For most businesses, security doors are a necessary part of the furniture. But what about the furniture that goes inside, or on, the doors themselves? Aside from the reinforced nature of the door itself, it is the bits and pieces you specify to go with it that make the difference. We’ve put together a brief list explaining the most common door furniture options and their uses.

The most common article of security door furniture is the door closer. You’ll have seen these on all the fire doors in your place of work, as well as the heavy duty security doors. A door closer is the mechanical arm fitted to the top of your door, which automatically shuts it after it has been opened. Vital for security because it eliminates the possibility of forgetting to close important doors.

A deadlock is a must have for heightened security. The deadlock operates, to you, like a normal lock – but its increased strength and almost un-pickable tumbler mechanism makes it much more secure than a normal lock. The deadlock will also be fire resistant to an impressive degree – four hours is the average.

External Override handles are ideal for security doors that double as fire doors. The External Override doesn’t work when the door is locked, so the handle just spins without gaining purchase – but if it is unlocked, it enables the door to be opened from the outside. A vital extra safety precaution.

Spyhole viewers enable you to look through your security door and see who is on the other side. The internal eyehole is quite small, but refracts through a wide angle “fisheye” lens to give a broad view of the outside. You should be able to see most of the area in front of, and directly beside, the opening arc of your security doors.

A vision panel can be fitted in a security door when a spyhole viewer is not sufficient – or when you need to be able to see through the door from both sides. The vision panel is made from toughened glass or plastic so as not to detract from the impregnability of the door. Ideal for use on a security door that has access to the outside – the vision panel lets natural light in just like any normal door window.

A deadbolt is commonly used as an addition to a deadlock, providing an extra level of security thanks to its large and extremely strong base plate. The deadbolt slides a chunky metal ingot into a steel holding slot, and cannot be forced – when the security doors are locked with a deadbolt, the only way in is through the hinges.

Stainless steel kickplates, as tough as the interior of your door, can save painted doors from scuffing and bashing. Ideal for use in all publically visible areas.

A final word about the door itself – make sure you buy security doors with the proper ratings for their intended use. Choose the LPS 1175 Security Rating if you need a high security solution.

Security doors