Kick down the door!

[GageStryker]

Hi, guys!

Working on a play right now that has a scene where a desperate character literally kicks in a door. It's represented as an exterior door, so I'm thinking something with a deadbolt - a solid core wood (I don't think I want to get into metal).

So, there's two questions. The first one... has anyone here actually kicked down / shoulder checked / etc a door before? How do you do it, and what are the natural failure points on the door? I'd like to create something reasonably realistic.

Secondly, how to manufacture a door that can get easily kicked down / splintered apart, but still be intact enough to function as a real door (it gets opened half a dozen times before getting kicked down), and be able to be set up for the next show as early as 3 hours away (matinees).

I'm thinking something like cutting / prying / pulling out a section of the door and then refitting it together, patching it together with paper tape or similar and painting it to match the door and reinforcing it so it holds up to normal use but not moderate force, but I'd rather not have wet paint on a setpiece.

The door is located at a 90 degree angle to the audience, and gets kicked open in the same direction it normally opens (onstage).

Any ideas?

 

[venuetech]

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/scenery-props-rigging/15154-breakable-door.html
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/special-effects/18126-help-kicked-door.html

The normal fail point is the door jamb around the striker plate.
I have never kicked a door in but i have had to repair such a door.
the jamb was split nearly full length and the trim on that side of the door came away from the wall. both of those ended up hanging loosely around the door

Take a look at this video
http://www.doorsecuritypro.com/index.html

 

[shiben]

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/scenery-props-rigging/15154-breakable-door.html
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/special-effects/18126-help-kicked-door.html

The normal fail point is the door jamb around the striker plate.
I have never kicked a door in but i have had to repair such a door.
the jamb was split nearly full length and the trim on that side of the door came away from the wall. both of those ended up hanging loosely around the door

Take a look at this video
Door Security Pro: Home Door Jamb Reinforcement Stops Door Kick-in

I have kicked in a door. Failure point is close enough to the knob that this is where you kick. Note that police tend to ram in the same place. Other options if that is bolted too tough include rams at the hinges, another failure point, and a shoulder into the door will work for smaller bolts, more like just a handle lock.

 

[DuckJordan]

I've never built one but I have kicked in several doors, for PA training. Where it normaly fails is at the dead bolt. Granted we were trained to hit right next to the door knob. But as far as making it look good on stage i would think where it hinges to make it fall off. It all depends on how you want it to look.

 

[cpf]

Never tried it, but could try notching out the side of the hole the latch falls into and covering it up with some thin wood of the right colour, glued flush-enough to match. Works fine as a door (if actors don't slam it that hard) and when it comes time, you just kick the door with adequate force, the latch breaks the wood, and it's open. Use a longer strip of wood and experiment with different wood types/thicknesses and glue (or screw for a shorter time frame) patterns to get the optimum splinter out of the effect. Just pry the old wood off and put another strip on to re-set.

Read avkid's post if this was too long-winded

 

[avkid]

Make a balsa wood strike plate.
Cheap, easy and repeatable.

 

[blackisthenewblack]

Take a look at this video
Door Security Pro: Home Door Jamb Reinforcement Stops Door Kick-in

I like the big burly guy in the first shot, and the skinny little teenager sneezing on the door.