 1 IN. deadbolt (or more) that locks into the steel jamb. Then you can worry about the drywall next to the door. Have seen people cut through drywall, vinyl siding and OSB to get into a room. I worked on a remodeling job one time where we built offices for the FBI. Every single wall into their area had heavy steel lath between 4 layers of drywall. It would be pretty difficult to go through a wall like that without some heavy tools and sweat. Most building supply houses carry steel utility door at decent prices. Just be sure to reinforce the jamb.

 

[27hand]

What Drail said. Even block walls can be defeated if they are not reinforced or grouted solid.

I've seen heavy rebar installed vertically within the block cavity and horizontally. The block came with reinforcing notches for the horizontal bar along the mortar joint. . Then the cavities are poured solid with a concrete containing small gravel. A vibrator is also used to ensure the concrete grout reaches the bottom of the cells.

 

[Chuck R.]

We went through the same thought process when we had our current house built this year. We opted for a poured concrete room under the garage with reinforced walls. I actually thought long and hard about the door, two of my requirements were in-swing and lockable from the inside as we planned on this room being a tornado shelter in addition to a gun room.

Rather than get the steel security door the builder had in mind I opted for a vault door from “Sturdy Safe Co” as it locked from the inside and was an in-swing. So far I’m pretty pleased with it and the company.

Chuck