We have many years of experience in providing high-security door locks to the industrial, retail, and hospitality sectors as well as other public and private institutions. We understand their undisputable importance on the front line of defence against burglars, intruders, and vandals. Because locks play such a crucial role, it is essential to make the right choice, and there are so many reliable companies manufacturing so many types that the sheer variety can be confusing. Let’s explore some key features you should look for.

Lock Cylinder

The complexity of the lock cylinder determines how difficult it would be for a criminal to overcome it, either by using a bump key, taking an impression of the lock, or simply picking it. As the complexity of the lock increases, the more it acts as both a protection and a deterrent.

Metal Content

The material used in making high-security locks and specifically their metal content is important. If you hold a lock in your hand, you can measure its weight and the heaviest will have the highest content. This means they will be largely free of gaps and any plastic components will be minimal. It’s advisable to avoid locks that compromise their metal content to keep the price down.

Bolt Strength

While the strength of the deadbolt varies, the bolts of high-security door locks are made of hardened steel that will withstand kicks, sledgehammers and battering rams, as well as hacksaw attacks. Weaker bolts can be much more easily snapped or cut through.

Drill Resistance

It may be necessary for a locksmith to drill out a broken lock in an emergency. Criminals can use the same equipment to gain access. Choose a lock with anti-drill protection, particularly covering the set screws and the shear line. You can tell a well-defended lock by the presence of hardened steel ball bearings or anti-drill plates.

Key Control

Some criminals don’t use force. If they have even temporary access to your premises, they have the opportunity to copy your keys. This is much harder to do if the keys to your locks require patented key blanks to make copies. Patented blanks are much more difficult to get hold of and won’t be readily available to the average key cutting service.

Bypass Protection

Many high-security locks have emergency bypass features, such as the thumb turn bypass you’ll find in some Euro cylinder locks. Think carefully before selecting anything with a bypass unless it comes with its security measures.

Which Brands of High-Security Door Locks Are Best?

Several extremely reputable brands on the market offer quality without compromise. A few of the most well-known names are Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy, but the most important feature is the combination of features.

Price

You get what you pay for, mostly. Nevertheless, do not buy expensive locks where one or two measures are inflated while other aspects, such as the locking mechanism, are compromised. Buy the most expensive you can afford, provided that it meets all the criteria we’ve covered. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask the professionals.