Door Safe: Varieties, Device, Components, Installation And Operation Features

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Safe doors - reliability, protection and functionality for many years

The need for perfect protection of the premises is increasing every year. Installation of high-quality safe doors is the best solution to this problem. High competition and a large number of companies in this market segment force manufacturers to constantly improve production technologies, use the latest materials and offer consumers unique models of armored products. In addition to their main functions, the doors are endowed with decorative qualities - they go well with any design of an office, apartment or private house.

Content

• 1 Components of safe-door construction

• 2 What are the safe doors, the rules for choosing the right option

  • 2.1 Options for insulated doors
  • 2.2 Features of street safe doors
  • 2.3 Doors with glass inserts
  • 2.4 Features of a double-leaf safe door
  • 2.5 Video: armored doors for an apartment

• 3 How safe doors are made

  3.1 Video: making safe doors

• 4 Description of the installation process

  4.1 Video: installation of an entrance safe door

• 5 How to troubleshoot yourself

• 6 Selection of components

  6.1 Video: how to choose a lock for an armored door

Components of safe door construction

Safe doors, depending on the complexity of the locking mechanisms and the quality of the finish, are divided into two types:

• economy class;
• extra class.

The degree of strength of the finished product in both cases will be the same, so high protection is guaranteed both when installing inexpensive models and luxury doors.

Externally, safe doors are no different from ordinary metal doors

The design of armored doors is represented by a whole system, which includes a door leaf made of high-strength steel (above 450 MPa), reinforcing pipes for the inner frame, insulation and noise-insulating materials. The presence of the latter two components guarantees excellent thermal insulation and noise absorption, which is typical for standard metal doors.

It is almost impossible to break open the safe door due to the special metal pins used in the construction, which cannot be deformed of any kind. In addition, armored models are manufactured using special technologies that do not allow any damage:

1. The outer upholstery is made of 2 mm steel sheets, while conventional doors are 0.5 mm thick.
2. The door frame is reliably protected from being knocked out due to the fastening of the leaf frame to the wall on pins of a special configuration.
3. A variety of locking mechanisms (lever, cylinder, code) does not allow the intrusion of unauthorized persons.
4. To strengthen the strength of the door leaf, a structure made of stiffening ribs is used.

On the territory of Russia, companies producing armored doors can offer their products without a certificate, but most of them are interested in presenting the best quality of their models, therefore they subject them to tests and receive the corresponding documents - GOST 51113–97.

Armored doors for an apartment have an increased level of burglary resistance

The door blocks can be equipped with pull-out bolts in the locking mechanism as additional locking elements. Experts recommend installing horizontal deviator crossbars, as vertical ones can be blocked due to frequent clogging of the door frame sill.

What are the safe doors, the rules for choosing the right option

The main points to pay special attention to when buying doors are:

• installation site of the structure;
• the purpose of using the doors;
• material used to make the system;
• filler of the internal space of the system.

The correct choice of the model will guarantee the good quality of the installed product, as well as its long-term use.

Armored doors can be of different security classes

Insulated door options

The metal base of the entrance doors has a significant drawback - it is not able to retain heat. Insulated options for safe-structures are equipped with a special system that provides thermal insulation of the room:

1. Steel base of one or two sheets with stiffening ribs.
2. Insulation layer made of cellular cardboard, extruded PPS, mineral wool or polyurethane foam filling.

The most economical option is a cellular cardboard interlayer, which is suitable only for internal installation of doors, but is unsuitable for frost protection in frost. Extruded PPP and mineral wool have high thermal insulation rates, but when laying insulation plates in the intervals of the stiffeners, the formation of cold bridges is inevitable. The best way to properly insulate a safe-door is to fill the entire inner cavity with liquid polyurethane foam.

Most often corrugated cardboard is used as a filler.

As additional insulation, metal doors are equipped with a sealing contour along the leaf and frame.

What to look for when choosing insulated safe-doors:

1. Metal thickness. The minimum is 1.5 mm, the maximum is 3 mm. Alloy steel can be 1.5mm.
2. The degree of structural strength. It is designated by letters or numbers. Installed in an apartment or a private house should be systems of II-IV classes or B, C.

