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Metal garage side door....thoughts?

tegwin - 4/9/24 at 11:44 AM

Need a new side door for my garage.

Has to open outwards.

I had spotted these metal security doors... LINKY

Two worries - 1. they are metal so will get condensation on the inside of the frame?!

and two... 30 seconds with a disk cutter on the exposed hinges and the door will fall open surely?

Anyone have such a door and can comment on their security/insulation properties?

SteveWalker - 4/9/24 at 11:57 AM

I don't have any condensation problem on my galvanised steel up-and-over door and I can't see a personnel door being any different.

If someone is going to break in, they will do so whatever you do (although simple holes in the frame and bolts screwed through the edge of the door will prevent the door moving if the hinges are cut - this is common on some PVC doors.

All you can do is ensure that it is noisy to break in, making thieves worried about being caught and rely upon that encouraging them to try elsewhere, at less risk to themselves.

gremlin1234 - 4/9/24 at 12:14 PM

as above,
it is easy to put a peg on the side of the door, and as it closes aligns with a hole on the frame.
here is a very simple implementation
https://www.e-hardware.co.uk/hinges/security-hinges/eclipse-stainless-steel-security-hinge.html

more complex solutions have extra bolts lock round the frame as the lock is operated. (as used in safes etc)

edit to add, the technical terms are
Dog Bolts
or Dog Bolt Door Hinge

[Edited on 4/9/24 by gremlin1234]

nick205 - 4/9/24 at 12:26 PM

No condensation on the inside of my metal up n' over garage door.

Can you not get ones with concealed hinges (possibly more pricey though).

As above, if someone's intent on breaking in then they'll do so. Generally, make it as awkward and noisey as possible for them (security lights?). Depending on what the garage is mage from could you fit a metal security bar across the door after closing/locking it?

This kind of thing...

door-secutity-bar

[Edited on 4-9-24 by nick205]

[Edited on 4-9-24 by nick205]

tegwin - 4/9/24 at 01:02 PM

Great thought re security hinge or just adding some bolts into the frame.

Glad the condensation is not an issue.

I guess you're right, in reality if someone wants to get in, they will....

My roller garage door is probably less secure anyway

Mr Whippy - 4/9/24 at 01:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205

door-secutity-bar

[Edited on 4-9-24 by nick205]

I do like the exposed hinges where the pins can be removed and the whole door lifted out over the bar

If someone was that determined that a solid steel door would not deter them they are going to get in regardless. Tbh I think a stainless steel door would be horrific to get through, certainly it's a nightmare metal for grinders. You could have so much fun coming up with horrible doors for thief's to deal with, pressurised internals that blast out oil and stinky permanent skin colouring dyes if punctured and not forgetting the reactive armour door

nick205 - 4/9/24 at 02:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy

quote:
Originally posted by nick205

door-secutity-bar

[Edited on 4-9-24 by nick205]

I do like the exposed hinges where the pins can be removed and the whole door lifted out over the bar

If someone was that determined that a solid steel door would not deter them they are going to get in regardless. Tbh I think a stainless steel door would be horrific to get through, certainly it's a nightmare metal for grinders. You could have so much fun coming up with horrible doors for thief's to deal with, pressurised internals that blast out oil and stinky permanent skin colouring dyes if punctured and not forgetting the reactive armour door

There's certainly ways of dealing with would be thieves. A HUGE part of it though will come down to if you injur the thief you're almost certainly liable for it and get charged.

Mr Whippy - 4/9/24 at 03:04 PM

Did you see the youtube vids (presumably from the US and Africa and them being on ring door cams or the like) of the guys trying to break in through doors and the home owners simply shooting right through the door at them, wild stuff but if you have a gang trying to break into your house...

mcerd1 - 4/9/24 at 04:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
This kind of thing...

door-secutity-bar

^^ The big issue with that kind of thing is is its pretty much an advert that there is something worth nicking inside

The more sutble it looks from the outside the better...

I liked the old garage door my day had, he added a modern steel door (roller) to the old 1920's garage just inside the line of the old doors, but left the original solid but battered old wooden doors on too
from the outside it looked like any other old garage (hopefuly looking like one that wasn't worth bothering about) but anyone tryign to break in would quickly find it a lot harder and noisier to get in than they expected

you might be able to do something similar - and clad the outside in something to camoflage it a bit and not screaming 'brand new security door here'

obviously ratty old garage door might not fit with the look of your garage, especially if its next to your house, but something that blends in as says 'nothing special / only cobwebs and rust garden tool in here' is the look i'm think about

[Edited on 4/9/2024 by mcerd1]

gremlin1234 - 4/9/24 at 04:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
... but something that blends in as says 'nothing special / only cobwebs and rust garden tool in here' is the look i'm think about

that is exactly how the 'brix matt' gold was stored

[Edited on 4/9/24 by gremlin1234]

MikeR - 5/9/24 at 08:21 AM

considering the shape of the hinge, cutting the pivot off the hinge won't open the door if the lock holds.

nick205 - 5/9/24 at 10:35 AM

Thinking more on this, our house back door opens outward. It's hinges are on the outdoor side. When you close the door it has metal fingers that interlock with the door frame on the hinge side. To lock the door you have to lift the handle, which makes a load of metal fingers interlock the door to the opening side of the door frame.

Now if you really wanted to break in I'm sure you could, but it would take quite some effort and make a hell of a noise doing so.

Can you not get a door with a similar setup for your garage?

ianhurley20 - 6/9/24 at 08:02 AM

At my last house I had strong bolts on the inside of my 11' wide garage door. It was an up and over metal type and the extra bolts were at about 3' above ground level. The bad guys bent and folded the door in half up at the bolt position, got in and stole the kids bikes. No witnesses and it was daytime. If they want in they will do anything

MikeR - 6/9/24 at 01:29 PM

In a similar vein, i'm due to replace our back door. Thats got a wooden core with steel skin. Its definitely steel as magnets can stick to it. It looks like a proper house door.

Does anyone know of anyone who supplies something like this? Most doors now seem to be PVC / Fibre glass, with foam or wooden core. Neither seem as strong / well built as my 25 year old steel door.

(I'm replacing as the wooden frame has gone and at the bottom of the door some of the wood has rotted a little due to the rubber seal perishing)

And no i don't fund my car habit via assisting other people with their habits before you wonder.

coyoteboy - 9/9/24 at 10:24 AM

I have a metal (single skin) door on my garage, it and the roof are dripping on some mornings. The world will tell you ventilation is the key, but the world doesn't realise the at when you have 95% RH in the air outside and the door drops below the dew point overnight, no amount of ventilation helps, you need to seal the garage and dehumidify. HTH