Top 10 Front Doors For Security & Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide!
Did you know that 34% of break-ins happen through the front door and 22% happen through the back door? This should serve as a warning to us all that the standard exterior doors are not very good at keeping our homes safe.
With this information in mind, we’ve done some serious research and put together a list of top security doors for homes. We’ve had sleepless nights doing this research so that you can sleep peacefully (once you’ve installed one of these bad boys).
Click on the name of the door to check the current price and further information on the sales page.
viz pro security door
steel security doors
high security door
security screen door
security storm door
1. PRIME-LINE SECURITY STEEL DOOR
✅ Supreme Durability and Security
✅ 24-Guage Perforated Steel Mesh Layer
✅ 1×1” Welded Steel Frame
✅ Stylish curb Appeal
✅ Budget Friendly
❌ Not-So-Easy Installation
❌ High maintenance
Loooking for the strongest front door that won’t make your place look like a military fortress? This is it. Attaining an impressive score of 4.5/5 star with over 200 ratings on Amazon, Prime Line Security door is our top recommendation.
On top of great security, it also features screen mesh which prevents insects while allowing good air flow. It also has tamper proof hinges so the door can’t be lifted from the outside.
We found only two drawbacks. Firstly, it is a little bit hard to install, you may need professional help. Secondly, the pine wood used for the styling requires regular maintenance.
2. CEDAR WOODLAND SCREEN DOOR
✅ Heavy Cedarwood construction
✅ Removable Black Fibre Glass Screen (easy for paint and finish)
✅ Trimmable corners with one year warranty
✅ Easy installation
❌ May need trimming around corners
❌ High maintenance
The door uses a solid cedarwood frame around the mesh screen for a stronger structure. Bonus points for the sturdiness and security. You can paint the door in any color. The door may need trimming to fit your entrance. Plus, cedarwood is high maintenance.
3. PRIME-LINE FLAGSTAFF SECURITY DOOR
✅ Beautiful Security Door with Smooth and Polished Texture
✅ Constructed with 24-Guage Perforated Steel Mesh
✅ 1×1” Welded Steel Frame
✅ Three Heavy-duty Unyielding Hinges
❌ Not-So-Easy Installation
❌ Heavy frame
This door is a top budget pick. The sturdy frame with a beautiful design gives you best of both worlds- aesthetic value and security.
The best part is that standing on the outside, nothing is visible inside the house thanks to the mesh screen. You can also add a deadbolt as well as the lever handle for extra security.
This door is a great option to add in front of your regular front door and enhance your home’s curb appeal.
4. TITAN MESHTEC SECURITY SCREEN DOOR
✅ Innovative Durable Design
✅ Three Point Locking System
✅ Mesh Screen Allows Viewing Outside with Closed Door
✅ Allows Air Flow
❌ Requires professional installation
❌ High maintenance
The sturdy design and construction of this security screen door make it a great overall choice. The mesh screen gives you the freedom to open the door for ventilation and still stay protected. The screen is also pet friendly. So, if your dog or cat run into it or scratch it, it wouldn’t be very noticeable. (Also, without harming your pet)
If only the door was easily installed it would have been our top pick. Doesn’t come very cheap because of its solid wood frame — which requires high maintenance.
5. MAIN DARK MAHOGANY PRE HUNG FRONT DOOR
✅ Brazilian Mahogany — solid, sustainably sourced wood
✅ Speak easy (instead of peephole)
✅ Rust-Proof, Dent-Proof Stainless Steel Hinges
✅ Stylish Design
✅ Easy installation
❌ No pre-drilled hole for deadbolt
❌ No protective moulding
This high security door is very versatile considering its looks. Brazilian mahogany is abundantly available and a sustainable source of wood. So, it’s a win-win both for security and environment.
It comes in a variety of sizes to fit any door opening. It’s also more affordable than some of the other doors on this list. Overall a great choice if you’re looking for a strong wooden door.
