Call the Security Door Experts – 0121 468 2063
Security Doors Direct Ltd offer a range of products that are Secured By Design certified. ‘Secured by Design’ is a police led initiative which aims to reduce burglary and crime in the UK, focusing on crime prevention. This is through combining physical security and that of surveillance.
The range is a Secured by design specification, suitable for a variety of situations where a secure door is needed. Generally the doors we supply from this range are fitted with concealed electro magnetic locks with an access control system. This will restrict access to the building and conform to Secured by Design guidelines.
Secured by design scheme is estimated to reduce the risk of crime by as much as 75%. We will be happy to assist with your enquiry to ensure that you get the required communal door.
We can certainly offer a fitting service for your Security Doors – Speak to a member of our friendly, experienced team today by calling us on 0121 468 2063 or drop us an email at sales@securitydoorsdirect.co.uk to book in a free measurement, and to find out more information in regard to our fitting service.
Once your order has been placed with us, we can usually process your order and manufacture your custom security doors within 10 – 15 days – Although some orders may vary, so get in touch with us for an estimated delivery date.
If you do need your orders on a faster turnaround time, just let a member of our friendly team know, and we can process your order on a high priority service to ensure you get your bespoke security doors as soon as possible.
All of our security doors come with a minimum 1 year warranty, as well as this we can also offer up to a 10-year anti-corrosion guarantee.
If any changes or repairs are needed to your doors outside of this warranty, we will be happy to review and give you an estimate for any work required to keep your door in top working condition.
Of course – If you are happy to measure your door yourself, feel free to send us over your exact measurements and we can get back to you within 24 hours with a price for your custom made security doors.
If you do need any help measuring for your doors, please watch our helpful measuring advice video here.
Don’t be tempted by sophisticated systems
There is a great temptation when looking to secure a home to buy the latest all singing and dancing security alarm, camera system or other electronic security gismo, for most homes this is totally unnecessary as well as a waste of money that would be better spent elsewhere.
Assessing the Risk
Most property security is down to common sense and the place to start is to look at the property from the outside trying to see it from the burglars point of view, some homes are more vulnerable than others.
Some Low Risk Factors are :-is it in a quiet residential area with nosey neighbours? Is it in a cul-de-sac with only one way in and out? are many of the neighbours at home during the day? If yes to these questions the property is probable not that vulnerable to burglary.
High risk, is it on a busy road where there is lots of noise? Is it a corner house? Is there easy access and escape around the back? is it shielded by high hedges and fences? are there flat roofs for easy access to first floor windows?
These are not a comprehensive list of the factors to consider however as can be seen most are common sense factors and you don’t need to be a member of the security industry to make an assessment.
Low and No Cost Measures.
Remove anything that Burglars can hide behind, such as high hedges, fences and gates, many people are under the misapprehension that concealing the property is adding to the security when in fact it is having the opposite effect and making a burglary more likely, an open property with clear views of sight to windows and doors is a major deterrent.
Start a neighbourhood watch scheme either in an organized way or simply by being a good citizen and keeping an eye open for your neighbours property and reporting suspicious activity in the area.
Fit flood lights to light up dark areas of the property, to be effective they need to be switched on all the time when it is dark rather than on a sensor, they also need to be located high up on the property otherwise the criminals will simply extinguish the lights by smashing the bulbs
Plant prickly leaved plants under vulnerable ground floor windows, and consider investing in a pet dog.
Lock up ladders, bins or anything else that could be used to help climb into first floor windows, don’t leave loose bricks or tools outside that can be used to assist force entry, wooden sheds cannot be secured successfully so if possible do not leave items of value in them and certainly not tools that can be used to enter the property.
Always make full use of the security you have already got by locking windows and doors and setting the alarm before leaving the property empty, when away make the property appear to be occupied with timed lights going on and off, something to make a noise like a radio and leaving a vehicle in the drive, if you are away for an extended period get somebody to visit every few days to remove the mail and the free newspapers from the letter box.
All the statistics indicate that there has been a steady reduction in the burglary of homes in the last few years, between 1995 & 2007 there has been a 59% of reported burglary’s to homes.
Falling Burglary Rate Why?
There are many reasons that are thought to be contributing towards the fall, organizations such as the Police, Local Authorities and Community organizations would claim that their initiatives are responsible for the fall, the reality is more likely a loss of interest by the thieves in this type of Crime.
Burglary no longer Pays.
Burglary does not pay as well as it did and for many criminals there are richer pickings elsewhere, this has been because of the greater availability and lower cost of hi-tech goods which rapidly loose there re-saleable street value, also people are keeping less cash in their homes using other forms of payment such as credit and debit cards.
Homes are more secure than in the past.
Homes are much more secure than in the past with the majority fitted with more secure windows and doors, Electronic security measures such as Alarms and Cameras have become widespread as the cost has reduced in recent years and it now possible to purchase adequate systems from the local DIY shed.
Some Homes are more at risk than others.
22.5% of homes that are burgled are ones where there are no security measures in place, the groups of people most at risk are Students, young people in the 16-24 year age group, followed by the unemployed and single parent families.
The homes least at risk are those in a rural location that are detached, residents that have lived in the same property for more than 10 years.
The Future Burglary on the increase.
As the economic recession starts to take hold, with unemployment continuing to increase along with short time working and reduced incomes as well as the effect of increased taxation to pay for the countries huge deficit, it is inevitable that more of the population are going to be looking for ways to maintain their standard of living, many are going to be tempted to turn to crime.
