Before we jump straight to a makeshift panic room scenario, there are a gazillion other reasons you would want to secure your bedroom door. And we will get into them shortly.
We all know that simple locks for bedroom doors sometimes just aren’t enough to keep the things we want out – out.
We will look at five proven techniques for securing a bedroom door that doesn’t include relying on a flimsy brass knob with an easy access hole in the middle.
Why You Might Want to Secure Your Bedroom Door
- Your pet won’t share the bed with you, so you just have to lock them out finally. Locks only work when you have dumb cats.
- Your child, who is old enough to take care of themselves, just barges in when they see fit. It takes more than a door that just requires a hanger to pop the lock.
- The burglar alarm has gone off, and it’s 2 am. You want a bedroom door secured by more than a lock that rattles when you touch the knob.
- You have the most annoying roommates ever. That’s it—just horrible roommates.
- You still live with your mom and dad, and their idea of privacy is barging in at 5 am to tell you what they read on Facebook.
- The world is ending, and your bedroom is the last stand in your home defense strategy.
5 Proven Techniques for Securing a Bedroom Door
Keyless Door Reinforcement Lock for Your Horrible Existing Lock
One of these only works if your bedroom door opens inwardly. But, a keyless door reinforcement lock is helpful for any entry that it will work on if you’re looking for a quick DIY way to add security (also for exterior door security).
Again, your bedroom lock likely is not great (similar to your windows). The keyless choice improves the quality.
- The installation is insanely user-friendly if you have a small drill and a screwdriver.
- It is far better than using a keyed lock. You can lock and unlock your door in a single motion.
- Most keyless options are durable and easy to lock quickly. It will buy you time in a pinch.
Shoving a Chair Under a Door Handle
Speaking of in a pinch, you’ve seen it in the movies and true crime docs. But, that is because it is a tried and true method of securing a door during an emergency.
What You Need to Know About Shoving a Chair Under a Door Handle
- Push the chair under the door handle as tightly as you can. It should wedge on in there.
- If done right, you prevent pushing on the handle from both the inside and outside. The chair is keeping the bolt in place.
- A computer chair makes a sound emergency barrier because you can adjust the height of the backrest.
- It only works on doors that have a lever, not a knob.
Portable Door Lock
Well, we didn’t say specifically your bedroom door. A portable door lock is a handy little safety device that is becoming more popular.
It is what it sounds like – an easy-to-use lock that keeps people out of bedrooms.
The primary reason they even exist is that they were developed for people who travel a lot. What is worse than someone coming into a bedroom you’re paying a whole arm for without permission? It is a violation of privacy.
Well, so is any other bedroom you’re in. A portable door device addresses that, and you have a variety of types.
- Metal portable door lock
- Stainless steel portable door lock
- No drill portable door lock
- Portable security door lock
- TSA-approved portable door locks
- Portable door lock brace
- Door handle security alarm
- Doorstop security alarm
A Security Bar Reinforces from the Inside
Enhance your home security with the Master Lock 265D Door Security Bar. Durable, adjustable, and easy to use for peace of mind.
Unless you’re planning to kidnap someone, you want to know how to secure a bedroom from the inside. A security bar is a simple way to add security to your door without permanent changes.
It works excellent for roommate situations. You’re not making changes that would eat your deposit and keep them from coming in when they’ve figured out you’ve drunk the last of the milk.
How a Security Bar Works
- Security bars require zero installation, and the ease of use is outstanding.
- All you have to do is put the top doorknob cup on top of the doorknob and rest the bottom of it on the floor.
- Most security bars are adjustable, so they fit pretty much any door.
- Security bars are durable and will stave off unwanted visitors.
Lock a Bedroom Door with a Fork
Have you stopped snickering yet?
Locking doors with forks is not new, and because of that, it is a proven technique. It is one of those things you need to know how to do, even though you’ll likely never have to do it.
The last line of defense in an apocalypse could be your bedroom, and all you’ve got is a fork.
- Bend over about 0.4 inches of the end of the fork. Pliers make the task more manageable, but it is ideal to have a nice hammer or vice nearby. (Why would you have these in your bedroom? Don’t know, but one more emergency kit in the closet isn’t a horrible idea.)
- Cut the handle off the fork. Please be careful, you’re cutting metal, so essentially you’ve also created a blade. Congrats.
