For most businesses, security doors are a necessary part of
the furniture. But what about the furniture that goes inside, or on, the doors
themselves? Aside from the reinforced nature of the door itself, it is the bits
and pieces you specify to go with it that make the difference. We’ve put
together a brief list explaining the most common door furniture options and
their uses.
The most common article of security door furniture is the
door closer. You’ll have seen these on all the fire doors in your place of
work, as well as the heavy duty security doors. A door closer is the mechanical
arm fitted to the top of your door, which automatically shuts it after it has
been opened. Vital for security because it eliminates the possibility of
forgetting to close important doors.
A deadlock is a must have for heightened security. The
deadlock operates, to you, like a normal lock – but its increased strength and
almost un-pickable tumbler mechanism makes it much more secure than a normal
lock. The deadlock will also be fire resistant to an impressive degree – four
hours is the average.
External Override handles are ideal for security doors that
double as fire doors. The External Override doesn’t work when the door is
locked, so the handle just spins without gaining purchase – but if it is
unlocked, it enables the door to be opened from the outside. A vital extra
safety precaution.
Spyhole viewers enable you to look through your security
door and see who is on the other side. The internal eyehole is quite small, but
refracts through a wide angle “fisheye” lens to give a broad view of the
outside. You should be able to see most of the area in front of, and directly
beside, the opening arc of your security doors.
A vision panel can be fitted in a security door when a
spyhole viewer is not sufficient – or when you need to be able to see through
the door from both sides. The vision panel is made from toughened glass or
plastic so as not to detract from the impregnability of the door. Ideal for use
on a security door that has access to the outside – the vision panel lets
natural light in just like any normal door window.
A deadbolt is commonly used as an addition to a deadlock,
providing an extra level of security thanks to its large and extremely strong
base plate. The deadbolt slides a chunky metal ingot into a steel holding slot,
and cannot be forced – when the security doors are locked with a deadbolt, the
only way in is through the hinges.
Stainless steel kickplates, as tough as the interior of your
door, can save painted doors from scuffing and bashing. Ideal for use in all
publically visible areas.
A final word about the door itself – make sure you buy
security doors with the proper ratings for their intended use. Choose the LPS 1175
Security Rating if you need a high security solution.