As general property crime increases it makes sense for home owners to look at ways to protect their Homes from theft.
Security measures can be likened to an onion with different layers, starting from the outside working in, all burglary is limited by time, if the criminal considers that your property will take too long to gain access he will go elsewhere, there are plenty of other easy targets for him to attack.
It is thought that due to the increase of Home Alarm systems and the reduced market value of many household goods such as computers and televisions, it is making burglary riskier and less profitable for the thieves. Not only this, there has been increasing number of security initiatives by the Police, Local Authorities as well as Community groups.
However, if your home isn’t secured, your property will be targeted.
As the recession lingers there is pressure to reduce costs in all areas of business including security, making savings on security can be a false economy because if security is required in the good times it is likely to be needed even more when the going gets tough.
Crime is guaranteed to increase as more people are tempted to try and maintain their standard of living by turning to burglary and other crimes, the first evidence is already appearing as retailers are reporting a big increase in stock losses through shop lifting.
There is a perception that as long as you are insured you are covered and it is only necessary to take sufficient security measures required by the insurance companies to be fully covered, Not true, insurance will not cover the inevitable disruption that is caused to the business by having to contend with a burglary, also the insurer will only pay out if you suffer a loss after taking reasonable precautions.
It is important to have a well thought out reliable security system consisting of a combination of physical grilles, shutters and security doors backed up electronic alarms and cameras, this has got to be a number one priority in these difficult times to protect, premises, staff and customers and ensure the insurance company continues to offer support at reasonable cost.
Your home is always vulnerable when it is empty, whether you are away for just a few minutes or a matter of days. Most burglaries occur at night however a significant number take place during daylight hours. Most burglars are only in the property for a few minutes at the most. They are usually looking for items which they can get away with quickly and sell on easily. These are often things such as jewellery, mobile phones, DVD players, laptops, games consoles etc. Even things live normal computers and small televisions are easy enough to be carried away. There are many ways that would indicate to a potential burglar that your home is empty.
Some obvious signs of an empty property are:-
There are many simple ways to solve these issues. You could ask a neighbour to park their car on the driveway. If possible ask a friend, neighbour or relative to go around in the evening to close the curtains or blinds and open them in the morning. While they are there they could pick up the post and put it somewhere out of view. There is more than one way to get around the issue of the lights. Again you could ask a friend, relative or neighbour to turn the lights on in the evening. They could leave one light on over night, like the hall or landing for example. Another way around the problem is to have the lights on a timer and set them to come on in the evening and go off in the morning. Another possibility is to fit a security light to the front and back of your home. These have built in sensors so when ever they detect movement on your property the light comes on. Another option is install CCTV to your home, this way you are able to monitor who enters or attempts to enter your property. Also have a burglar alarm fitted in your home and make sure it is always set every time you leave the house. If you go on holiday and your home is going to be empty for a longer period of time, then a good way of trying to prevent a break in is to ask someone to live at your home while you are away. A family member would probably be the best option or if not ask a close friend that you trust.
Physical security is another option to be considered. These are things like concertina grilles, burglar bars, security doors and roller shutters. The most common form of physical security fitted in domestic properties is concertina grilles. They are not too ugly to look at but still provide a good physical as well as a visual deterrent. You can get different grades of grille from standard grilles up to heavy duty insurance specification grilles, depending on what your individual requirement is. They can also be powder coated in a variety of colours so you should be able to get a pretty good match to the surroundings. Steel doors are not fitted very often on domestic properties. This would be a good way of protecting a vulnerable back door. Some steel doors can be made quite decorative so that they look like traditional wooden front doors. Steel doors can be fitted with much of the same hardware as traditional doors. They can come with vision panels with different types of glass, different types of locks and locking systems. You can also choose what furniture you want on the door. There is a selection of handles that you can choose from.
Burglars will often want to pick premises which they feel will be easy to gain access to, or where there is minimal chance of them being disturbed. This is why buildings in remote areas or with little or no security are often targeted.
If your property backs on to open fields, wasteland etc, it may be an easy opportunity for a burglar. They would be able to attack your premises with very little chance of being spotted by anyone. Buildings with little or no security are a big favourite of burglars.
Doors are the main way to gain access into and out of buildings, however they have always been a main target for anyone trying to get into a building illegally. Most doors are made out of wood or PVC but they are relatively easy to attack and break through.
Doors that open inwards are extremely easy to get through as they can quite easily be forced open by being kicked, charged at or hit with some sort of battering ram. It is always best to have an outward opening door.
They also work well as a visual deterrent because anyone that is thinking of trying to break into a building through the door would see the steel door and probably not even bother trying to attack it. Any potential burglar would much rather attack a wooden or pvc door than a steel one. Even if someone did decide to launch an attack at the door, they can stand up to a tremendous amount of pressure and punishment.
So overall, steel doors offer many advantages over traditional wooden or plastic doors, they are much stronger and a lot more secure. Also with modern steel doors they look good to. So if you want a solid, secure door that doesn’t look too ugly then steel doors are the option for you.
Steel doors are the best way of securing a doorway against attack and any attempted break in. There are several different types of steel door available on the market, each one with its own purpose. There are Steel Entry Doors, Fire Exit Doors, Fire Rated Doors, Communal Entrance Doors and Substation/Ventilated Doors. Each one of these doors can be manufactured to your individual requirements.
Doors are often seen as weak points to thieves and are often targeted and attacked by burglars. A lot of doors on school buildings are wooden, PVC or have a large amount of glass in them so they can be fairly easy to break through.
