after reading some recent threads here concerning deadbolts, I decided
to purchase one to be installed on my front door:

https://ebay.to/3DoUzS5

However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
with the existing installation to firm things up?

On 12/6/2021 3:55 PM, Jake T wrote:
> after reading some recent threads here concerning deadbolts, I decided
> to purchase one to be installed on my front door:
>
> https://ebay.to/3DoUzS5
>
> However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow!  This house
> was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
> wood.  Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
> frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
> by.  So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim.  Needless to
> say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
> door lock.  Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
> with the existing installation to firm things up?

No matter what you do, you still have a hollow core door. It does not
take much to kick one down.

Perhaps a metal strip will reinforce the frame a bit.

In article <soltb9$110$1@dont-email.me>, jaketbone@steak.com says...
>
> However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
> was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
> wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
> frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
> by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
> say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
> door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
> with the existing installation to firm things up?
>
>

Most of the things you see to harden a house are just the feel good
waste of money things. Are there any windows that can easily be smashed
?

One time the wife could not get up and had to call an ambulance while I
was in the hospital. The medics broke in the front door that had a
deadbolt on on it. Looking over the problem when I got home a day later
the easy repair that did not look too bad was a metal strip about 2 feet
long with holes in for the lock and screws that is sold by Home Depot as
a security device.

On Mon, 6 Dec 2021 16:21:00 -0500, Ed Pawlowski <esp@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 12/6/2021 3:55 PM, Jake T wrote:
>> after reading some recent threads here concerning deadbolts, I decided
>> to purchase one to be installed on my front door:
>>
>> https://ebay.to/3DoUzS5
>>
>> However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow!  This house
>> was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
>> wood.  Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
>> frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
>> by.  So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim.  Needless to
>> say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
>> door lock.  Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
>> with the existing installation to firm things up?
>
>No matter what you do, you still have a hollow core door. It does not
>take much to kick one down.
>
>Perhaps a metal strip will reinforce the frame a bit.
Most current outside doors are foam filled with "masonite" skins.
Better doore have steel skins - and the GOOD ones are fiberglass.
Basically only "fire rated" or some "high security" doors are solid -
and they are HEAVY - often having 4 ball bearing hinges insted of 3
plain pin hinges.

On Mon, 6 Dec 2021 15:55:03 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:

>after reading some recent threads here concerning deadbolts, I decided
>to purchase one to be installed on my front door:
>
>https://ebay.to/3DoUzS5
>
>However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
>was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
>wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
>frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
>by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
>say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
>door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
>with the existing installation to firm things up?

There is a stud in there, just to hang the drywall on but it might be
up to an inch away from the door frame depending on the R/O and the
bucking. They usually tend to get closer to the stud on the hinge side
and buck in the gap on the latch end. The walls I have built, I try to
make the R/O as tight as I can to the door frame. You really need to
be careful about being plumb tho since you don't have the flexibility
of a bunch of shims.
You could probe by drilling a hole where the bolt goes and seeing how
far you get without hitting something with coat hanger wire.
Maybe longer screws would get a bite into something. Just be careful
tightening them so you don't pull the frame out of plumb.
Worst case, pop off the casing and look. Maybe you could cut a shim to
fill the gap. Then you can crank down on the screws. I did that on my
front door but I was replacing the casing anyway.

On 12/6/21 8:08 PM, gfretwell@aol.com wrote:
> On Mon, 6 Dec 2021 15:55:03 -0500, Jake T <jaketbone@steak.com> wrote:
>
>> after reading some recent threads here concerning deadbolts, I decided
>> to purchase one to be installed on my front door:
>>
>> https://ebay.to/3DoUzS5
>>
>> However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
>> was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
>> wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
>> frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
>> by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
>> say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
>> door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
>> with the existing installation to firm things up?
>
> There is a stud in there, just to hang the drywall on but it might be
> up to an inch away from the door frame depending on the R/O and the
> bucking. They usually tend to get closer to the stud on the hinge side
> and buck in the gap on the latch end. The walls I have built, I try to
> make the R/O as tight as I can to the door frame. You really need to
> be careful about being plumb tho since you don't have the flexibility
> of a bunch of shims.
> You could probe by drilling a hole where the bolt goes and seeing how
> far you get without hitting something with coat hanger wire.
> Maybe longer screws would get a bite into something. Just be careful
> tightening them so you don't pull the frame out of plumb.
> Worst case, pop off the casing and look. Maybe you could cut a shim to
> fill the gap. Then you can crank down on the screws. I did that on my
> front door but I was replacing the casing anyway.
>