- Open the door. Then hook the head of the fork into the hole of the strike plate.
- Now, close the door.
- Carefully slide the fork handle in between the middle teeth or tines.
- You’ve successfully locked a door with a fork. Hopefully.
- Practice makes perfect.
More Techniques for Securing a Bedroom Door
Strike Plate Lock
A strike plate lock is a simple solution to an everyday problem. All it is a door chain. It is just a non-traditional one that secures a door from the inside and the installation time is mere minutes.
A strike plate is of higher quality than a regular door chain and is rumored to take up to 50 kicks before it gives. That buys you quite a bit of extra time to figure another way out of whatever the situation.
Door Barricade
Secure your home with ease using our Door Barricade Brackets. Easy to install and provides added peace of mind.
You can buy an actual door barricade. It prevents forced entries of all sorts. Schools and some offices have door barricades as one of many layers of their defense plans.
However, it might be a step too far if you’re simply escaping a needy dog or a needier roommate.
Actually Barricading the Door Action Movie Style
It is totally different from a door barricade that you can buy.
Hey, if it works, it works. You have to do what you have to do during an emergency lockdown scenario.
Prepare yourself because you’re about to get a list of even more emergency provisions to stash in your bedroom.
Ways to Barricade Your Bedroom Door Successfully – Outward Opening Doors
- Use a rope or a leather belt to the doorknob and attach it to a nearby heavy object. Bought seconds are still seconds bought.
- In some cases, instead, you can use the same items and secure them around the top of your door’s hinge.
- Pile as much crap as you have in your bedroom in front of the door. If a bad guy wants an obstacle of course of danger, give it to them.
Ways to Barricade Your Bedroom Door Successfully – Inward Opening Doors
- Inward-opening doors aren’t the easiest to secure in an emergency. A chair is sometimes the only choice you’ve got. Refer to #2 on the list.
- Pile all the stuff in front of the door. It will at least make it incredibly hard for someone to push open. You should have more than enough time to bolt out of the nearest window.
Wedges and Door Stops
You’re basically looking at a doorstop. Doorstops have not really evolved from the ones we knew as kids.
You have two ways of going about using a wedge doorstop. And, they only work on inward opening doors.
- You can buy one, which every hardware or home improvement store carries on various doorsteps. And, hopping on Amazon for five seconds to search door wedges and door stops will show you just about every design you can think of.
- You can DIY the heck out of it. You can use anything from cardboard to actual board to metal. The sky is the limit as long as it works. (Helpful tip – use rubber on the bottom to prevent it from slipping.
You can even make a doorstop out of a sock.
Build a Better Door
It is not always possible for someone to update their bedroom door to something heavy-duty. Living and money situations make these sorts of upgrades impossible.
You do have tons of options if you can build a better door.
- Hard Wood Doors
- Metal Doors
- Fiberglass Doors
Reinforcing the Door Frame and Door Jamb
It is yet another renovation with so many constraints that not many people will have the means to tackle it. But, a lot of people do reinforce the door frame and jamb for major entryways such as the front and back doors.
Catch and Confront the Culprits
Absolutely no one condones violence or recommends it.
Motion sensors, lighting, and security cameras are helpful, though. It sometimes is a requirement to start a serious conversation with the people you live with about privacy concerns and what invasion means to you.
Tips for Talking to a Roommate About Privacy Concerns
- Stay calm, ain’t no one dead. There are absolutely zero reasons to get worked up because you noticed that someone came in and out of your room on your security camera app. However, for your safety, it is your right to confront them in a way that is not confrontational.
- Set safe and reasonable boundaries. In theory, this is done when people move in with one another but rarely is that the case. But, the time will come when a complicated conversation needs to be had. It includes agreeing on communal space and who can and can’t access your private space.
- Keep an inventory of your valuables. No one is causing anyone to steal. However, it is a good plan always to have a list of your belongings and where they are located. It is for any number of situations such as a fire or robbery. It just helps in the case of stick fingers, too.
- Secure the door to your room or space. We covered a ton of ways to secure your bedroom door. We’ve given you plenty of options, from locks to piling stuff against the door. But, the most important takeaway is that taking measures to ensure your safety and privacy is your right.
Just do what you can, and always have a plan. Also, check out how to break down your own door in case of emergency here.