It is extremely important to have strong school door security fitted for several reasons:
LPS 1175 security rating is awarded by the Loss Prevention Certification Board to products which meet their stringent testing criteria. It is a standard recognised by Insurance Companies, Local Authorities and Government agencies as well as many other Large Organisations.
The tests are carried out by various dedicated testing houses and the test criteria is rigorously enforced. This means the end user can be confident that the security equipment tested is fit for purpose. Starting at level 1, the higher the number the more rigorously the equipment has been tested.
Our secure composite doors are ideal for fitting in homes, flats or any other domestic property. They are also suitable for offices and other commercial buildings where appearance is important. They are designed to replace traditional wooden doors; they look similar but do not have any of the problems such as rotting, warping, shrinking or sticking and are virtually maintenance free, each door is custom made to size to exactly fit into the opening.
Door Specification
The external skins are manufactured out of GRP (glass reinforced polymer These skins are compression moulded in to panel and graining is used to provide a timber appearance. The door with polyurethane foam (100% CFC free) this fills the cavity between the skins which adds to the sound proofing and gives thermal performance that is 6 times better than timber. The doors have been tested and a solid door has a U value of 0.86W/M2K
Security
The doors have a secured by design licence which is backed by the police. The 6 point multi locking system in the doors is compliant with PAS 23/24; this locking mechanism consists of 2 hooks, 3 dead bolts and 1 latch. This means the doors are up to 35% stronger than traditional doors. Our secure composite doors come with a steel reinforced frame while the actual leaf itself is 44mm thick.
Appearance
The doors can be supplied in seven different styles with a a natural wood grain appearance available in a number of external coloured finishes, supplied with a bright white coloured finish on the inside give a light airy appearance that will match most decorative schemes, sealed double glazed panels are available in a number of styles to match the doors, no fixings are visible around the frames. High quality door furniture, such as door knockers, letterboxes and lever handles are supplied as standard.
Low Maintenance
Very little maintenance is required apart the occasional wipe down with a damp cloth, The doors are guaranteed for 25 years against warping cracking or twisting, the external finish is guaranteed for 10 years against deterioration, the door furniture also has a 10 ear warranty.
As standard fitted with a Fire Rated door closer a specialist honeycomb core with fire rated seals, each leaf is fitted with a minimum of four stainless steel hinges, BS.EN 1935.2002 grade 11 with 17.5mm dog bolts, Anti bar strip is built into the door.
Manufactured out of Zintec treated steel to overcome the corrosion problem associated with some other makes of Steel Door.
The doors are available with standard sized vision panels (these reduce the fire rating to 1 hour) Fire Doors and steel Entry Doors available with two different specifications with either standard 1.2 mm door skins or 1.6mm for heavier duty applications, frames are made from 1.6 mm zintec steel, the door thickness is 
45mm with additional welded corners and seams to give the doors increased rigidity.
Supplied in a powder coated grey finish, an additional range of 21 standard powder coated coloured finishes are available at extra cost.
For more information or a quotation on these doors please call or email us, Tel 0121 445 258
Security is becoming more vital in today’s society. Installing a metal door is an excellent way to improve security to a property, whether it is your home, office, factory, shop or any other building you wish to secure.
HINGES
Ensure there is no visible wear on the hinge. Any marks, stains around the hinge knuckle may indicate wear and or impending failure, if the latter the hinge must be replaced as soon as possible. Hinges should be lubricated every three months using a high quality lubricant.
Door Closure’s/ Friction Stays
Ensure that the door closure is working correctly, a smooth motion should be seen with no jerking or shuddering. Doors should not be wedged open for long periods. Open the door and check that is closes smoothly without catching on the floor. Open the door approximately 5 degrees and check that it closes and latches smoothly and firmly. The door closing speed should be about 10 seconds from a 90 degree angle but does not slam. To correct remove face plate of door closure and using a screwdriver adjust the pressure screws until a reasonable closing speed is achieved
Friction Stays
Should always be tensioned when being fitted to the door set. Location and climate must be taken into account when adjusting the resistance level of the friction stay. .
Electro-Magnet Hold Open and Swing Free Devices
Make sure that any electro-magnetic hold-open device is operating correctly and releases immediately when power is turned off.
Locks, Lever Handles and Cylinders
Check that the levers fully return to the horizontal after use and that the latch bolt is engaging smoothly and completely into the strike. Clean off any metal dust deposits from the latch bolt and strike plate. Check cylinder throws the latch/deadbolt smoothly into the receiver. Adjust, tighten or lubricate as needed.
All Ironmongery
Make sure that all fixings are secure. Ensure all hinges, closers, friction stays, locks and other hardware are lubricated /maintained at the required intervals. Seal MUST BE FITTED correctly to the door frame. Tolerances are calibrated for OUR seals only, do not use any other manufacturer’s product.
Quarterly Maintenance Guide
Hinges and ALL working parts must be lubricated with LANOLIN solution. Check Door and frame for damage
Check the door leaf alignment. Making sure door does not scrape on the floor and has an optimum clearance of 6mm.
Check locks, cylinders, latches, handles, panic hardware, closure, friction stays and any other ironmongery for loose fixings, smooth operation and security, Retighten/lubricate/adjust as needed.
Cylinder should only be lubricated with either TEFLON OR GRAPHITE based oils.