6. MAHOGANY FIBERGLASS FRONT DOOR
✅ Beautiful design
✅ Secure Triple Glazed Fibre Glass Window
✅ Weather Resistant Design
✅ Rust and Corrosion Proof materials
✅ Easy installation
❌ Very Expensive
This dark stained mahogany door comes at a high price for a reason.
Unlike the prehung mahogany door mentioned above, this door uses traditional mahogany. Let’s be honest, these are very pretty security doors and this solid wood is scarce in nature, hence the inflated price tag.
It is rust proof and insect proof. The double door is an epitome of class. Although, it also comes in a single door variety.
7. ALEKO IRON DOOR
✅ Beautiful Design available in Single or double doors
✅ Sturdy Iron frame
✅ Tempered Glass Sheet
✅ Talkeasy
✅ Weather Resistant
❌ Expensive
Just like the previous door, this door is expensive and also comes in a double door style (even higher price). The sturdy rust proof iron frame however, is not only beautiful but also crime-deterring.
It features tempered glass. If only it was more budget friendly, it would have been higher on the list. But the great features come with a price.
Check current price on Amazon
8. VIZ Pro Quick Mount Steel Security Door
✅ Stainless Steel Frame, handle and hinges
✅ 9–12-point Locking System
✅ Weather seal
✅ Easy installation
✅ Budget friendly
❌ Low Aesthetic Appeal
❌ High Price
The price is not as high as the mahogany and iron doors we have talked about earlier. Yet for the price it comes at, it could have offered much more.
The door is a straight “DON’T YOU EVEN THINK OF IT” design for burglars. From hinges to frame and doorknob, everything is made of sturdy stainless steel. So, ultimate security is what Viz pro security door is all about.
9. VDOMDOORS Front Exterior Prehung Glass Steel Door
✅ Attractive Design
✅ Steel frame
✅ Weather Resistant
✅ Burglar Deterring Design (No Welded Seams)
✅ Easy Installation
❌ High Price
These steel security doors have great features and beautiful design. Including stainless steel frame and knobs.
The door also has a feature called “Stiffening Ribs”. These are non-visible details that add to door’s security.
It also provides weather proofing for extreme hot and cold weathers. Plus, offers sound proofing to reduce the external noise from entering and disturbing peaceful home environment.
10. Pre-Hung Modern 5-Lite Forged Iron Entry Door
✅ Heavy duty Iron Frame
✅ Beautiful Design
✅ Laminated, Insulated Glass
✅ 12-Guage Steel door
✅ Easy installation
❌ Expensive
❌ No holes for deadbolts
A high security door if we’ve ever seen one! Anyone who would like a glass entry door, this is a great option.
The laminated glass can take a hell of a beating so the glass doesn’t effect it’s security unless your house is in a remote location and sound is a non-issue for the burglars.
Even when it does break, it does not leave a hole through which you can put your hand in. So, this laminated glass door is a very secure door.
Best Way to Secure a Door from the Inside
To make your front door burglary-proof, the materials are not just the only thing to be considered. You can increase your security by taking into account the following:
Five lever mortice deadlocks
To begin with the additional security talk, why don’t we recommend something that the police recommend. That’s right. The cops recommend installing a five lever mortice deadlock to your front door. It uses a key to open. And can be opened from either side.
What’s so special about the mortice deadlock? How is it different from the traditional key-in-the-door locks? The main difference is that traditional locks can be moved without the key. You can see this by turning the key in the lock while the door is open and pushing the lock back into the door. The kind of locks you try and open with a credit card. A deadbolt can’t be moved unless the key or knob is turned.
Bonus security points if you install a deadbolt in addition to the primary lock. Not only will it add an extra layer of protection, but it will also deter potential burglars. Seeing two locks will automatically put them off, looking for easier target.
Note that many insurance companies have this police recommendation as a compulsory requirement. You are supposed to have a five-lever mortice deadlock on your front door to be able to make a claim.
Laminated Glass
If your door has a glass panel, the glass should be some type of toughened glass. It is still a better option to have no glass at all in the front door.
