Missile-Resistant Doors

With an envelope of reinforced concrete, it becomes obvious the one weak link in an otherwise almost impermeable saferoom would be the entranceway, or door.

A number of doors have been developed to withstand tornado or hurricane-force winds as well as the wind-driven missiles found during such events. These doors can be either built on-site or bought through a supplier.

The site-built door is comprised of two thicknesses of 3/4-inch plywood glued together and covered on the outside with 11-gauge sheet steel. The door must be supported on both sides and is best mounted in a pocket inside the shelter and used only when the room is occupied as a shelter.

The manufactured door consists of a hollow door with 14- to 20-gauge metal skins. Metal doors can be purchased from most home improvement centers. The 16- and 20-gauge doors must be strengthened with a single layer of 14-gauge steel on one side of the door. Solid core wood doors in a hollow metal frame will also work if an 11-gauge steel sheet is attached to the door.

Precast shelters that are installed underground or attach to a home come with their own doors as part of the system.

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