WD40 OR SIMILAR PENETRATIVE OIL MUST NOT BE USED
General maintenance
To ensure safe, reliable operation regular maintenance is essential. Maintenance frequency will depend on door usage.
| Door cycles per day | Maintenance periods | |
| Up to 15 Up to 30 Up to 40 Up to 50 Over 50 | Every Six months Every Four Months Every Two Months Every Five Weeks Every two weeks |
Pre finished doors are easily cleaned using mild household detergents or washing up liquid with warm water
DO NOT
use any chemicals, solvents, bleach or abrasive type cleaners which will affect the paint finish.
Hammer drill
Chisel
Battery drill
Wood saw
Spirit level
Extension cable
Hammer
Basic tool kit
Stanley Knife
Lump Hammer
Crowbar
| Activator | Ironmongery device (eg: panic or push bar) which both unlocks the door set and opens it in one positive action. |
| Active Leaf | The first leaf to open in a pair of doors (followed by the inactive leaf) |
| Adjustable Frame Fixings | See ‘Screw in Frame Fixings. |
| Architectural Finishes | Generally applied to ironmongery. See ‘PAA’, ‘SAA’, ‘SSA’,’SSS’ and ‘PSS |
| Astragal | Often called the ‘Leading Edge’, ‘Anti Crow Bar’ or ‘Security Astragal’, this feature is a lipped edge to the slam (or non-hinged) side of the active leaf, which creates and additional obstruction to attempts to lever or jemmy the door when shut or locked |
| Auto Bolting | Ironmongery that has a series of latches and triggers to ensure that the locks automatically re-engage to secure the opening once the door leaves are shut. Use with a latching door closer to ensure no manual intervention is necessary to close the doors. |
| Auto Flush Bolt | Self locking bolts built into the top and bottom of the leading edge of the active leaf, to automatically snap locked without any need for manual intervention. Secures the active leaf shut first, before the active leaf typically locks to the inactive leaf. Only fitted to double door sets. |
| Back Check | Setting on a door closer to eliminate over swing. See also ‘Restrictor’ |
| Bathroom Lock | To allow internal and external lever handle operation of the door leaf by operating a sprung latch; whilst allowing locking of the door set by an internal thumb turn to operate a dead bolt. |
| Building Regulations | In the context of doors, consider generally ‘part B’, Part L’, Part M’. |
| Cill | See ‘Threshold’ |
| Combined Weather & Cold Smoke Sea | A stick on rubber profile to seal air gaps at the hinge or leading edge sides of steel door leaves. Manufactured from intumescent material to allow use on fire doors. |
| Cylinder | Oval or Euro Profile key lock for doors. Can be a half cylinder for external unlocking only; a full double cylinder for internal and external key locking and unlocking; or with an external half cylinder with internal thumb turn. |
| DDA | Disability Discriminations Act 1995. Replaced by the Equality Act 2010. The disability Discrimination Act was a piece of legislation that promoted civil rights for disabled people and protected disabled people from discrimination. In this context, the Disability Discrimination Act set out building requirements and rules relating to safe ingress and egress through doorways |
| DDa Compliant Threshold | A floor mounted threshold strip, less than 15mm in height, required to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Although now replaced by the Equality Act 2010, the new act incorporates essential requirements of the old act including the provision of accessible low profile threshold strips in key locations. |
| Dead Lock | Comprising a dead bolt (ie a lock that once double locked cannot be unlocked or activated by any other means than the key, or internal thumb turn where fitted). Can be supplied with lever handles, pull handle and push plate combination or simply a cylinder pull. |
| Delayed Action | Setting for some models of door closer. Allows the door leaf to remain open for a pre-set time prior to automatically closing at a controlled rate. Useful for wheel chair access and where trolleys are regularly moved through the opening. See also ‘Hold Open Door Closer’. |
| Door Closer | A Mechanical device to pull shut the door leaf without manual intervention, using either the power of a spring or a hydraulic cylinder. See also `Resistor`. |
| Dog Bolt | Also known as ‘Security Stud’ or ‘Hinge Stud’. A metal pin integral to one of the hinge plates, that engages in to a hole or slot in the opposite hinge plate, when the door leaf is closed. This prevents the door leaf being pulled out of the frame if the hinge knuckles are cut from the outside. |
| Door Function | Determine whether the door set is to be used as a Personnel Entry Door, an Emergency Escape (for staff and trained users) or a Panic Escape (for members of the public and untrained users). Where doors are perceived to have multiple functions, generally a hierarchy of importance will emerge; for example an opening that is an emergency escape might also be required to provide a one hour fire rating. In the context of door function, the escape function is critical. |
| Door Furniture | Generally used to refer to locks, handles, activators, restrictors and all manner of ‘ironmongery’. |
| Door Location | Either internal or external to the building. |
| Door Reference | Although doors can be similar in size, specification and location, it is a real benefit to ascribe each door set an individual reference number for ease of identification. |
| Door Type | Choose your door set specification based on anticipated use. Start with a Security Door, and upgrade to a 1 Hour Fire Rated Door (FD60) or a 2 Hour Fire Rated Door (FD120). Where a flush wall finish is required for internal sporting venues, choose a Sports Hall Door (with rebound panels and recessed ironmongery). |
| Door Viewer | Glass peep hole with magnification to allow view from the secure side of a door set to an external area; so that safe egress can be determined before unlocking the door set. |
| Double Leaf Door Se | A `pair` of leaves, comprising an active and inactive leaf, usually in a three sided frame. |
| Drop Seal | A mechanical rubber profile in a metal carrier. When the door leaf is closed towards the fully shut position, an activating button lowers the carrier so as to position the rubber profile in a pre-adjusted position to ensure a uniform seal when the door is fully closed. |
