The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Security Door in Melbourne

Step 1: Hinged or sliding?

Hinged security doors suit front and back doors. Sliding security doors go in front of sliding glass doors to patios and decks. The existing door decides this for you in most cases.

Step 2: Choose the infill

Step 3: Check the frame

The frame holds everything together. Look for solid, well-joined corners and a frame that sits square in the opening. Ask what the frame is made of and how the infill is secured into it — this is where a door's strength comes from.

Step 4: Locks and hardware

• Lock type — single-point or multi-point locking
• Key type and whether it can be keyed alike to your other locks
• Hinges (hinged doors) or rollers and track (sliding doors)
• Ease of locking from inside, including in an emergency

Step 5: Standards and claims

Security screen doors in Australia can be tested against Australian Standards. If a door is described as meeting a standard, ask for the documentation for that specific product rather than relying on general marketing.

Step 6: Installation

A security door is only as strong as its fixing to the house. It should be measured for your doorway, fitted square, close and lock smoothly, and be fixed securely to a sound frame.

Your checklist

• Hinged or sliding
• Mesh or grille infill
• Frame material and how the infill is fixed
• Lock type and keying
• Documentation for any standards claims
• Measured and installed for your doorway
• Colour to suit the house