An old striker plate is likely to be the last item you think about when you’re installing a new door or window, replacing a defective lock, or updating an aged casing, but not thinking about it until the last minute can turn out to be a lot more problematic than you’d imagine. If a correctly sized strike isn’t included with your installation hardware, or the strike that’s already installed isn’t sturdy enough, you could be facing a host of unforeseen problems that you won’t be able to ignore.
An incorrect striker plate can leave you with an entryway or window that can’t be secured, or worse: one that leads you to believe it’s secure when it actually isn’t. It’s not an option: anytime you change a door, window, or locking mechanism, you need to change your striker plate. They’re not expensive, and what a new one could save you is priceless.
Top Quality Strike Plates Are the Key to Keeping Entryways Secure
It’s a fact: regardless of how nondescript they may seem, if you’re serious about securing the doors and windows around your home or business, you have to invest in strike latch plate and keeper hardware that you know are going to keep your openings secure. Deadbolt locks, security doors, and even armored door jambs can be daunting obstacles against having an entryway pried open or kicked in; they’re all but useless though if your strike plate isn’t sturdy enough to dissuade would-be intruders. That’s why you need to be certain that your strikes are up to the job at hand.
While minimum requirement, builder-grade door strikes are the inexpensive choice that is used in virtually every residential and commercial property when they’re built, they’re not designed to put up anywhere near the amount of passive resistance that even a moderately motivated intruder is likely to put in getting past it. A longer, thicker strike plate provides the added reinforcement that’s needed to discourage potential break-ins, and they’re manufactured for use in a practically limitless array of locking applications, including:
- Sliding patio doors with strike plate/hook bolt keep;
- Sliding security doors and windows with mortice strikes;
- Deadbolts with extended lip strikes and T-strikes;
- Commercial sliding door strike plates/keeps; and,
- Bio- and Twiin-style 2-point sliding door strike plates/keeps.
Ideally, when combined with a high-quality deadbolt, mortice lock, or other premium security features, a high-quality door strike plate effectively guarantees you an entryway or window that can’t be forced open by most ordinary means. The sturdiness of the opening’s frame and casing also has an impact on lock keep plate reliability, though. Even the highest tensile strength doorkeep plate is easy to get past if it can’t be solidly secured to the frame; that’s why thoroughly inspecting your frame and entryway jamb for possible weaknesses is just as important as choosing the best-designed strike.
Understanding How Strike Plates Help Strengthen Door Jambs
Make no mistake: if it’s your door latch and strike plate hardware that’s responsible for making sure your latches are sliding correctly into place, then ensuring that they can be securely attached to the door frame is the most crucial aspect of their installation. You always want to keep in mind, however, that no matter if they’re flush or recess mounted, door strikes are actually more than just bolted-in security elements. Once installed, they effectively become a part of the door frame, which is why their compatibility is so important.
There are several factors that you need to carefully consider, both before selecting your latch keep striker plate, or before installing it, and they include:
- The overall size/length of the plate. Longer strike plates add crucial vertical reinforcement to door jambs, especially when they contain their own latch box while reducing the opportunity for leverage to be used to force or pry a latch out of position.
- The length of the screws needed to secure the plate. Where possible, longer door latch plate screws provide added holding power that can significantly reduce the likelihood of the plate being pulled away from the frame.
- The number of screws needed to secure the plate. The more screws a latch keeper plate can accommodate, the more stable the mounting point; and the more staggered, or spaced apart they are, the more difficult it is to force away from the frame.
The fact is the strength of strikes and keeps provides critical reinforcement to door jambs. This is also where the use of heavy duty materials becomes just as much a part of door plate strike effectiveness as a pry-proof design and installation. A spring of innovative manufacturing processes and materials are used in their production, ensuring that they’re not lost on protecting your jambs and frames while securing your property’s entryways and windows.
A Selection of Striker Materials Suitable for Any Situation
Regardless of whether they’re forged, cast, or 3D printed, the range of materials used in strike door plate manufacturing is no less diverse than the array of doors and windows they’re designed to help secure. The weight of the door or window, the strength of the locking / latching mechanism, the sturdiness of the opening’s frame and casing, and even the extent of environmental exposure all have a bearing on the tensile strength, weight, and even weather resistance a striker door plate needs to have, and their most common range of heavy-duty materials typically includes:
- Stainless steel. Arguably the most common strike-and-keep option, stainless steel is the best all-round material for everyday strength, corrosion resistance, and resistance to forced prying or spreading.
- Mild steel. While mild steel lacks the rust and corrosion resistance that stainless steel has, it’s the cost-conscious alternative to stainless steel for secure entryways that primarily aren’t subject to environmental exposure.
- High-performance polymers (HPPs). Polyaryletherketones (PAEKs) and polyetherimides (PEIs) are widely accepted for the 3D printing of strike plates, and are notable for their incredible durability and tough mechanical characteristics.
And with a selection of plate finishes like brass, antique brass, and chrome to choose from, you can have strikers that are as good-looking as they are secure.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, while they may not seem overly important, your strikes and keepers are the real anchors of your entryway and window security. Not only are they responsible for the alignment and stability of your latch, but they also provide critical protection for your door from both regular use and attempted prying.
If you’re in the process of replacing doors or windows, or are uncomfortable with the security of your latches, now is the time to consider replacing your strike latch plate and keeper hardware. They’re small fixtures, but they yield big dividends when it comes to security.