| Emergency Escape | A push bar, push pad or handle activation to comply with BSEN179; where only staff or trained users are likely to use the door set to leave the building in a fire or alarm condition. |
| Emergency Escape Night Latch | See `Escape Night Latch` |
| Emergency Escape Sash Lock | See `Escape Sash Lock`. |
| Escape Night Latch | To allow internal lever handle operation for the door leaf by operating a sprung latch, and external unlocking by a key cylinder from the outside. Automatically locks on closing the door. The door set cannot be dead locked from the inside allowing for ease of escape in case of an emergency. Also known as `Emergency Night Latch`. |
| Escape Sash Lock | To allow internal and external lever handle operation f the door leaf by operating a sprung leaf; whilst allowing locking of the door set by the integration of an external lock cylinder and internal cylinder or thumb turn to operate a deadbolt. Latch automatically engages on closing the door. However, when locked both the deadbolt and the latch bolt are withdrawn simultaneously by the inside lever handle, using a `split follower` function. Also known as ` emergency Escape sash Lock`. |
| Escutcheons | The protective face plate around a key hole or door handle. Standard SSS finish. |
| Etch Primer | See`Finishes`. |
| Europrofile | A standardised European Union Lock Cylinder type. |
| Exidor 402 Touch bar System | A high quality panic escape system to comply with BSNEN1125. Only a very light touch is required to operate the activator, making the system very suitable for recessed fitting to sports hall doors. Can be supplied unlock and open the door from the outside. |
| External Access | An ironmongery device is provided to allow unlocking and opening of a door leaf from the outside of the secured zone/building. See also ‘Knob Set’ and ‘Outside Access Device’. |
| Fan Light | Glazed over panel above a metal door set. |
| FD60 or FD120 or FD240 | Fire doors are rated in minutes of resistance to the spread of a fire. FD60 is a 1 hour rated door (FD60 OR Fire Rated Door 60 Minutes) |
| Finger Plate | See Push Plate |
| Finger Protection | Strips/guards to prevent pinching of fingers in the hinge gap on the inside and/or outside of a door set. Used where vulnerable, elderly or children have unsupervised access to the door set. |
| Finishes | Paint coatings applied to bare metal doors, usually via a process of polyester powder coating (PPC) . Bare metal is first treated using an etch primer, prior to top coating. Can include standard and non-standard colours, food safe; lead free and marble or timber effect finishes. PPC is typically applied electro statically and without the need for environmentally unfriendly solvents. A PPC finish is cured under high temperature once applied and gives a hardened finish. |
| Fire Rated | Designed for fire compartmentalisation and to reduce the spread of fire. Door product is burn tested to BS476 part 22 to ensure suitability for fire protection in buildings. Door fire ratings are expressed in minuets of fire resistance – e.g. FD60, FD120 etc |
| Flush Bolt | Generally a means of securing the inactive leaf of a double door set. See Auto Flush Bolt and Manual Flush Bolt |
| Frame Grommets | Snap in plastic dome plugs to blank off fixing holes in the door frame. |
| Frame Options | Different depths of door frame are suitable for different applications. Specify 120mm frames as standard; or 100mm where there is a limited, firm, fixing substrate face to support the door set. 250mm Cavity Frames can be specified to span voids between brick and block walls and so as to ensure adequate structural fixing of the door frame. |
| Frame Types | Wrap around frames can be provided to improve refurbishment or poorly formed openings. 100mm Clamp Frames can be provided for Durawall °°°°incorporated into the Equality Act 2010) a 4 sided frame can be used for maximum security. |
| Handing-Single Door | Which side the door is hung (ie hinged). Also used to describe which way the door leaf opens. Derived by standing so that the hinge knuckles are visible, with the door shut. If the hinges are on the right then the door is ‘right handed’ (or ‘RH’) and so on. Consider also whether the door set is inward or outward opening. |
| Handing-Double Door | Used to describe which way the active door leaf opens. Derived by standing so that the hinge knuckles are visible, with the door shut. If the right hand leaf is required to be active then the door is ‘right handed’ (or ‘RH’) and so on. Consider also whether the door set is inward or outward opening. |
| Handle | Means of overriding the door latch to open the door set (as with a sash lock for example); or a D shaped or cranked ‘pull handle’, used to move the door easily from the closed position, by establishing a point by which to easily grasp the door leaf. |
| Head or Header | The top, horizontal member of the door frame. |
| Hinge Stud | See ‘Dog Bolt’. |
| Hold Open Device | Allows the door leaf to remain open at 90°. Useful for wheel chair access and where trolleys are regularly moved through the opening. |
| Hold Open Stay | A mechanical arm to prop open a door at pre-determined position. |
| Inactive Leaf | The second leaf to open in a pair of doors (preceded by the active). |
| Ironmongery | Also referred to as ‘Door Hardware’ or ‘Furniture’. Generally and technically incorrectly used, but colloquially coined to mean the different locks, handles and accessories etc. Used on a door set. |
| Jamb Construction | How the fixing substrate is made up- eg: steel, masonry or timber. A fuller description is helpful to assist in determining suitable fixings. |
| Jambs | The vertical frame legs- comprising a pair of hinge janbs (a double door) or a hinge and lock jamb for a single door. Fixed to the ‘head’. |
| Kick Plate | Metal Strip (usually 150mm high) designed to prevent scuffing and rub marks across the bottom of the door leaf. Used in high traffic areas. |
| Knob Set | See ‘Outside Access Device’ |
| Latch | A non-locking catch which locates into a keep plate; typically withdraw by operation of lever handles on a sprung rose. Can be unsprung depending on ironmongery specification. |
