Entrance Door Security Set: Viewer, Guard and 3 Hinges
Order one door viewer, one door guard or door chain and three hinges for each residential entrance door. A common set is DV05, F001 and three SSH016 hinges in one finish. Add a single cylinder deadbolt such as D101 SS, and keep every inside release keyless.
The set to order
| Part | What to check | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Door viewer | One per door. Brass. Barrel 12, 14 or 16mm. Door 35 to 55mm or 60 to 100mm. | DV05, DV10 |
| Door viewer for a thin door | DV06 lists 30 to 50mm at 160 degrees. | DV06 |
| Door viewer, black | Brass, 15.5mm barrel, optical glass, 200 degrees, rotating cover. | DV05 BL |
| Door viewer, 28mm barrel | DV08 SN has a glass lens. Needs a larger hole. | DV08 SN, DV07 |
| Swing bar door guard | One per door, inside face, lock edge. | F001, F002 |
| Door chain | One per door. F005 adds a slide bolt. | F004, F005 |
| Butt hinge, inward-opening door | Three per door up to 2286mm high. Order 4 x 3 in x 2.5mm. | SSH016, SSH012, BL028 |
| Security hinge, outward-opening door | Three per door. Raised studs seat in sockets on the opposite leaf, as photographed. | 6*3*3MM |
| Single cylinder deadbolt | 25mm throw, thumbturn inside. Door 35 to 45mm, backset 60mm or 70mm. | D101 SS, D103 AC |
| Latch guard | Outward-opening doors only, outside face. 304 stainless steel. | HY-0SS |
What one entrance door takes
| Part | Quantity per door | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Door viewer | 1 | Center of the door width, at eye height |
| Door guard or door chain | 1 | Inside face, lock edge, one plate on the door and one on the frame |
| Hinges | 3 on a door up to 2286mm high | Hinge edge, on one vertical line |
| Deadbolt, if the lockset has none | 1 | Above the handle set, thumbturn inside |
| Latch guard, outward-opening doors only | 1 | Outside face, lock edge |
| Door stop | 1 | Wall or floor, toward the lock side of the swing |
Choose the viewer by door thickness and hole size
A viewer is two threaded halves screwed together through one hole, so the range is what matters: on a door thicker than the range the halves will not meet, and on a thinner door they bottom out before they grip. The barrel diameter sets the drill size, so choose it once for the whole project.
| Model | Body | Barrel | Door or length | View | Lens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DV05 | Brass | 12, 14 or 16mm | Door 35 to 55mm or 60 to 100mm | 180 or 200 degrees | Resin, with cover |
| DV10 | Brass or zinc alloy | 12, 14 or 16mm | Door 35 to 55mm or 60 to 100mm | 180 or 200 degrees | Resin, with cover |
| DV06 | Brass | 12, 14 or 16mm | Door 30 to 50mm at 160 degrees, or 35 to 55mm or 60 to 100mm | 160, 180 or 200 degrees | Resin, optional cover |
| DV11 | Brass, square head | 12, 14 or 16mm | Door 35 to 55mm | 180 or 200 degrees | Resin, with cover |
| DV05 BL | Brass, black | 15.5mm | Viewer 35 to 50mm long | 200 degrees | Optical glass, rotating cover |
| DV08 SN | Zinc alloy | 28mm | Viewer 60 to 95mm long | 200 degrees | Glass, with or without cover |
| DV07 | Brass or zinc alloy | 28mm | Viewer 42 to 72mm long, door range confirmed with the order | 180 or 200 degrees | Resin, with cover |
Where the viewer goes
- Center it on the door width.
- Trade practice is about 1520mm (60 in) above the floor for a standing adult.
- Where a lower viewer is wanted for a wheelchair user, trade practice is about 1090mm (43 in).
- If the household or site has both needs, order two viewers for that door.
- The lens half goes in from outside and the eyepiece half from inside.
- A 28mm barrel needs a much larger hole than a 14mm barrel, so have it confirmed before drilling a steel or foam-filled door.