Long hinge screws
Think like a burglar. What is the next thing you will attack if you can’t open the lock and break the door with brute force. The hinges.
Secure the hinges by using long screws. Long screws will go further into the door frame, making it more secure. In short, long screws will make the hinges more resistant to become target of a break-in attempt.
Peephole
What can be the next attempt of an intruder. To try and make you open the door. A peephole can help with this attempt. It allows you to see who is at the door before opening it. This gives you security and you can choose not to open the door to a suspicious person.
A Door Chain
What if the intruder disguises into someone you need to talk to. For example, a police officer. And you decide to open the door. In this case, a door chain will allow you to partially open your front door. Therefore, we highly recommend adding a chain to your front door. This will give you an additional layer of security.
Letterbox Basket
Often, we overlook this part of the front door with security point of view. Think of it. If the flap of the letterbox is something that can be easily removed. Then suddenly, you have a big hole in your door. A hole large enough to put a hand in.
So, you should make sure that the flap is secure on both sides. In addition, you should also consider fitting a letter basket to the inside.
Also consider the distance of the letterbox to the main lock. It should be no closer than 40cm to the locks. Letterboxes located at the bottom of the front doors are most secure considering the distance.
Read on to find the best security doors. So, you can make the best choice to keep yourself and your family safe.
Key Features of Best Security Doors
We have given you a list of security doors. So you can see the features of the available security doors, compare them and buy the one you can afford. (Considering if it’s worth the money).
However, you should also know what the key features of most secure front doors are.
1. Tough & Durable Material
The first and foremost feature of a secure front door is what material it is made with. So, What is the most secure material for the front door?
The best answer would be steel and iron doors, but there are certain limitations. Like the frames can get rust. Aluminum doors are less prone to rust. Then, you have sturdy solid wood doors. Wooden doors have great aesthetic appeal.
The security door manufacturers have come up with great doors that are a combination of all materials. This has helped take advantage of pros while avoiding the cons as much as possible of using a single material. These doors are called Composite doors.
Following is a brief description of the main option of materials that are used in the manufacture of security doors.
Steel
Sometimes wooden doors may be unable to endure a strong blow of an axe. The blow might not necessarily create a hole in the door but can damage it. This may result in a need to replace the door even if it didn’t get broken into. On the other hand, galvanised steel would be able to withhold such an attack. Therefore, steel can be considered as the best material for security front door.
Keep in mind that burglars always go for an easy target. They will want to spend least possible time when trying to gain forced entry. So, a steel security door is an effective deterrent.
Burglars using force to break the door will not attempt to break a steel door because they make more noise. Not only does a steel door take more time to break through but also the noise draws attention to the burglars.
Solid Wood
Most homeowners who are more interested in adding a traditional charm to their home, like to choose wooden front doors. The commonly used solid wood used in security doors are:
- Timber
- Classic Mahogany
- Brazilian Mahogany
- Teak
- Plywood
Timber doors are widely considered as brilliant aesthetic addition to a home. They are also very secure, especially modern timber front doors. The modern timber doors consist of laminated timber sections glued together. These are far more secure and can withstand much brute force than solid wood.
Classic Mahogany is rare and scarce in nature. Yet it is the most reliable natural wood for security front door. Its color gets richer and darker over time making it an aesthetically pleasing choice of material for front doors.
To reap the benefits of Mahogany doors, while keeping it sustainable, Brazilian Mahogany has mostly replaced classic Mahogany. It has almost the same benefits but comes with a lower price tag.
Teak is truly the best solid wood for exterior use. It is naturally weatherproof. The modern security front doors are made with engineered sections glued together for a more stable structure.
Wooden front doors made from plywood typically have a thick piece of hardboard in the middle of front and back. This is an additional measure to make the doors withstand heavy impacts.
Most hard woods are heat-treated when being used for security front doors. The heat treatment gives them extra strength.
Aluminum
Aluminum is an inherently strong and stable material for security doors. It has an innate integrity that help the front doors withstand forced entry.