| Latching Door Closer | A Door Closer that slams itself shut by applying an additional mechanical force when 10 degrees from rotation into the shut position. Often used Auto Bolting Ironmongery. |
| Leading Edge | The non-hinged edge of the active door leaf; can be lipped (with ‘Astragal’) or non-lipped. |
| Leaf and a Half | An unequal leaf configuration of a pair of doors, where the active leaf is as close to full width size as possible; the inactive leaf is consequently the unequal or narrower leaf. The narrower leaf may only be wide enough to incorporate flush bolts. |
| Leaf Selector | Designed to allow rebated auto closing doors to latch closed in the correct sequence (i.e. inactive leaf first, then the active leaf). |
| Lever Handles | Means of overriding the door latch to open the door set (as with a sash lock or dead lock for example). Usually mounted on a sprung rose to self latch shut when pushed too. |
| Lock | A means of securing a single door leaf to its ‘lock jamb; or of securing an active leaf to an inactive leaf in a pair of doors. Consists of a lock case with latch and a slam plate to activate the break of the latch. |
| Louvres | Vent or grille in a door leaf, to allow air flow. For use in natural ventilation systems, in plant room doors etc. Typically a free air flow of 50% is required. Can be augmented with bird, insect or vermin mesh to keep out unwanted visitors. |
| Maglock | Electrically operated magnetic lock, usually operated remotely or by local permission switch or break glass unit. |
| Manual Flush Bolt | Only fitted to double door sets. Locking bolts are built in to the top and bottom leading edge of the inactive leaf, which can be manually snapped, locked. Secures the inactive leaf shut first, before the active leaf typically locks to the inactive leaf. |
| Mortice | As in ‘mortice fitted’ i.e where lock boxes or shoot bolts are recessed into the door leaf or frame profile. As opposed to surface mounted. |
| Neoprene Stop | The flexible plastic weather seal fitted to a Standard Threshold. |
| Night Latch | To allow internal lever handle operation of the door leaf (when in the unlocked condition) by operating a sprung latch, and external access by unlocking with a key cylinder from the outside. Automatically dead locks on closing unless the ‘snib’ is held back. Often used for controlled access to a building or an area. External cylinder may have a ‘Cylinder Pull’ or the door leaf might have a ‘Pull Handle’. Doors with a night latch are often fitted with a door closer. |
| Opening Direction | Inward opening, into a building or Outward opening from the building. Can be difficult to determine when between zones inside a building. A common reference point might be required, for example-doors opening into corridors from rooms are ‘outward’ opening;etc. |
| Outside Access Device | A ‘Knob Set’ or lever handle, provided to activate an internal emergency or panic escape ironmongery set, from outside the building. Includes a key operated cylinder. Gives a Personnel Use function to what would otherwise only be an escape door set. Useful for controlled access for ‘out of hours’ key holders. |
| Over Panel | A fixed or demountable metal faced panel installed above a door set to fill an oversize opening, as a cheaper and more functional alternative to a very large door. May be Glazed (as in a ‘fan light’). |
| PAA | Polished Anodised Aluminium architectural ironmongery finish. |
| Panel Type | Solid, glazed or louvre door leaves in a number of layouts and configurations. |
| Panic Escape | Activation to comply with BSEN1125; where untrained users or members of the public would have to use the door set as an exit, so door operation has to be instinctive and not require training. |
| Personnel Use | For entry and exit during normal use with a latch, lock and handles to pull the leaf/leaves open. |
| PSS | Polished Stainless Steel architectural ironmongery finish. |
| Pull Handle | Usually a ‘D’ shaped handle mounted on the outside of the door leaf, to move the door easily from the closed position, by establishing a point by which to easily grasp and pull open the door leaf. |
| Push Pad | A single point locking device with a pad or paddle handle to allow ease of activation of a single door set or the active leaf of a double door set0 Complies with BSEN179. |
| Push Plate | A metal plate with an architectural finish, to allow a door leaf to be pushed open without scoring or marking the door leaf finish |
| RAL Number | An internationally recognised system of paint coding to promote colour conformity and systematic finishing. Please request powder coated finishes by citing a suitable RAL number. |
| Re-Bound Panels | Designed to ensure doors in Sports Halls are always flush to internal wall finishes, so as to remove corners of walls into which athletes might run or stumble. Formed from padded core material inside a thin metal skin to ensure rigidity but a softened impact if needed. |
| Restrictor | A mechanical means of preventing a door swinging beyond a fixed point and thus preventing damage; for example a door restricted to 90 degrees opening to avoid a clash with adjacent brick wall reveals. Also useful for preventing snatching of door leave in high winds; if snatched, the restrictor limits the over swing of the door. See also ‘Back Check’, ‘Door Closer’, ‘Latching Door Closer’, ‘Hold Open Door Closer’ and ‘Stay’. |
| SAA | Satin Anodised Aluminium architectural ironmongery finish. |
| Safety Glass | Laminated glass, designed to reduce damage and injury if broken. |
| Sash Lock | To allow internal and external lever handle operation of the door leaf by operating a sprung latch; whilst allowing locking of the door set by the integration of an external lock cylinder and internal cylinder or thumb turn to operate a dead bolt. Latch automatically engages on closing the door. |
| Screw-In Frame Fixings | Threaded adjusters in the frame jambs, which can be screwed out to set the frame in the structural opening before fixing. Easy to use and a time saving device used in lieu of traditional metal or plastic packers. |
| SCP | Satin Chrome Plated architectural ironmongery finish. |
| Seal | See ‘Combined Weather & Cold Smoke Seal’. |