Door guard or door chain
A guard lets the door open a few centimeters so you can speak to a caller. It does not replace the lock. Fit both halves on the inside, and put the screws into the solid frame behind the trim, because a screw held only by thin trim pulls out when the door is forced.
| Model | Type | Material | Listed size | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F001 | Swing bar | Zinc alloy | 110 x 66mm | The door should stop on a rigid bar |
| F002 | Swing bar | Zinc alloy | 103 x 66mm | The same, in a shorter bar |
| F004 | Door chain in a slide track | Iron | 115 x 53mm | The buyer asks for a door chain by name |
| F005 | Door chain with a slide bolt | Zinc alloy | 83mm long | The door should also bolt from inside |
Hinge choices for a residential entrance
Which hinge depends on which way the door opens, because that decides who can reach the pins.
| Door | Where the knuckles are | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Opens inward, the usual case | Inside the home | Three SSH016 or SSH012 at 4 x 3 in x 2.5mm |
| Opens inward, black furniture | Inside the home | Three BL028 at 4 x 3 in x 2.5mm |
| Opens outward, timber door | Outside, within reach | Three 6*3*3MM security hinges, 3mm stainless, with studs |
| Wider than about 940mm (37 in) | Either | Add a fourth hinge, as trade practice |
Keep one finish across the set
A viewer, guard and hinge from three finish lists arrive looking like three suppliers. The first five finishes below are listed on all three parts, so the set can match.
| Finish | Viewer | Guard | Hinge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antique brass | DV05, DV10 | F001, F002, F004, F005 | SSH016 |
| Antique copper | DV05, DV10 | F001, F002, F004, F005 | SSH016 |
| Satin nickel | DV05, DV10 | F001, F002 | SSH016 |
| Chrome plated | DV05, DV10 | F001, F002 | SSH016 |
| Polished brass | DV05, DV10 | F004, F005 | SSH016 |
| Black | DV05 BL | Send the color, confirmed with the order | BL028 |
Check these before you order for apartments
- A resident must be able to leave without a key. Choose a deadbolt with a thumbturn inside such as D101 SS, not a double cylinder such as D102 SS.
- The International Building Code lets a dwelling door carry a night latch, deadbolt or security chain only if the occupant can open it from inside with no key or tool. Confirm the rule with your local authority.
- An apartment entrance door onto a shared corridor is often a fire door. Its certificate decides what may be cut into it or fixed to it.
- A standard viewer through a fire door can break the door's rating. We do not list a fire-rated viewer, so check the certificate first.
- F004 and F005 are photographed on inward-opening doors. For an outward-opening door, send the drawing.
- HY-0SS is for outward-opening doors only, fixed on the outside face over the latch gap.
What to send your supplier
- Door thickness, height and width.
- Door material: timber, steel or foam-filled.
- Inward or outward opening.
- Number of doors of each type.
- Viewer barrel diameter and view angle, one choice for the project.
- Guard type: swing bar or chain.
- Finish, one code for every part.
- Whether the doors are fire rated, with the certificate.
Questions buyers ask
Which is stronger, a swing bar or a door chain?
We do not list a load figure for either, so compare them by how they work. A swing bar is rigid and stops the door at a fixed gap. A chain has slack. In both, the screws into the frame do most of the work, so fix them into solid timber.
What hole does a door viewer need?
The hole follows the barrel: 12, 14 or 16mm on DV05, DV10, DV06 and DV11, and 28mm on DV07 and DV08 SN. Choose one barrel for the project so the installers carry one drill size.
Is 180 or 200 degrees better for an entrance door?
A 200 degree viewer shows more of the landing, which helps where a caller can stand to one side. DV05 and DV10 offer both, so state the angle on the order.
Can the guard be opened from outside?
It is operated from inside, and the door has to be closed before it can be released. It is a limiter, not a lock, so the door still needs its lock.
My door is 60mm thick. Which viewer do I order?
Order DV05 or DV10 in the 60 to 100mm range. The 35 to 55mm version will not reach through that door, so state the thickness on the order.
Do apartment entrance doors need a fourth hinge?
Not by height if the door is under 2286mm. Trade practice adds a fourth above about 940mm of width, and a fire door follows its certificate.
Sources
Codes change and vary by place. Confirm with the authority for your project.