Worried Your Door Could Be Kicked In? Jacksonville Door Reinforcement That Holds

Why doors fail when they're kicked

Look at the frame next to your deadbolt. The strip of wood the strike plate sits in, the jamb, is usually thin, soft pine. Behind it is a small gap filled with shims, then the wall framing. On most homes, the strike plate is held on by two short screws that only reach the jamb.

When a door is kicked, the lock often holds. The jamb splits along the strike, and the door swings open with the bolt still out. We see the same weak spots over and over:

• Short strike screws that only reach the thin jamb
• Light strike plates with a single thin lip
• Short hinge screws, letting the hinge side give way
• A deadbolt that doesn't throw fully because the strike hole is off
• Knob-only doors, where the spring latch is the only thing holding
• Hollow or thin doors that split around the lock

It's common in tract housing on the Westside and in older subdivisions across the city, but plenty of new builds ship with the same short screws.

What we install

Heavy strike plates with 3-inch screws. A steel strike, fixed with hardened screws that pass through the jamb and into the wall studs. It's the single biggest improvement for the cost.

Full jamb reinforcement. A steel plate that runs along much of the frame, with wrap-around protection at the strike, such as Door Armor kits. It spreads the force of a kick over a long section of the frame instead of one small spot.

Hinge reinforcement. Long screws in every hinge, and hinge plates on doors that need them. For out-swinging doors, we add security hinges or studs so the door stays in the frame even if a hinge pin is removed.

Door edge wraps. A metal wrap around the door at the deadbolt helps stop the door itself from splitting around the lock.

Proper deadbolts. A Grade 1 or Grade 2 deadbolt with a full 1-inch throw, set so the bolt seats all the way. See lock change and replacement and, for the strongest cylinders, high-security locks.

French doors and double doors. The inactive door needs strong flush or surface bolts at the top and bottom. Without them, both doors can be pushed open together.

A burglary hardening check for your whole house

A burglar tries the easiest door, and that's often not the front one. Our walk-through covers every exterior door:

1. Front door: strike, hinges, deadbolt throw and door condition.
2. Back door and French doors: often out of view from the street, so they matter most.
3. Garage entry door: many are thin or hollow-core and were never given a deadbolt.
4. Sliding patio doors: secondary locks and anti-lift blocks. See lock installation.
5. Side gates: a lock on the gate keeps people out of the side yard.

If a door itself is too thin or damaged to protect, we tell you plainly. A door installer can replace it, and we'll fit the hardware after.

Florida notes

• Out-swinging doors are popular in Florida, especially impact-rated ones, because hurricane winds push them tighter into the frame. They leave the hinge pins outside, so security hinges matter more here.
• Humidity moves doors. A reinforced strike only works if the bolt still lines up in July. We set the strike for year-round alignment. More on that on our door lock repair page.
• Salt air eats plain steel. On beach homes, we use corrosion-resistant screws and plates.

After a break-in

If your door has already been forced, we repair what we can the same day. We replace the damaged locks, fit a heavy strike with long screws, and secure the door so you can sleep. If the jamb is badly split, we reinforce it or tell you when it needs a carpenter. Rekey or replace any lock the burglar may have had keys for. See rekeying.

How a reinforcement visit works

1. Call or text and tell us which doors worry you.
2. We check each door and show you the weak spots.
3. We quote each upgrade, from a simple screw change to a full kit, so you choose.
4. We install and test, making sure every door still closes and locks smoothly.

Our lock installations are backed by a 5-year money-back guarantee.

What it costs

The price depends on:

• The upgrade. New screws and a heavy strike cost the least. Full jamb kits cost more.
• The number of doors. Doing every exterior door in one visit saves on trip charges.
• Door condition. Split or rotted jambs take more work.
• Out-swing and double doors, which need extra hardware.

You get the full price on the phone before we drive out, and we confirm it before any work starts. See our pricing guide.

Where we reinforce doors

We harden doors for homes across Jacksonville, including Mandarin, Southside, San Marco and Jacksonville Beach. See all our residential locksmith services.

Want a stronger front door? Call (904) 509-0907 or text us a photo of your door frame. We're available Mon & Fri 7 AM–2 PM and Tue & Thu 7 AM–6 PM.