| Side Light | A fixed or demountable glazed side panel adjacent to a metal door set. |
| Side Panel | A fixed or demountable panel installed adjacent to a door set to fill in an oversize opening, as a cheaper and more functional alternative to a very large door with larger than average leaves. May contain a louvre or glazing (as in ‘side light’). |
| Single Leaf Door Set | As opposed to a pair of doors; comprising an active leaf only, in a three sided frame. Leaf is hung (hinged) on one side, and the other side slams (locks) into the opposite jamb. |
| Sports Hall Door | Sports Halls are always flush to internal wall finishes, so as to remove corners of walls into which athletes might run or stumble. Formed from padded core material inside a thin metal skin to ensure day to day rigidity but a softened impact in the event of unforeseen circumstances. |
| Sprung Rose | The pivot point of a lever handle, or pair of lever handles; sprung to allow automatic re-latching when the door is closed. Supplied as standard with the lever handle set, escutcheons etc. |
| Spy Viewer | See ‘Door Viewer’ |
| Standard Threshold | See ‘Threshold’ |
| Stay | Restrictor to prevent over swing of a door leaf. See also ‘Hold Open Stay’. |
| Stock Door | Usually defined as a range of standard doors, often offered in limited sizes and ironmongery options, to suit short order time requirements. Often only available from others in a primed finish. However bespoke made doors need not take long from order, it is worth asking. |
| Structural Opening Height | The vertical hole in the wall dimension that the door will have to fit into. Measure at the tightest points of the opening, and not less than at the left, middle and right of the opening. Consider also the formation of the reveal depth. Does the reveal get wider or narrower as it gets deeper? |
| Structural Opening Width | The horizontal hole in the wall dimension that the door will have to fit into. Measure at the tightest points of the opening, and not less than at the top, middle and bottom of the opening. Consider also the formation of the reveal depth. Does the reveal get wider or narrower as it gets deeper? |
| SSA | Satin Silver Aluminium architectural ironmongery finish. |
| SSS | Satin Stainless Steel architectural ironmongery finish. |
| Suited | Where the key cylinders are made to accept a common key type; can be grouped or sub-suited in advance if requirements are known. |
| Surface Mounted | Fixed on to the door, rather than mortice fitted into it. |
| Three Point Locking | A bolting system which secures the door leaf into the frame by three different lock points (usually at the head, into the slam side jamb and into the threshold). Three point locking provides greater locking strength than single or two point locks, however consider also the strength of the frame, the leaf and the supporting structure (ie the wall). |
| Threshold | A profiled metal strip with rubber seal, fixed to the floor between the door jambs. Creates a weather and light seal at the foot of the door. Options available for inward and outward opening door types. |
| Two Point Locking | A bolting system which secures the door leaf into the frame by two different lock points (usually at the head and into the threshold). |
| Unequal Leaf Configuration | See ‘Leaf and a Half’. |
| Viewer | See ‘Door Viewer’. |
| Vision Panels | Single or double glazed units of glass with a metal clamp frame; either integrated into the door leaf itself, or into the side or over panels. Can be fire rated if required. |
| Wrap Around Frame | See ‘Frame Types’ and ‘Frame Options’. |
| Zintec | High quality electro-zinc coated mild steel to BSEN10152: 2009; the process increases corrosion resistance of the base metal. |
Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel, but it is not stain proof, it is also called corrosion-resistant steel or CRES when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry.
There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required.
Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Carbon steel rusts when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide.
Stainless Steel contains sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion, blocks corrosion from spreading into the internal structure of the metal.
Stainless steel is widely used in the food and beverage manufacturing and processing industries for manufacture, bulk storage and transportation , preparation and presentation applications.
Depending on the grade of stainless steel selected, it is suitable for most classes of food and beverage products processing.
Guidelines of the Materials of Construction for Equipment in Contact with Food have been published by the European Hygiene Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG).
Stainless Steel used in Food Processing
Most containers, pipe work and food contact equipment in stainless steel is manufactured from either grade 304 or 316 type austenitic stainless steel.
Is grade 316 the only Stainless Steel that is classed as Food Safe’?
Grade 316 Stainless Steel (which includes types 1.4401 and 1.4404) is often referred to as’Food Safe.
However, there is no official classification for ‘Food Safe’ and so, depending on the application, the equally common grade 304 (i.e type1.43010 or grade 430 (i.e. type 1.4016) is suitable for food processing and handling, bearing in mind that in general terms the corrosion resistance ranking of grades can be taken as- 1.4401/1.4404 (Grade 316)>1.4301 (Grade 304).1.4016 (Grade 430)
Grade 316 is more likely to be a requirement in watch making than necessarily for the food Industry.
Grade 304 is suitable for use in Marine Environments due to its high oxidation resistance.
Corrosion Hazards to Stainless Steel in Food Processing
If the grade of stainless steel is correctly specified for the application, corrosion should not be encountered.
Surface finish and condition is very important to the successful application of stainless steel. Smooth surfaces not only promote good cleanliness but also reduce the risk of corrosion.
An understanding of the types of corrosion to which stainless steel can be susceptible can be useful in identifying problems due to wrong grade selection inappropriate use of equipment.
Pitting and Crevice Corrosion.