Aluminum doors come in a variety of design aesthetics. So, you don’t have to compromise on style for security. Most Aluminum skin doors can be painted in wood- texture finishes. So you can have the best of both worlds.
Our favorite part is that Aluminum is the most eco-friendly material for the front doors. This is because it can be re-used many times. Your front door can be a part of an aircraft wing after you are done with it.
Fiberglass
Speaking of what happens after you change a door, a fiberglass door can last you a lifetime. Fiberglass front doors are known for their durability.
Plus, they require little to no maintenance as they are scratch and dent resistant. They do not rot or deteriorate like wood, don’t rust like steel or oxidize like aluminum.
Fiberglass front doors are energy efficient. They can lower the energy costs of a home by effectively controlling the heat transmission. Also known for their longevity, fiberglass doors resist denting and scratching and do not rot, rust, or deteriorate. With an energy-efficient core, they can lower heating and cooling costs.
Composite Doors
Composite doors are a combination of different materials. The frame may be iron, steel, wooden or PVC plastic. But wait, they aren’t regular plastic doors that can’t stand even a single blow of a sledgehammer. Composite security doors were designed to overcome all the inherent flaws of other singular material doors. Therefore, they are one of the top security doors.
Composite doors include a reinforced steel door frame and a solid hardwood internal frame. The surface skin of the door is made from glass-reinforced plastic or solid wood. The Plastic or the Wood used for outer frame is a sturdy material, and the combination of these materials with steel core gives rise to a secure door that can withstand brute force.
Most composite security doors are even bullet proof. So, if unfortunately, you become a victim to a professional criminal, you are still safe.
The following image (from a security test) illustrate the bullet holes on the outside. The inner side of the door is fully intact.
2. Laminated Glass For Security Doors
If you are eyeing a wooden door design with a glass pattern and worried about how secure it is. The truth is that it can prove to be highly secure. Check if the wood is sturdy and sustainable. The glass used should be laminated for maximum security.
Read our article Types of laminated glass to learn more about the security of laminated glass. The article will also help you learn the difference between laminated and tempered glass. Both are alternatively used for the same thing, but they are not same.
An additional advantage of these doors is that they are energy conserving. They don’t let the heat from the inside escape. So, there is less expense on keeping the house warm in winter. In Summer, they don’t let the heat from outside enter the house, so keep the house cooler.
3. Locking System
We all know that the material your door is made of should be high quality. However, not all burglars use brute force to enter the house. A front door is only as secure as the locking system it uses.
Extra-ordinarily reinforced door isn’t as secure as you would think, if its lock can be easily picked, drilled or snapped. It makes sense, doesn’t it? If security is your top priority when choosing a front door, you should pay more attention to the locking system of the doors.
Plus, the home insurance companies also enquire about the locks of the entry doors. If you use a below standard lock or your front door comes with an inferior quality lock, your home will not be insured.
Look for multiple locking systems in the doors to ensure you are making the best choice for security.
If you’d like to do more research on your own, following is a list of highly rated security door manufacturing companies. And a video to show how security doors undergo testing.
- PRIME Security Doors
- SUR Security Doors (Turkish)
- Innotech Security doors
- Skydas Security Doors
- TSS (Total Security Solution) Doors (American)
- YSE Doors (Malaysia)
- Fire-Insulation Doors
- Titan Security Doors
How to Make Your Existing Door More Secure
If you aren’t ready to buy a new door yet, but you have security concerns, following are a few products that will increase its security:
- Master Lock 265D Door Security Bar
- Defender Security Satin Nickel U 10827 Door Reinforcement Lock
- REVOLO Electronic Keypad Deadbolt, Keyless Entry Door
Watch the following DIY video to learn how you can secure your door.
Finally, here is a recap of the best materials for a security front door:
Stainless Steel doors | Solid Wooden Composite Doors | PVC Composite Doors | |
Cost | High | Low | Medium |
Maintenance | High | Low | Low |
Security | High | Medium | High |
Best choice for security | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
“Be Proactive, Not Reactive” is our motto. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by increasing the security of your front door or getting one that can withstand higher impact.