Going door shopping...solid core wood, right?

[Seeker of Rock]

Solid core wood is what I've read. Would metal doors work with treatment, or they still resonate? It seems because of the density of metal they would be good for transmission loss, anyone know? Anyway, wood is what I'm after up to this point, I just like the security of metal so I'm asking the question of whether they are an absolute no-no.

 

[chugheshc]

my two cents:

metal is probably ok as long as it is completely foam or wood filled.
i'd just be concerned that any voids in it might possibly resonate, probably not really an issue, if you're playing that loud, then you will be heard regardless of the door.
2 doors is better than one imho

edit: oh, yes security.
as he says, the weak points are going to be the hinge and latche(s).
if you are really concerned about security - a heavy duty lockset and hinges, + two deadbolts, one near the top, one near the bottom will do
as much as is reasonably possible...... if people are bound and determined, they'll get in anyway.

cheers
C.

 

[fraserhutch]

A solid core door is pretty damn secure, if you ask me. As in a metal door, the weak point is going to be the hinges the latch.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Well, good news and bad news...I saw some NICE solid mahogany doors for about 3 and half bills, no jamb, threshold, hinges or sealing, not predrilled (which I have done but really prefer not to if it can be avoided). Consumer that I am, I opted for the metal polystyrene-filled door with assembly. I knocked on it and the mahogany as well as a solid fir door(which was less expensive than the mahogany of course, tipping the scales at $158 for the slab only)...it resonates more than the solid woods, but when I pulled the metal door tight against the seal like when it will be locked, it didn't resonate too bad. Anyway, that's the bad news.

The good news is I got the smallest door I could find fit for an exterior door, and that was 30", so less door area that will be resonating if it does. I'm obviously going to need to treat the inside, which is fine becase between the concrete block exterior leaf and the interior wall system, I've got about 11-1/2". Plenty of room for treatment. Anyway, got the framing materials, too. May be another late night of posting and building.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

a heavy duty lockset and hinges, + two deadbolts, one near the top, one near the bottom will do
as much as is reasonably possible...... if people are bound and determined, they'll get in anyway.
C.

Yeah, I probably need to get another deadbolt for the bottom. I bought a schlage high-security Grade 2 set.

 

[punkin]

A solid core door is pretty damn secure, if you ask me. As in a metal door, the weak point is going to be the hinges the latch.

yup

When framing a "secure" door, use double 2x4's on the striker side and the hinge side and get the longest throw dead bolts you can find. Before you do the finish work, install metal reinforcement plates on the 2x4's behind the dead bolts and the hinges. Use the longest possible screws for the striker plate and the hinges. The longer the better to distribute the force.

Just remember, if you lock yourself out of the house, you're not gonna get in that way.

 

[Seeker of Rock]

Well, I'm going into concrete after the wood ledgers. I'm going to use 5/8" lags, maybe 3". That part will be secure, though the area I live in shouldn't give me any problems. The weak link, as pointed out by fraserhutch, will be the thickness of the steel of the door that the hinges actually are fastened to on the door side. The polystyrene foam inside isn't going to do much for them, and hopefully but not probable, the areas the the hinges and latch assembles fasten to are reinforced inside and not the same thin steel as the shell. Again, that is wishful thinking and I have a sneaking premonition it is not the case. Everything else should be solid, though.