Both crevice and corrosion occur most readily in aqueous chloride-containing solutions .Although attack can occur in neutral conditions, acidic conditions and increases in temperature promote pitting and crevice corrosion. Pitting corrosion is occurs in narrow, solution-containing crevices or sharp re-entrant features in a structure. Examples of potential sites for crevice corrosion are under washers, flanges and soil deposits or growths on the stainless steel surface.
Stress Corrosion Cracking
‘SCC’ is a localised form of corrosion Characterised by the appearance of cracks in materials subject to both stress and a corrosive environment. It usually accurs in the presence of chlorides at temperatures generally above 50 degrees centigrade.
Inter-Granular Corrosion
‘IGC’ (Known in the past as ‘weld decay’) is a result of localised attack, generally in a narrow band around heat affected zones of welds. This is more likely to occur in the ‘standard’ carbon austenitic grades of stainless steel. The risk of IGC attack is virtually eliminated if the low carbon (0.030% maximum, e.g type 1.4307) or the stabilised’ (e.g type 1.4541) grades are selected.
Cleaning of Stainless Steel Equipment
Effective cleaning is essential in maintaining the integrity of the process and in prevention of corrosion. The choice of cleaning method and the frequency of its application depends on the nature of the process, the food being processed, the deposits formed, hygiene requirements and so on.
The following cleaning methods are suitable for stainless steel equipment:
Typical Applications of the Various Stainless Steel Types
| Grade | Typical Applications |
| 420 (martenstic) | Cooking utensils, professional knives, spatulas etc. |
| 430 (ferritic) | Table surfaces, equipment cladding and panels (i.e. components requiring little forming or welding) Used for moderately corrosive environments (e.g. vegetables, fruits, drinks, dry foods, etc) |
| 304 (austenitic) | Vats, bowls pipe work, machinery parts (i.e. components requiring little forming or welding) corrosion resistance superior to Grade 430 |
| 316 (austenitic) | Components used with more corrosive foods (e.g. meat/blood, food with moderate salt content etc) which are frequently cleaned, with no stationary solids and under excessive stress. |
| 1.4539 (austenitic) | Used with corrosive foods (e.g. hot brine with solids that act as crevice formers, stagnant and slow moving salty foods) |
| 1.4462 (duplex) | Used with hot foods ( e.g. hot brine with solids, stagnant and slow moving salty foods) Higher strength than austenitic grades. Good resistance to stress corrosion cracking in salt solutions at elevated temperatures. |
| 6%MO types (austenitic) | Used with corrosive foods (e.g hot brine with solids that act as crevice formers, stagnant and slow moving salty foods). Good resistance to stress corrosion cracking in salt solutions at elevated temperatures. Used in steam heating and hot work circuits, hot water boilers, ect. |
Ferritic stainless steel generally has better engineering properties than austenitic grades, but has reduced corrosion resistance due to the lower chromium and nickel content. It contains between 10.5% and 27% chromium and very little nickel, if any, but some ferritic types contain lead.
At Security Doors Direct we take our responsibility to minimising our impact on the environment very seriously some of the measures we are taking are described as follows.
Sales and Administration
Our policy is not to employ a field sales team with all the costs and environmental impact associated with them, use of fuel in vehicles and the pollution they create, with modern communications our advisers are able to help customers without having to visit the site.
Manufacture
We only supply doors manufactured in the UK, to us it does not make environmental sense to import steel doors from abroad, many of our competitors are importing doors from China we can only guess at the carbon foot print these doors are producing compared with the local manufactured products.
All the manufactures we work with are committed to operating in the most efficient possible way, not only to reduce their environmental impact but also to reduce costs as much as possible.
Transportation
Wherever possible transportation costs are minimised by combining loads and reducing journey times, where we can we use dedicated vehicles rather than third party carriers so that we can control the environmental impact of the vehicles as well as give our customers a better service.
Reducing Waste
All our doors are custom made reducing potential waste by producing doors that will never be required as well as reducing the cost by carrying inventory, most of the packaging is recyclable and we reduce wasted journeys by making sure the customer is fully aware of when they will receive their delivery.
All our office waste is recycled and we are moving to replace all our computers with laptops to reduce electricity use as well as reducing the need for air conditioning.
Steel Security Doors manufacturing has come a long from when sheets of steel were welded together in a back street workshop, doors then were more a of a crudely manufactured black smith type product, made by hand and relatively expensive to buy.
These days most Steel Security doors are manufactured in high tech factories on machines controlled by computers, the finished product is much lighter and better finished and offer a much higher level of security, they are also substantially cheaper and because they are rust proofed they will not corrode and offer a very long life.
Today steel security doors are increasingly replacing their wooden or aluminium alternatives, not only are steel doors more robust they do not rot and deteriorate in the same way offering a much longer life.
Steel security doors vary considerably in quality, many of the cheaper steel doors are being imported from abroad mainly China, although on the surface they offer good value are often inferior to doors manufactured in the UK, as with most purchases you get what you pay for.
For higher security applications independently tested steel security doors are available, the main recognised standard is by the Loss Prevention Council (LPS) the doors are rated, with a number 1 as the lowest level with higher numbers indicating a higher level of security where the doors have been put through a more onerous test.
The future is assured for Steel Security Doors as improved manufacturing methods are developed and doors are manufacture with special finishes to give them a wood appearance, embossed panels, glazed panel and other improvements yet to be invented.
Unit 3 Mercia Court
Smiths Way
Saxon Business Park, Stoke Prior,
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
B60 4GA
Opening Hours Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