3. Door hinges. Their number is selected based on the weight of the doors, so for a structure up to 70 kg, two hinges will be enough, and for massive canvases (70-100 kg) - three hinges. If the weight of the door is even greater, then in order to avoid wear and deformation of the leaf, hinges on bearings will be needed.

   

   Hidden hinges cannot be cut

4. Lock. Burglary protection is guaranteed by a system of two or more locks, one of which must be cylindrical, and the other - lever-operated.

   

   For security, two different types of locks can be used in safe doors

5. Door furniture. It is selected depending on the general interior of the room and the door model.

As additional devices to door structures, manufacturers offer sets of hidden hinges with anti-detachable pins, stainless steel sills, locking elements.

For armored doors, thickened steel is used

Features of street safe doors

The main criteria for choosing street doors are product durability and a high degree of thermal insulation. The variety of choice of models is the reason for the wrong purchase, when the buyer becomes a victim of advertising, promotions, sellers' persuasion. In order not to be disappointed in your own choice, you should know about the constructive and technological component of safe doors.

1. The blade should be made of high quality steel 1.2–2 mm thick.

2. Stiffening ribs for strengthening the system are presented in three varieties:

   • longitudinal - do not allow bending of the lower or upper corner of the door;
   • transverse - protect from squeezing the canvas out of the box;

   • combined (combine the above two options).

     

     Stiffening ribs strengthen the door body

3. Outside, the doors are equipped with a steel sheet or a similar sheet inside.
4. The box is constructed of metal 30-50 mm thick in the form of a U-shaped profile.
5. The hinge system is represented by conventional, safe, ball hinges, which are supplemented with bearings to achieve perfect efficiency. The number of loops depends on the weight of the entire structure, but should not be less than three. Install them so that they are not accessible from the outside.

6. Anti-removable pins provide protection of the curtain from opening even with cut hinges and broken locks.

   

   Anti-removable pins will protect your door even if the lock is broken

7. The cladding is equipped with MDF panels or solid wood, usually from the inside of the structure. External cladding in budget models is not provided, but for extra-class doors it is selected depending on the budget of the future customer.

Thermal insulation is mandatory in any safe-door, it is made of mineral wool, expanded polystyrene or other low-heat-conducting material. Regardless of the chosen insulation, any door is equipped with a double or triple gasket.

Mineral wool is considered an excellent insulation for a safe door

The most common problem in the operation of street doors is the freezing of the product. There are several ways to solve it:

1. Make a vestibule or veranda in front of the entrance to the room and install two doors. One - metal-plastic with a low level of thermal conductivity, will prevent heat loss, the other - metal will not be exposed to contact with warm air and will be able to fully protect against intruders.

2. Choose a door with a thermal break function, for example, with a polyamide insert. This option will ensure the neutralization of low temperatures, that is, even in severe frosts, the inner part of the canvas will not be colder than +10 degrees. The main disadvantage of designs with thermal break is the high cost, as well as the leakage of the keyhole.

   

   Thanks to the thermal break function, the door retains heat well, does not let in unpleasant odors, and does not deteriorate under the influence of various temperatures

3. Install a heating system in the area of the door leaf contour, frame and locks. With constant heating, frost and condensation will not appear on the doors. This option is fraught with large bills with an electricity consumption of 2-8 kW daily.

Doors with glass inserts

The solid-bent steel profile provides metal entrance doors with high reliability, and a high-quality seal prevents the penetration of cold and extraneous sounds into the room. Various options are used as a unique design for safe doors, including the installation of armored glass elements, while the following requirements are met:

• glass is attached to the top of the doors;
• can occupy the entire surface of the canvas;
• be made out with or without decorative elements.

High-strength material allows you to significantly increase the range of doors with smooth, corrugated, stained glass, mirrored, carved and other glass inserts.

Safe door can be supplemented with armored glass

With a small difference in cost, safe-doors with glass have many advantages:

• offered with glazing of different door leaf areas, which makes the design more sophisticated;
• installation of a double-glazed window increases the functionality of the product - the illumination of the room is improved, it is possible to see who is standing and what is happening behind the door;
• the use of a glass insert requires the manufacturer to use exclusively high-quality materials and increased structural reinforcement;
• by combining glass and forged elements, it is possible to achieve a high-strength product, which is much lighter in weight than metal options.

