Door

[Bijela]

Would you make a steel door just like a house door or just use something a thick steel and have it laser cut ? I'm debating this as most Nuclear bunkers seem to have no "filling" between the surface and the way in. Meaning little to block radiation. I'm playing with the idea of filling the gap with earth/sand mix. This could drain to a void when ready to exit.

Thoughts ??

[sniper 55]

Are you talking underground or above ground? Most above ground bunkers have a blast wall in front of the door, this backed by earth should block some of the direct radiation, some others have a dogleg in the entrance which again does the same thing.
Underground shaft bunkers tend to have the shaft part to an area at one end outside the bunker living area, so it helps cut down direct radiation and gives you a "dirty" area to decontaminate or change.
I'd be tempted to fit a lead lined door at some point, ot a thick concrete one maybe?

[ukpreppergrrl]

Not quite sure where the steel door comes in in relation to your earth filling. But the following may be useful:

To stop 99% of radiation you need:
3" lead
5" steel
16" solid brick or concrete
2' packed earth
3' loose earth
3' water

(Source: 11 Steps to Survival, Canada Emergency Measures Organisation)

Which is obviously quite a lot of material if you're talking doors. But...radiation doesn't "move" like air meandering around, it moves more like light in straight lines. It can't go round right angles, though it can ricochet a little like light can be reflected round corners. So the advice is to have a 90 degree turn in your entrance, and to put barrels of water against the door.

(Source: Nuclear War Survival Skills, Cresson H. Kearny)

These are of course referring to nuclear fallout shelters, they are not nuclear blast shelters, they will not protect you from the blast.

[Bijela]

I was viewing this from the point of once in it, stopping ppl getting in.

[sniper 55]

A steel door should deter random passing people, but if someone is determined they'll get in. Your best bet is nobody knowing your there, that means hiding it really well and telling nobody where it is.

[metatron]

I'd imagine you would get it cut with a waterjet or CNC plasma cutter as laser cutting is expensive/hard to get on thinker steels. Steelcore doors and steel frames are sold commercially and may fit people's needs, they aren't cheap, but cheaper then making your own, if you use good hardware, you could add a sheet of lead.

[preparedsurrey]

I think you may be better making it harder to spot as a door.
It would be relatively simple to weld up an angle iron frame with some bracing then skin it with a steel sheet but unless you are going for incredibly thick and heavy plate it would only be a matter of time until somebody determined got through it.

[xplosiv1]

I have a steel door in my house for the gun room, didnt build it myself it was there when I bought the place, looks to be homemade but a pretty high quality job.

its a 2.5" thick solid hardwood door (custom made probably) covered both sides with 1/4" steel plate bolted straight through (the steel extends to cover all gaps around the door opening to prevent prying it open) , it also has a reinforced door frame with 7 door hinges and what look to be four BS2361 High security mortice locks and two internal dead bolts (i'm guessing the dead bolts were to make it a safe room, as in somewhere to hide if someone broke into the house)

its been painted the same color as all the other internal doors and you actually wouldn't notice it was any different until you got up close to it, its on the third floor too so hardly anyone ever gets to see it.

I use it as my prep locker lol

A friend of mine actually had a custom made steel door installed a few years back, cant remember the exact cost but it was a few thousand pounds.

[unsure]

have you considered the type of security door they put on empty houses .

http://sacramentoappraisalblog.com/2009 ... roperties/

[xplosiv1]

have you considered the type of security door they put on empty houses .

http://sacramentoappraisalblog.com/2009 ... roperties/

thats actually a really good idea, I'm sure the local council wouldn't mind selling one if they had spare stock or even a used one.