How to Kick-Proof a Door: The Complete Guide
By Ifunanya Aniebonam
Most burglars don't pick locks. They kick. A single hard kick near the deadbolt is often all it takes to open an ordinary exterior door. The lock holds, the bolt stays extended, and the door still swings open, because the wood around it gives way.
That's good news, because it means you don't need a new door or an expensive system to stop a kick-in. You need to fix the weak points. This guide explains where doors fail, what actually works (and what doesn't), and how to kick-proof a door yourself in about 30 minutes.
Can a door really be kicked in?
Yes, and usually faster than people expect. Watch any of the live tests we've done over the years, including a live demonstration on FOX & Friends on March 18, 2024 and the ITS Tactical destruction test. A standard door with a deadbolt goes down in a few kicks. The deadbolt itself rarely breaks. What fails is:
- The door jamb at the strike plate. The strike plate is screwed into a thin strip of soft wood. A kick splits that wood along the grain and the bolt tears out.
- The door around the lock. The holes drilled for the deadbolt and knob leave the door's edge weak, and it can crack around the hardware.
- The hinge side. On many doors, hinge screws are short too, and a kick can rip the hinges out of the frame.
- Prying. If kicking doesn't work, a crowbar between the door and frame is the next move.
Kick-proofing means fixing all four.
Step 1: Check your door
Before you buy anything, take 2 minutes to check:
- Thickness. Standard exterior doors are 1-3/4" thick. Door Armor exterior kits fit doors up to that thickness. Interior and many mobile-home doors are 1-3/8".
- Clearance. Close the door and try to slide two quarters, stacked, into the gap between the door edge and the frame. If they fit, you can use our low-profile MINI Door Shields. If not, or if you're unsure, choose PRO Door Shields, which fit any clearance.
- Condition. If the jamb is already split from a previous break-in, Door Armor covers and reinforces the damage. See our kicked-in door frame repair kit comparison.
Step 2: Reinforce the door jamb (the #1 weak point)
Quick improvement: replace the short screws in your strike plate with 3-inch screws that reach the framing behind the jamb. This is a worthwhile first step and costs a few dollars. But a single strike plate still concentrates all the force of a kick on a few inches of wood.
The real fix: a full-length steel jamb shield. The Door Armor Jamb Shield is 46 inches long and covers the lock side of the frame. It's anchored with long 3-1/2" screws, so the force of a kick spreads across the whole frame instead of splitting the trim. It installs over the existing jamb without removing or altering the door.
Step 3: Reinforce the door around the lock
A strong frame doesn't help if the door itself splits around the deadbolt. Door Shields wrap the edge of the door around the deadbolt and knob:
- MINI Door Shields install on the door's edge in about 5 minutes with 4 screws (two-quarter clearance needed).
- PRO Door Shields install through the door in about 10 minutes, work with any clearance, and interlock with the Pry Shield for maximum pry resistance. PRO sets include MINI shields too.
Step 4: Protect the hinges
Once the lock side holds, a determined attacker may go after the hinge side. Hinge Shields reinforce the hinge side of the door against kick-ins and take about 10 minutes to install. If budget is tight, you can skip them. Your door will still be far stronger than before. But for full protection, add them.
Step 5: Stop prying, too
Kick-proof isn't the same as pry-proof. When a kick fails, burglars often reach for a crowbar to pry the door away from the frame. That's why we designed the Pry Shield. It installs in about 5 minutes with 3 tamper-proof screws and is especially recommended after a previous break-in.
Step 6: Don't stop at the front door
Burglars go where the resistance is lowest. Once the front door is reinforced, check the other entry points:
- Back and side doors. These are often weaker and out of sight. Treat them exactly like the front door.
- Double and French doors. Two doors meeting in the middle need a dedicated double door security kit.
- Doors with sidelights. Glass next to the jamb needs a sidelight kit.
- Sliding glass doors. They can be lifted off the track or forced at the latch. Armor Latch is a dual-locking sliding door deadbolt that stops lift-out and pry-out. See our sliding glass door security guide.
