- What defines armoured doors?
- Advantages and disadvantages of armoured doors
- Insulation qualities, but a high price
- Misconception about armoured doors
- Choosing a high-security armoured door
- Options for armoured doors
- How much does an armoured door cost?
Real quality protection against burglary, armoured doors also have impressive thermal and acoustic qualities. Find out more about this security solution in our practical guide.
“In 2011, it is estimated that nearly 550,000 households will be ‘reported victims’ of burglary or attempted burglary of their principal residence”, according to the report of the National Observatory of Delinquency and Penal Responses, dated November 2012. These figures, which are continually rising, encourage some homeowners to install an armoured door as a replacement for their conventional entrance door.
But what exactly is an armoured door? What are the advantages and disadvantages? How does it work, and how much does it cost? The answers in our practical guide on the following pages.
What defines armoured doors?
An armoured door is an opening made very differently from a standard door, allowing it to offer much higher security – and not just through its lock. It consists of several elements, assembled around a steel panel. An armoured door is necessarily made of steel, given the level of resistance you wish to achieve.
A layer of insulation, as well as numerous horizontal and vertical reinforcements, complete the package. Finally, two decorative panels complete the “sandwich”. They will appear on the inside and outside of the house, thus giving the door the desired design. The door closing system is generally a lock with 3, 5, or 7 lateral points.
Do not confuse the armoured door and the door-armouring. The armoured door is the whole of the leaf and the door unit, which is installed exclusively by a professional. The armouring, including a high-security lock, is fitted to an existing door to increase its resistance.
Advantages and disadvantages of armoured doors
We generally choose an armoured door to increase the security of the house. Burglars do not bother if the door holds for more than five minutes. The certification of the door block and lock by the National Centre for Prevention and Protection guarantees that the armoured door will resist longer to the assaults of potential intruders.
But the armoured door is also an excellent way to strengthen the thermal and sound insulation of your home, just like changing windows. Beyond 38 decibels of gain, you can consider that you have significantly improved the sound insulation.
Insulation qualities, but a high price
As for the thermal aspect, the armoured door has a handicap: steel, which has a lower thermal coefficient than other materials such as wood, and which creates thermal bridges. But the presence of insulation inside the door compensates for this structural defect.
The primary defect of the armoured door remains its price, which is rather high, even for the simplest models. In particular, it takes into account the fact that a quality armoured door must be made to measure.
Misconception about armoured doors
A tenacious misconception pursues armoured doors: they would be recognizable from afar and would attract the attention of potential burglars. This is the “safe” effect feared by some people. However, most of the current models of armoured doors are customizable: color, outer panel material, design, etc. It is thus difficult to determine visually whether or not it is an armoured door.
Choosing a high-security armoured door
The most critical element in an armoured door is security. And this characteristic is evaluated by several figures.
The first certification system is managed by the National Center for Prevention and Protection. A code certifies the quality of the door unit: A2P BP, followed by a number between 1 and 3. A second code concerns the lock: A2P, followed by one to three stars. The higher the numbers, the longer the door resists an attempted break-in: 5 minutes for an A2P * lock, 10 minutes for an A2P **, etc. We advise requiring at least an A2P BP1 and A2P * certification, to be sure of having a quality door unit.
A European regulation (UNI ENV 1627) also estimates the burglar resistance of armoured doors. A door of class 3 and above has good resistance to burglary attempts.
Options for armoured doors
The armoured door can be single or double-leaf, depending on the size of the opening you want. Many options are available to customize your custom model, depending on the brand.
In addition to the safety, acoustic, and thermal insulation performances, armoured doors offer different opening modes. The lock can be a cylinder lock (it opens with a key) or an electronic lock (with a code). The most sophisticated models even offer biometric recognition, and it is then your fingers that open the door!
Other advanced options exist: fire protection system or even bullet-proof protection in some models. The hinges can also disappear into the structure to give more style to the door.
On the aesthetic side, almost everything is allowed. The exterior and interior panels take on the color and shape you want. Like a plaque, they are placed on the structure of the door and have various attributes: moldings, materials, colors, colors, and even colored vitrophany (a kind of worked glazing).
How much does an armoured door cost?
The price of an armoured door with block is inclusive of installation, as such a door can only be properly installed by a professional. Plan a half-day installation, a variable duration depending on the existing structure.
For a quality model made to measure, which meets the basic standards (A2P BP1), count at least 2,000 euros, including all taxes included. This is a simple door, but a two-leaf model will necessarily be more expensive.
The price then increases depending on the options you choose: decorated facade panel, electronic or biometric opening, fire resistance, reinforced sound insulation, etc. The most sophisticated models can cost more than 7,000 euros.
If you wish to buy Home Appliances from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.