Features of a double-leaf safe door

The demand for double-leaf designs on the market is starting to grow, which is due to the beauty, prestige of products along with their practicality. When installing two leaves, the load on the hinge is significantly reduced, which makes it possible to extend the service life of the entire metal structure.

The choice of steel doors with two leaves is carried out depending on the preferences of the buyer, these can be:

1. Doors with different or identical sash widths. As a rule, some of the smaller sizes will be closed during operation.
2. Models with external or internal opening mechanism.
3. Structures with an arch or rectangular opening.
4. Doors with additional sound and heat insulation, unique finishing.

The opening for a standard double door will be 180–200 cm, for a one and a half floor door - 135–150 cm. For the proportionality of safe blocks, the opening height is made 200–210 cm, which is slightly more than the traditional one.

A double door is as reliable as a regular armored door

In order for the two separate sashes to dock correctly, provide the required level of insulation and burglary protection, while maintaining the aesthetic appearance, special assembly technologies are used during the production process. If, in the case of classic models, the crossbars go towards the locks, and due to the rods, locking is carried out, then double-leaf doors assume a completely different scheme. The main task of the locking mechanism is to fix the door with reinforced point crossbars, which slide into the frame from above and from below at the same time.

In double-leaf systems, it is important that one blade adheres well to the other and also to the frame. The active leaf is pressed down due to the oblique latch, while the passive leaf is deprived of such a design, therefore the door must be equipped with a double-sided bolt with conical crossbars.

Video: armored doors for an apartment

How safe doors are made

The production of metal doors is carried out in two configurations:

1. Profile structures. Steel sheets are arc-welded to the corner profiles. The technology is quite simple, so the cost of the finished product will be low.
2. Bent-welded products. Heat treatment of the metal is excluded, which allows maintaining the high strength of the material. The blades are made on a special bending machine, and the connection is made by spot welding. With impeccable quality, such doors will be very expensive.

Self-production of safe doors is not possible, since the production technology involves the use of special metal and additional elements.

Video: making safe doors

Description of the installation process

High-quality installation of safe doors is also possible with your own hands, but must be carried out in accordance with special requirements.

1. Initially, it is necessary to adjust the structure in the opening, for this it is enough to insert a box into it and check the vertical and horizontal planes at the level. In case of any deviations, an adjustment is made, followed by fixation with wooden stops or wedges.

   

   Before fixing the structure, you need to set it straight

2. Next comes the installation of the pins in the pre-marked and drilled holes.
3. The complete set of some models of safe doors includes a false box, which is mounted to the walls with anchor fasteners.

4. At this stage, the hinges are installed with the subsequent hanging of the sash and the mandatory adjustment of the canvas.

   

   You need to fasten the hinges to the armored door with special bolts

5. At the end of the work, locks are cut in, armored cups, linings and other protective elements are attached.

The correct installation of the entire door structure depends on the accuracy of the operations at each stage, therefore, in the absence of experience in this kind of work, it is recommended to contact the specialists. The correct assembly of the safe door is a key factor in determining the performance of the entire product.

Video: installation of an entrance safe door

How to troubleshoot yourself

Of all the possible problems encountered during the use of safe doors, you can solve the following on your own:

• failure of the locking mechanism;
• breakage of fittings (handles, hinges, peephole);
• loss of the presentable appearance of the canvas;
• wear of platbands.

If any of the listed faults are found, prompt repair is required. The main causes of all defects are negative external influences, for example, under the influence of climatic conditions.

To return the door leaf to its former attractiveness and functionality, a number of actions are enough, for example:

1. Replacement of the lock (both completely and separately of the locking system).
2. Correct the skew of the structure.
3. Treat the place of corrosion or replace it completely.
4. Make a new skin.
5. Replace fittings.

Complete replacement of the lock is not always required; in some cases, recoding will help

The scheme for replacing the lock is quite simple:

• you need to open the lock and pull out the key;
• unscrew the screws at the end of the door structure;
• remove the mechanism, put a new part in its place;
• fasten the case back using the same screws;
• check the functionality of the lock.

