A forced entry door is designed to slow or prevent incursion into the building. Forced entry doors are used both for interior and exterior protection. Whether it’s a home, business or government building, the breach of the building envelope or high value security area is defined by two malevolent forms: Attack or Theft/Burglary.
In the case of attack, the goal of a forced entry door is to at least slow or delay entry into the building (or secure area) in order for occupants to either escape to safety or benefit from timely law enforcement intervention. Not surprisingly, most attacks target government or official public buildings. However, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the number of active shooter tragedies at schools and universities is increasing, making these locations equally vulnerable. So, keeping a gunman out of the building is the best way to stop him from shooting its occupants.
In the case of burglary, the goal is provide time for law enforcement to respond and hopefully apprehend the thieves. As one would expect, the locations most targeted for this type of intrusion are retail stores and commercial properties. It is important to note that forced entry does not mean a door is “burglary-proof”. No door can resist all forms of attack given enough time, skill and breaching applications. This is exactly the same concept as no glass is actually “bullet proof”.
ASTM F3038-21 and the US Department of State SD-STD-01.01 Rev G are the most widely used forced entry standards. While both F3038 and the Rev G standard include a ballistic component, only the forced entry criteria will be discussed here.
An entry threat has three important criteria:
Type of tools (sledgehammer, ram, bolt cutters, saw, pry bar, chisel & hammer)
Number of attackers (2-6)
Sophistication level of the attack
The Rev G forced entry standard is a timed test designed to simulate a mob attack attempting to forcibly enter or breach a building. The Rev G standard has three timed levels:
5-minute (2 attackers)
15-minute (6 attackers using limited tools)
60-minute (6 attackers using all the tools)
During this test, three areas of the door are attacked: the lock, the center of the door and the hinges. The timer is stopped when the attackers can create an opening large enough for a “test item” to gain entry through the door or the door is completely compromised.
F3038 is very similar to Rev G but differs in that a 6-person attack is always employed and there are four timed test levels instead of three: 5-minute, 15-minute, 30-minute and 60-minute.
Yes. Forced Entry (FE) doors are NOT required to be tested for ballistic resistance. Because FE/BR doors must protect against gunfire, they use heavier gauge metal and hardware and are tested differently. Without a ballistic component, a forced entry door is only subjected to a sustained physical attack by multiple intruders. It is important to note that doors are one of among many product categories tested for forced entry which can help protect against attack or theft/burglary, including:
Yes. In cases where a door has a window, there are separate forced entry tests for the window and/or glazing (the latter means only the glass not the frame). These test standards include, ASTM F1233 and UL 972 to name a few.
Any location that anticipates a building envelope threat would be prudent to install forced entry door and windows. Doors and windows are just a few of the anti-personnel barriers that can be deployed along with additional perimeter security, like climb-resistant fences and security access control points. Forced entry doors are used frequently at:
Schools & Universities
Shopping Malls
Retail stores
Office buildings
Government buildings
Transportation hubs
FE doors, short for forced entry doors, can be made from several different materials like aluminum, composites, wood and steel. While steel is the strongest of these materials, it is also heavier. So depending on the size of the door, steels increased weight might be a consideration. The type of material you select depends on the particular requirements of your project, including protective ratings, weather conditions and aesthetic choices like finishes.
Virtually all the manufacturers represented on Protogetic can produce custom versions of their doors. There are even retrofit forced entry doors for renovation/remodels where a completely new doorframe either is not budgeted or impractical to install. If you have non-standard door dimensions, simply click on the "CONTACT MANUFACTURER" button on the product page and directly message the manufacturer representative to get answers to all your questions.
You won’t find rated, high security doors that protect personnel from threats like blast, gunfire and forced entry in the "door aisle" of home improvement box stores. That’s why Protogetic showcases a large selection of forced entry doors from leading manufacturers – all conveniently located under one digital roof and 100% searchable 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Our easy-to-use filter allows you to search by forced entry ratings as well as aesthetic considerations like door style, leaf width and frame material to name just a few. Stop wasting time and instantly find the exact forced entry door your project needs.
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