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Door Armor Review: How to stop a kick-in for under $100

60% of all burglaries involve forced entry. The most common method is the “Kick-In.”
Standard residential doors are terrifyingly weak. When a burglar kicks your door, they are not breaking the deadbolt; they are splitting the soft pine wood of the door frame.

You can have a $500 smart lock, but if the wood holding it shatters, the door swings open. The solution is not a better lock; it is Frame Reinforcement.


The Weak Point: The strike plate held by 1/2 inch screws.

The Fix: Steel wrap-around shields and 3.5-inch screws.

Result: Turns a door that fails in 1 kick into one that takes 50.

The Solution: Door Armor MAX

Door Armor MAX (formerly EZ Armor) is a 3-piece steel reinforcement kit. It does not require you to remove the door. You simply unscrew your existing hardware, slide the steel plates over the damage-prone areas, and drive in the massive 3.5-inch screws.

The 3 Components:

  • 1. Jamb Shield: A 4-foot long steel bar that wraps around the door frame lock area. It distributes the force of a kick along the entire stud, rather than just the two inches near the lock.
  • 2. Door Shield: Wraps around the door itself (where the lock sticks out) to prevent the door form splitting.
  • 3. Hinge Shields: Reinforces the back side of the door so it can’t be kicked off the hinges.

The “Budget” Hack: 3-Inch Screws

If you cannot afford the full armor kit, go to the hardware store and buy a box of 3.5-inch deck screws.
Remove the tiny 1/2 inch screws currently holding your strike plate and hinges. Replace them with the 3.5-inch screws. These will bite deep into the 2×4 stud of the house frame, rather than just the trim. This increases strength by 300% for about $2.

Which kit should you buy?

Top Pick: Door Armor MAX

The “Gold Standard.” Tested by police and featured on news stations. If you want to sleep soundly knowing your door is a barricade, buy this.

The Floor Barrier: Nightlock

A metal plate that anchors into the floor. A separate piece slides into it, bracing the door from the bottom. Extremely strong, but only works when you are inside.

Budget Pick: 3.5″ Construction Screws

The minimum viable upgrade. Replace one screw in every hinge and all screws in the strike plate. Cost: $5.

The “Delay” Strategy

No door is impenetrable. A determined attacker with a sledgehammer will eventually get in.
The goal of Door Armor is Time. If it takes 20 kicks and 5 minutes of noise to break your door, the intruder will likely give up or you will have time to arm yourself and call for help.

Related pages

Solar Security Cameras

Catch them on video before they even try to kick the door.

Driveway Alarms

Alerts you when a vehicle enters your property.

Window Security Film

If the door won’t break, they will try the window. Reinforce the glass.

Back to Security Hub
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