Latch Guard Installation in Washington, DC

Latch guards work by eliminating access to the latch bolt from the door gap. A full-size latch guard covers the entire door edge on the latch side, requiring the door frame to be cut or the guard to be mortised into the door edge — depending on the product. Surface-mounted latch guards cover the specific latch bolt area and install with screws without requiring door modifications. For DC storefront and exterior commercial doors where the latch gap is exposed on the exterior, a latch guard is one of the fastest ways to improve door security without changing the lock hardware.

We size, fit and through-bolt them so the guard itself can't simply be peeled off, and we coordinate the install with your existing locks, door closer and any panic hardware on the door.

Latch guards are most often added after a break-in or attempted break-in, but the smart move is to install them before. Storefronts in higher-foot-traffic blocks of DC and back-of-house doors that face an alley are the highest-value targets for this kind of upgrade.

If your insurance carrier or a landlord has flagged the rear door as under-secured, a latch guard is usually the first concrete fix that satisfies the requirement.

We assess the door first — material, thickness, swing direction, lock placement, existing hardware — before sizing the guard. That assessment tells us whether a wraparound, L-shaped or full-length guard is the right fit.

Once installed, we cycle the door to make sure the guard doesn't interfere with the closer arm or the panic-bar throw. A guard that binds the door is worse than no guard at all.

Latch guards are quoted by guard type and door material. Single-door installs on a stock storefront are typically completed in under an hour and priced flat. Out-of-spec doors that need a custom-cut guard cost more.

Multi-door installs at the same property — say, every back door across a small portfolio — are discounted per door.