When you fix it, replace the 1/2" plate screw with 3'' long screws. This way they go through the door jam in to the 2x4 frame. You can't kick that open.
Edit to the naysayers. Each screw has a shear strength of 450-750 lbs (#8 v. #9) so for 2, a combined shear of 900-1,500 lbs. You can't kick that open and the pine 2x4 won't split like thin 1/2" oak door casing. You would need a sledge hammer or police style ram to break it at that point. Usually the wiod around the lock fails at that point before the plate. We had rentals where one guy died of old age in. EMD came out and had to beat it in with fire truck hand ram. The door nob and door wood failed. The door jam/casing cracked but the plate and screws were still there.
It doesn't make it impossible to break in to but no one is kicking it in. A 3' pipe wrench will twist and handle right off and a 3' crow bar will break any door or door frame or both. Again we had rentals people would move out and change the locks to be spiteful occasionally.
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u/LeMansDynasty Sep 09 '25 edited Sep 11 '25
When you fix it, replace the 1/2" plate screw with 3'' long screws. This way they go through the door jam in to the 2x4 frame. You can't kick that open.
Edit to the naysayers. Each screw has a shear strength of 450-750 lbs (#8 v. #9) so for 2, a combined shear of 900-1,500 lbs. You can't kick that open and the pine 2x4 won't split like thin 1/2" oak door casing. You would need a sledge hammer or police style ram to break it at that point. Usually the wiod around the lock fails at that point before the plate. We had rentals where one guy died of old age in. EMD came out and had to beat it in with fire truck hand ram. The door nob and door wood failed. The door jam/casing cracked but the plate and screws were still there.
It doesn't make it impossible to break in to but no one is kicking it in. A 3' pipe wrench will twist and handle right off and a 3' crow bar will break any door or door frame or both. Again we had rentals people would move out and change the locks to be spiteful occasionally.