I was thinking of trying this (going back and probing with a coat hanger
or similar), so thanks for the suggestion. I noticed several videos
where they used longer than normal screws to reach the studs. I'll
carefully drill pilots and hand tighten if I find one. At least that
would give me a bit more security, but I still have to laugh at this
mediocre door. Someday when I get the funds, I'm going to have to
replace it with something more substantial.

On Monday, December 6, 2021 at 8:22:15 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
> In article <soltb9$110$1...@dont-email.me>, jake...@steak.com says...
> >
> > However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
> > was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
> > wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
> > frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
> > by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
> > say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
> > door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
> > with the existing installation to firm things up?
> >
> >
> Most of the things you see to harden a house are just the feel good
> waste of money things. Are there any windows that can easily be smashed
> ?
>
> One time the wife could not get up and had to call an ambulance while I
> was in the hospital. The medics broke in the front door that had a
> deadbolt on on it. Looking over the problem when I got home a day later
> the easy repair that did not look too bad was a metal strip about 2 feet
> long with holes in for the lock and screws that is sold by Home Depot as
> a security device.

The other day I was contemplating putting up a sign on the front door that
says: Fire Department: Please smash through rear door.

We took great pains to install the front door, but the back door is a patio
door that probably needs to be replaced anyway.

Cindy Hamilton

On Tue, 7 Dec 2021 06:08:16 -0800 (PST), "angelica...@yahoo.com"
<angelicapaganelli@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Monday, December 6, 2021 at 8:22:15 PM UTC-5, Ralph Mowery wrote:
>> In article <soltb9$110$1...@dont-email.me>, jake...@steak.com says...
>> >
>> > However, I was disappointed to find that my door was hollow! This house
>> > was built in the late 50's and I always thought the doors were solid
>> > wood. Another caveat was that as I was chiseling out space in the door
>> > frame for the other part of the lock, I find that there's no stud close
>> > by. So, I was forced to install the bracket onto the trim. Needless to
>> > say, I don't feel much more secure than I did with just the standard
>> > door lock. Since it's all said and done now, is there anything I can do
>> > with the existing installation to firm things up?
>> >
>> >
>> Most of the things you see to harden a house are just the feel good
>> waste of money things. Are there any windows that can easily be smashed
>> ?
>>
>> One time the wife could not get up and had to call an ambulance while I
>> was in the hospital. The medics broke in the front door that had a
>> deadbolt on on it. Looking over the problem when I got home a day later
>> the easy repair that did not look too bad was a metal strip about 2 feet
>> long with holes in for the lock and screws that is sold by Home Depot as
>> a security device.
>
>The other day I was contemplating putting up a sign on the front door that
>says: Fire Department: Please smash through rear door.
>
>We took great pains to install the front door, but the back door is a patio
>door that probably needs to be replaced anyway.
>
>Cindy Hamilton

When my wife was building we replaced all of our doors. She could get
them wholesale and we were trying to harden the place against
windstorms. Around here if you want a break on your insurance you
would have to get rid of a hollow core door and beef up the mounting.
My hinges and latch strikes are fastened into the solid concrete rough
openings with 4"x3/16" TapCon screws, long enough to get through the
frame and bucking. It is solid wood because I filled the gaps. It is a
steel door. I imagine the cops could break it with a batter ram but it
would take a few hits.