- Interior safe room. The PRO SafeRoom kit reinforces a bedroom door to buy time in an emergency.
What doesn't kick-proof a door on its own
- A better deadbolt. A high-grade deadbolt is worth having, but it's only as strong as the wood it locks into. See is a deadbolt enough?
- Door bars and wedges. They help when you're home and remember to set them. They don't protect the house while you're away.
- Cameras and alarms. They record and alert, which is valuable, but they don't physically keep a door closed.
- A steel door alone. A steel door in a wood frame still fails at the jamb.
Kick-proofing options at a glance
| Your situation | Recommended | Install time |
|---|---|---|
| Standard exterior door, 2-quarter clearance | Door Armor Single Door Kit with MINI Door Shields ($79) | Under 30 min |
| Tight clearance or not sure | Single Door Kit with PRO Door Shields (+$20) | Under 30 min |
| Maximum protection | Add Hinge Shields (+$20) and Pry Shield (+$10) | +15 min |
| Front and back doors | Door Armor 2-Door Bundle ($158) | Under 30 min per door |
| Double / French doors | Door Armor Double Door Security Kit (no kick-in guarantee) | See product page |
| Sliding glass door | Armor Latch | About 10 min |
| Already kicked in | Door Armor (repairs and reinforces) | Under 30 min |
Why Door Armor
Door Armor is the original patented door reinforcement kit (US Patent 7,946,635), from Armor Concepts, a Nashville company founded in 2004. It's been installed on more than 500,000 doors. Police have tested it with a battering ram and recommend it. Every kit is made in the USA from steel, comes in White, Aged Bronze or Satin Nickel to match your trim, and includes all screws and the drill bit. If you have a cordless drill, you can install it.
Door Armor kits carry our lifetime kick-in guarantee: $500 on Door Armor MAX kits and $300 on Door Armor MINI and MINI PLUS kits, good for as long as you own the property. It covers kick-ins (blunt force from a body part), not battering rams or prying tools. Double-door kits are not covered by the guarantee. See our warranty for details. You also get 60-day returns (return shipping is on the customer unless the item is defective or we sent the wrong one) and free shipping on orders over $99 to the lower 48 states + DC.
"This is the first entry door security product that I have seen in 25-plus years in this industry that actually works. This is the best new security product that I have seen in some time" — Morris Carey, host of the "On The House" radio show (source)
"Pretty easy to install and should keep intruders out. Peace of mind for my family! We live in a rural setting so we are fully responsible for our own security and safety. Superior product that I highly recommend!" — Michael B (Texas) (source)
Frequently asked questions
Can you really kick open a locked door? Yes. Most exterior doors are kicked open at the jamb, not the lock. The wood splits around the strike plate while the deadbolt stays locked.
Are 3-inch screws in the strike plate enough? They're a good first step and better than the factory screws, but they still rely on a small plate and a few inches of wood. A full-length steel jamb shield spreads the force across the frame.
How long does it take to kick-proof a door? With Door Armor, under 30 minutes per door with a drill. Hinge Shields add about 10 minutes and the Pry Shield about 5.
Will Door Armor work on my door? Door Armor exterior kits fit doors up to 1-3/4" thick. Use the two-quarter test to choose MINI or PRO Door Shields. If you're unsure, PRO fits any clearance.
Can I install Door Armor on a door that was already kicked in? Yes. The Jamb Shield covers the damaged area and reinforces it, so the door ends up stronger than before.
Kick-proof your door today
You can't control who walks up to your door. You can control whether it opens.
Shop the Door Armor Single Door Kit: patented, police-tested, DIY in under 30 minutes, with a lifetime kick-in guarantee ($500 on MAX kits, $300 on MINI and MINI PLUS kits) and 60-day returns.
Managing apartments or rentals? See our multifamily door security program.
Related guides: Why residential doors fail during forced entry · The weakest parts of a door · Choosing the right strike plate · How to install a door reinforcement kit · 7-point door frame security check · How to secure a back door