What High Security Steel Doors Actually Mean

Most products labeled high security steel doors do not meet the expectations set by the name. What is advertised as high security steel doors is often just steel doors secured with a decent locking mechanism, or a reinforced composite door, or something that would not even slow down a determined burglar. To discern what high security doors really are, we must look beyond the marketing and examine the specifications.

What matters most is the standard. In the UK, the Loss Prevention Standard (LPS) 1175 certifies physical security products. The standard ranges from Security Rating (SR) 1 to SR6. Products that achieve SR1 are resistant to the most rudimentary attacks. When a door achieves SR3, it is considered a high security door for the majority of commercial and industrial use cases. This level of resistance means that the door can withstand an attack using an angle grinder or other tools for a significant period of time. Higher ratings of SR4 and above provide resistance to amplified attacks using industrial power tools and prolonged attempts to break through the door.

If a door is being marketed as a high security door, it should either state its LPS 1175 certification, or, preferably, the door should have BRE certification. If a supplier cannot provide that, or deflects to steel gauge and multipoint locking claims, that should be noted.

A secure door comprises more than just a door leaf. If a certified steel door is installed in a substandard frame, or fixed with inadequate anchoring, door performance will be substandard. A standard addresses a door along with its frame, fixings, and hardware. If a door is installed according LPS 1175, the installer must treat the installation as a whole. A solid frame is necessary to transfer the door’s operating loads. In most cases, the surrounding frame is likely going to be masonry or steel. A stud frame will not support a door rated higher than SR2.

The same principle of door construction applies to secure locking hardware. A lock that is in compliance with a Secured by Design specification will be a 3-star TS007 with a 1-star door handle, or a 2-star cylinder with a 1-star lock. The door leaf and frame can be constructed to the highest security standards. If a door is fitted with a cheap cylinder, then the security of the door is highly compromised. For that reason, a number of high security steel doors offer multipoint locking systems as standard. Three or five locking points to the frame are standard; however, the locking cylinder is the component most likely to be designed to a lower standard.

Fire rating and security rating are two different things, though they are often thought about together. A door can have both fire resistance rated to FD60 alongside LPS 1175 SR3, for example, but the two are tested and certified separately. A common mistake when specifying doors for a commercial fitout is to overlook one of the ratings when specifying a fire door for a high security application. This is especially true when fire and security rated doors are required for the same opening.

Buying a high security steel door can be more challenging than buying a standard steel door, and here’s why. Each of the door frame, fixings, hardware, and how the door is installed can affect how the door performs. Just because a door comes with a certificate doesn’t mean it can be installed without consideration of the frame or the substrate, and tension will be containerized.