I am considering converting our master bathroom into a panic room. I’m specifically interested in replacing the door with something that looks good but is also strong. Any additional suggestions are appreciated!
The tips about reinforcing your door and door frame are important, but what exactly are you trying to prevent? Are you worried about someone trying to kill you, kidnap you, or harm you while stealing your belongings?
If you’re concerned about someone trying to kill you, a reinforced door alone may not be enough—an assailant could simply shoot through the door or wall. Speaking of walls, for protection against small arms, axes, or kicks, you should consider removing the drywall. You could upgrade the studs from 16" to 12" on-center spacing, attach 3/4" plywood to the studs, fill the stud bays with gravel, and cover the plywood with chicken wire before reapplying drywall. The wire slows down an axe, the plywood absorbs blunt force, and the gravel can help stop most bullets.
But if someone is determined to kill you, they might just lock you in and set the place on fire. How’s your fire suppression and ventilation? Do you have a reliable communication and surveillance system in place?
These are all serious considerations, but is this really the best use of your effort? It might be worth considering whether your energy could be better spent elsewhere. My guess is that it probably could.
How strong is the frame that your door is attached to? You’ll likely need to open up the wall to reinforce the frame, possibly using steel or at least multiple 2x4s or 2x6s secured with long screws and nails. What kind of locks and hardware are you using? You’ll probably need to consult a specialized locksmith, and it won’t be cheap.
Also, as another poster mentioned, how sturdy is the wall itself? Is it reinforced so that someone can’t just bust through the drywall? Have you considered air sealing around the door, or at least minimizing the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door to prevent prying?
A panic room involves much more than just DIYing a stronger door and calling it done. Do you have a monitored alarm system with a panic button (or remote) in the bathroom?
What exactly are you trying to achieve here? Are you looking to stop an active attacker specifically targeting you (and if so, what weapons or methods are you trying to defend against?), or are you simply trying to deter a casual break-in enough that they move on to the next house?
Personally, I wouldn’t want to give up a bathroom, which I use every day, for something I might never actually need—but that’s just my take on it 
What will you do when they start cutting into the drywall?
Was almost asking him the same question
What do you need the panic room for dude? Are you a drug dealer?
Start at 12:18 https://youtu.be/mm6CayNUAdk
You won’t really be able to add much reinforcement without doing some remodeling.
One good step would be replacing the bathroom door with a solid core wood door or a steel door and jamb. If you have a hollow core door, it wouldn’t take much effort to kick through it.
However, without adding something behind the drywall, someone could still kick through the wall to get in.
Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you reinforce the door, then the weak points might shift to the walls or windows.
