Security door or door reinforcement: which should you choose in Paris?
This guide goes with our page Security doors in Paris.
To secure a flat in Paris, there are three solutions: reinforcing your current door, replacing it with a Bloc parisien, a new door with the look of period doors, or installing a complete security door from Picard Serrures or Fichet. All three can be A2P certified. What sets them apart: what you keep, the look on the landing side, insulation and budget.
Door reinforcement: your door is kept
Reinforcement wraps your wooden door in steel and mounts it on a steel frame sealed into the wall, with anti-crowbar angle irons, a welded threshold and an A2P-certified multipoint lock. It is installed in one day. For the details of the method, read our article on sleeve-type door reinforcement.
Its advantages
- The landing side keeps its look: a matching RAL colour or a wood-effect finish, as many buildings require.
- A lower budget than a new door.
- A2P BP1 or BP3 certification, with an A2P* to A2P*** lock.
Its limits
- Better insulation, but less than with a new door: the seal, the threshold and the rock wool reduce draughts and noise from the landing.
- A surface-mounted lock on the inside, more visible than a lock built into the door.
- No fire-rated version.
The Bloc parisien: a new door with a period look
The Bloc parisien replaces your door with a new door set: a steel frame and leaf, and a wooden face made to your measurements by a joiner, with the mouldings and colour of your choice. It is certified A2P BP1 or BP3, with a Picard lock, and insulates from 30 to 35 dB. It is also available for double doors.
For a front door in an older building, it is often the best compromise: a new, certified door that keeps the look of the building.
The complete security door: the best insulation
A complete security door replaces the door and its frame with a steel door set and a multipoint lock built into the door. From Picard Serrures, the Picard Diamant 10 (A2P BP1) insulates to 40 dB, the Picard Diamant 20 (A2P BP2) to 42 dB and the Picard Diamant 30 (A2P BP3) to 47 dB. The Picard Diamant EI30 is also fire-rated.
Its advantages
- The best sound insulation, up to 47 dB.
- A fire-rated version, when the building requires one.
- A lock built into the door, more discreet.
- A wide choice of finishes: panels, mouldings, colours.
Its limits
- A higher budget: the door and its frame are fully replaced.
- A new look on the landing side, which may need approval if your building’s rules require it.
Comparison: reinforcement, Bloc parisien or security door
| Door reinforcement | Bloc parisien | Complete security door | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your door | Kept and wrapped in steel | Replaced by a new door set | Replaced by a new door set |
| Landing side | The building’s look, in a RAL colour or a wood-effect finish | A made-to-measure wooden face: mouldings, colour of your choice | A new model, which may need approval if the rules require it |
| Certification | A2P BP1 or BP3 | A2P BP1 or BP3 | A2P BP1, BP2 or BP3 |
| Lock | Surface-mounted multipoint, A2P* to A2P*** | Picard, A2P* or A2P*** | Multipoint, built into the door |
| Insulation | Improved: seal, threshold and rock wool | 30 to 35 dB | The best, up to 47 dB; fire-rated option |
What to choose for your situation
- A new door that keeps the look of the building: the Bloc parisien.
- A door in good condition, in a building that requires it to keep its look: door reinforcement.
- The quietest home or a fire-rated door: a complete security door, such as the Picard Diamant 30 or the Picard Diamant EI30.
- An insurer that requires BP3: BP3 reinforcement, the Bloc parisien simple BP3 or the Picard Diamant 30.
In short
All three solutions protect your home and can be A2P certified. Reinforcement keeps your door and the look of the landing; the Bloc parisien gives you a new door with a period look; a complete security door offers the best insulation. To compare budgets, read how much a security door costs in Paris.
To find out what suits your door, send us a photo of both sides: we often reply within 2 hours, and the measuring visit and the quote are free. Request a free quote.