Before proceeding with the complete replacement of the lock, you can try to get by with the re-coding of the system with replacement of only the keys.

The door frame often lends itself to warping, which immediately becomes noticeable by external defects and mechanical failures: the door does not close tightly, the threshold scratches from below. What are the reasons for such malfunctions, and how to deal with them:

1. Heavy canvas. If the defect is detected immediately, then it will be enough to tighten the hinges. In the case of a strong skew, you will have to change the parts that have lost their shape.
2. Loop wear. With long-term operation of doors, replacement cannot be avoided. To do this, it is enough to unscrew the old products and install new ones.
3. Distortions of the door frame. Eliminated by inserting special spacers.

Using a wrench of a suitable size, slightly loosen the hinges, then move the blade closer to the mount, tighten the adjusting nuts until they snap into place

During operation, safe doors must be painted in a timely manner, especially if rust or mold appears on them.

1. The necessary tools and materials are procured for the work: paint, primer, solvent, brushes, roller.
2. Fittings, lining and seal are removable.
3. The finishing layer and rust can be removed with a wire brush.
4. The prepared area is processed: it is sanded and degreased.
5. Putty and re-sanding.
6. The damaged surface is painted in several layers.
7. After drying, all fittings and other elements are set in place.

Considering the degree of damage to the coating, it is recommended to conduct a feasibility study for repair work. In some cases, it will be cheaper and easier to replace the door trim.

Today, the most popular facing materials are:

1. Paint.
2. Laminate.
3. Powder spraying.

Painting is considered the cheapest and easiest to perform, however, finishing materials available for purchase are constantly appearing on the market, which have better performance properties than paint.

Most often, special paint is used as a facing material for safe doors.

Laminate cladding guarantees a durable, beautiful and durable finish that practically does not get dirty and does not require special cleaning. Safe doors with this finish can be used in any interior. The only drawback of the material is the high cost.

If the door leaf is powder coated, then it will not give in to corrosion and any kind of damage for many years. Independent execution of such cladding is not possible, it is done only in specialized places.

Selection of components

Choosing door hardware is not as easy as it seems at first glance, because manufacturers offer a lot of options for hinges, locks and handles, both from conventional materials and with reinforced inserts, with a variety of additional elements and decorative structures. Even locks are presented in several models, differing in strength and complexity of coding.

1. Armored escutcheon - the ability to strengthen the safe door. Any door can be equipped with a special additional element made of impact-resistant steel and processed using a special technology. The main function of the armored plate is to restrict the access of intruders to the lock system.

   

   Nobody will see the armored pad on the lock

2. Armored plate - mounted as an interlayer to the levers of the castle, thereby preventing the main part of the protective mechanisms from being drilled out.

3. Door closer - provides self-closing doors. The main element of the mechanism is a spring, due to which the door is pulled back at a speed set by the control valve.

   

   The door closer will provide self-closing doors

4. Internal latch - allows you to close the doors so that it cannot be opened from the outside.

   

   The advantage of the gate valve is that it is convenient to close it from inside the room without keys, without using locks and without wearing out their mechanisms with additional work

5. Door handles - are selected in accordance with the preferences of households and can be of any shape, size, color. It is not recommended to purchase cheap pens, as they are short-lived and will constantly break.

   

   Handles can be of any shape, color, decorated with various inserts; the main thing is that the handle is in harmony with the external appearance of the front door

6. Peephole. When choosing this fittings, it is important to know some of the nuances:

   • the ease of use depends on the viewing angle of the optical device, the minimum angle is 120 degrees, the maximum is 200 degrees;
   • a panoramic peephole is considered unique in its kind, which allows you to see everything that happens outside, including the right, left, upper and lower parts of the space;
   • the material from which the product is made performs a more decorative function, it can be either steel or brass eyes;

   • optical parts are made of glass or plastic, but to get a clear image, it is recommended to opt for the first option.

     

     Door peephole - allows you to visually monitor the space behind the door

Video: how to choose a lock for an armored door

The safe-door will become a reliable protector of your home and protect you and your property from outside encroachments. Installing a safe door is a technically challenging task, but with the right approach and the appropriate skills, the money and effort expended will be justified by a durable and functional service.