The security of most homes relies on 1-inch piece of soft plywood. Shocking it is. But actually the weakest link in the door locking system is not the lock or door at all. In most and all cases it is about the door frame.

2. The security of most homes
relies on 1-inch piece of soft
plywood. Shocking it is.
But actually the weakest
link in the door locking
system is not the lock or
door at all. In most and all
cases it is about the door
frame.

3. If you look closer to the door frame, then you will notice that the place where
the dead bolt is inserted, is made of wood which is only 1 inch thick. This is only
one flaw, and to make matter worse, the deadbolt strike plates are only secured
by one inch screws which in turn are not anchored into anything except the soft
plywood.
Usually it takes only one kick to break this kind of security system and over
seventy percent of the break-ins are caused this way. So, in this Do It Yourself
tutorial, we are going to show you how to reinforce your entry door to prevent
break-ins and increase home security.

5. Get a heavy duty
mending plates that
needed a twelve-
gauge galvanized steel
placed on the back
door casing and
centered on the
deadbolt, tracing
outline up the mending
plate on the wood and
an outline of the
deadbolt hole on the
mending plate.

6. Cut a hole in
the mending
plate to
accept the
deadbolt. If
you are not
sure to do it
yourself then
you can take
it to the
machine
shop and get
it done.

7. Chisel out a
little wood
within the
outline area
in the back
of the door
to fit the
mending
plate.

8. Attach the
mending plate
to the frame
with one-quarter
inch screws or
something short
enough that
won't go all the
way through the
frame. This serves
the purpose of
holding the
mending plate
in place in
frame.

9. Now drill holes in the
door frame through
the pre-drilled holes in
the mending plates.
Place the door in the
opening and secure
the hinge side. Place
wood behind the
hinges and drive two,
3 and a half inch,
number 10 screws in
each hinge.
Make sure the hinge is
plumbed so that the
door opens and close
correctly.

10. When the hinge side
is secure, place a
piece of wood in
the crack between
the house cracking
and the mending
plate. This will better
secure the door by
preventing the door
frame from being
twisted if force is
applied.
Now drive number
10 screws into the
four holes that were
drilled through the
door frame.

11. Now its time put on a
neat strike plate. Be
sure to choose the
one that is heavy
duty and put it on
with the 3 and a half
inch number 10
screws. It might also
be received during
the lock purchase.
This will create a
double lock to the
deadbolt that will
make it hard to
impossible to break.