Burglar-resistant doors—what protection do they offer, and how do you choose them?

More and more Poles are deciding to buy their own apartment or house. One of the most important safeguards for protecting a property and its occupants is a high-quality security door. Find out what to consider when choosing exterior doors.
 
Exterior doors are the first line of defense against uninvited guests. However, intruders sometimes attempt to force their way through. If the door is flimsy, it will give way quickly. However, a good security door will offer resistance that effectively deters a thief. But how do you choose the right model and select the appropriate hardware for it? Find out by reading our guide.

Burglar-resistant
doors—what does that mean?

What does this term actually mean? After all, no door is 100 percent resistant to forced entry—no material can withstand a sufficiently great amount of force. Many companies use the term “burglar-resistant” to describe doors that aren’t of the highest quality. As a result, customers may be misled, which could put them or their belongings at risk. That’s why it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the basics of a door’s burglary resistance before making a purchase.

Burglar-Resistant Door
Classes—What Do They Mean?

The
main guideline to follow when choosing a burglar-resistant door is its burglary resistance class. A few years ago, only three such categories were used on the Polish market: A, B, and C. The first indicated a lack of burglary-resistant properties, the second indicated increased resistance, and the third indicated the highest level of durability. The classification was limited and, in practice, didn’t tell potential customers much.

European Standard PN-EN 1627:2012\

For several years now, the European standard PN-EN 1627:2012 has been in effect on the Polish market; its full title is: “Doors, windows, curtain walls, grilles, and shutters. Resistance to forced entry. Requirements and classification.” It provides a more detailed classification system that includes the following classes of burglar-resistant doors:

• Class 1 (RC1) – the door provides basic protection; a burglar can force it open using their own body weight (e.g., by kicking) within 3 minutes;
• Class 2 (RC2) – the door provides enhanced protection; a burglar can force it open using their own body strength and basic tools, such as a screwdriver or hammer, in more than 3 minutes;
• Class 3 (RC3) – The door will resist a burglar using larger tools, such as a crowbar or a drill, for at least 5 minutes; these tools will generate noise and may alert neighbors;
• Class 4 (RC4) – Breaking into a Class 4 door will take at least 10 minutes and will require larger tools;
• Class 5 (RC5) – the door will withstand a 15-minute “assault” by an experienced burglar using equipment such as a saw, grinder, or drill;
• Class 6 (RC6) – Forcing open a Class 6 door requires at least 20 minutes of “work” by an experienced burglar using high-powered tools.

Doors that meet the standards described in the last two classes are primarily intended for buildings requiring special security measures, such as the headquarters of financial institutions.

What determines a door’s resistance to break-ins?

The use of the above designations is regulated by law. Manufacturers may not misuse them for marketing purposes. For a door to achieve a given level of burglary resistance, testing must be conducted at authorized testing centers. The door’s class is confirmed by a certificate attesting to the successful completion of the tests. In Poland, such tests are conducted by the Building Research Institute (ITB) and the Institute of Precision Mechanics (IMP).
 
The properties that allow a door to be classified into a specific burglary resistance class depend on a number of factors related to:

• the door’s construction;
• the hardware used;
• glazing (e.g., the use of armored glass).

Construction of Burglar-Resistant Doors

The
details of the construction depend on the design, the materials used, and the technology employed. Each manufacturer has its own solutions, which—especially in the case of high-quality doors—are proprietary to that company. To increase burglary resistance, doors are most often reinforced from the inside with special metal components—such as steel—that enhance their strength and resistance to damage.
You should also pay attention to how the door is installed in your home. Burglar-resistant doors should be installed by professionals. This ensures that they will not lose their protective properties due to an installation error.

Additional bolts in the door frame increase the door’s resistance to being pried open

Hardware for burglar-resistant doors—what to look for?

Door hardware plays an equally important role in enhancing a door’s burglary-resistant properties. As the components connecting the door leaf to the frame, they are often the weakest link in the entire structure—and a prime target for burglars. High-quality hardware will offer longer resistance, thereby helping to protect your apartment or house from a break-in.

A Class C lock cylinder has built-in reinforcements that protect against drilling

Locks

The
most important “piece of the puzzle” in this set is the lock. It is essential to use a multi-point (multi-bolt) mortise lock. Such a lock—as the name suggests—locks the door leaf into the frame at multiple points, thereby preventing the door from being forced open. Insurance companies accept two-point locks, but in practice, a greater number of bolts makes the door harder to force open.

Hinges and Door Handles

Hinges also play an
important role in the selection of burglar-resistant doors. They should be additionally reinforced to withstand the force exerted on them and attempts to damage them. Another key component is the door handle. Its burglary resistance depends not only on a sturdy construction but also, among other things, on the absence of mounting screws on the outside of the door and the use of a special cylinder cover that protects the door cylinder from being drilled through. Before choosing a specific model, it’s worth checking whether it has a special certification confirming its burglary-resistant properties.

Locks

Enhanced burglary resistance also depends on the lock cylinder—the lock component built into the door leaf. Cylinders rated at least Class B or Class C meet burglary resistance requirements. Both are highly durable, have the appropriate shape, and feature a set of pins designed to hinder break-ins. They are also additionally reinforced to prevent drilling attempts. The difference between Class B and Class C lies in the difficulty of duplicating the key. To duplicate a key for a Class C cylinder, you must have a special code that the manufacturer provides on a separate card. Without this code, duplicating the key is impossible.

Burglar-resistant glass enhances the door’s security

Burglar-resistant (security) glass plays an important role in reinforcing doors and improving their burglary resistance. These types of glazing are usually made of laminated glass, reinforced with several layers of film, or resin-coated glass. They may also be equipped with wire reinforcement. Burglar-resistant glass is difficult to break through and provides solid protection against a burglar’s “assault.”

Popular burglar-resistant glass in Poland

P2 and P4 glass are the most popular
on the Polish market. The former can withstand three impacts from a 4.11 kg ball dropped from a height of 3 m. P4 glass, on the other hand, can withstand three impacts from the same ball dropped from a height of as much as 9 m. Barański uses only the latter, more durable type of security glass in its burglar-resistant entry doors.

Burglar-resistant doors in the Barański Drzwi lineup

RC2 Security
Package for Barański Premium Doors

If you want to ensure the safety of your home and your family, it’s a good idea to equip your door with the RC2 anti-burglary package. This is a set of security features that can be integrated into Barański Premium doors to increase their resistance to break-in attempts. The RC2 package includes the following components:

• a special anti-pry strike plate mounted in the door frame;
• a 4-point automatic lock that secures the door leaf with four bolts;
• an AXA Diva Flex handle—a certified AXA handle with a special cylinder cover;
• Class C lock cylinders, durable, properly profiled, and additionally reinforced to increase resistance to drilling attempts;
• P4 burglar-resistant glass;
• dedicated hinges.
  

RC2 Package for Barański Smart Stairwell Doors

Barański Smart stairwell doors can also be equipped
with the RC2 package. In this case, the nature of the security features is slightly different due to the doors’ distinct purpose and construction. The RC2 package for Barański Smart stairwell doors includes:

• a special anti-pry strike plate;
• a 4-point automatic lock;
• an AXA Diva Flex door handle;
• Class B lock cylinders;
• 6 anti-pick pins (for comparison: classic stairwell doors have 3 pins);
• dedicated hinges;
• special door leaf reinforcement up to 53 mm.

 
If you’re looking for other customized solutions to enhance the security of your home or apartment, please contact us. Our experts will help you choose the optimal security package for your property.