I had a really scary experience recently with someone breaking in, and the police response was slow. Now I’m thinking of setting up a secure room in my house where I could lock myself in until help arrives. I already have a security system with a panic button, but I want to add a super strong interior door with a deadbolt to make it hard to get through. Any suggestions on what kind of door or setup I should go for?
Brick walls and a steel door with a bar across might work, but you also want to make sure you can get out if there’s a fire. It depends on how determined someone is to get in, but a setup like this can definitely slow them down.
@Sullivan
Good point. If someone knows how houses are built, they could get through a regular wall pretty fast. Maybe add some 3/4" plywood to the inside walls of the safe room — it’s not expensive and makes a big difference.
@Ken
That’s actually a really good idea. It would make it much harder for anyone to just bust through.
This might sound extreme, but after a similar experience, I totally understand the fear. Here’s an idea that might help you feel safer. If you have space in a large bedroom, consider building a small panic room, maybe 4x4 feet, with brick walls and a super-strong hidden door that looks like a closet or shelf from the outside. Soundproofing is key so no one knows you’re in there.
Inside, keep essentials like water, food, an extra phone, and any defense tools you’re comfortable with. Reinforce the main bedroom door too, so you have time to get to the panic room if you need to. You could even set up a noise-maker in the bedroom (like a music player) to throw off an intruder.
If you want extra security, there are smoke or pepper spray devices you can activate remotely to fill the room if someone does break in. It can really buy you time while you wait for help to arrive.
If the person isn’t totally out of control, they might come through the wall instead of the door. Modern walls aren’t that hard to get through… you’ll need to make sure you reinforce the wall somehow.
Are you planning to use your main bedroom as the safe space? Reinforcing it is a good option since that’s where you sleep, so you’d already be inside and can lock it down quickly. Just harden the doors and windows and it should hold long enough against most people. If someone is really determined, though, you may have to go further, like reinforcing the walls too.
It’s helpful that the bedroom usually has a bathroom, and you’d already be there, so it’s easier than trying to reach a separate panic room in a hurry.
You could try installing an interior fire-rated door with a deadbolt for your main bedroom. It’s usually around $300–$400, a bit more if you hire someone to install it. But it’s worth the peace of mind, and a good upgrade overall.
If you have the budget, there are doors from Europe that work like safe doors, with bolts all around. Otherwise, reinforce the door with extra bolts, security hinges, deadbolts, and thick bolt latches on all sides.
Switching the door to something stronger with a deadbolt should help a lot. As others mentioned, people can break through regular drywall, but if you’re up for a DIY project, you could add 1/2-inch plywood behind the drywall for extra strength.
It’s not foolproof, but it makes a big difference. And if you’re comfortable, having a defense tool inside as a last resort isn’t a bad idea.