Front Door vs. Back Door: Where Should Your Security Bar Go First?
Direct Answer
If you can only place one bar: start with the door that has the least natural surveillance from neighbors and the street. For most homes, that's the back door — where prepared burglars have time and privacy. If you can protect both: front door during the day (opportunistic deterrence), back door at night (planned entry prevention).
The Statistics: Front Leads, But the Back Is Scarier
34%
Front Door
Mostly opportunistic: shorter attempt time, higher abort rate, more visible to neighbors
22%
Back Door
Mostly planned: longer attempt time, lower abort rate, often adjacent to fence or landscaping
The FBI data is clear — more burglars enter through front doors in raw numbers. But that statistic includes a vast proportion of opportunistic, unlocked-door entries. When the entry requires forced breach — actual kick-in — the back door is disproportionately represented because it provides privacy for the work.
How to Assess Your Specific Property
Walk outside and answer these questions honestly:
Which door is visible from the street?
The visible door is the one where an attacker spends the least time — they know they can be seen. Prioritize the invisible door.
Which door has adjacent cover (fence, hedge, wall)?
Cover provides the privacy attackers need to work methodically. The door with the most cover = highest risk for planned entry.
Which door has the weakest hardware?
Back doors are commonly installed with shorter deadbolts, thinner frames, and smaller strike plates than front doors. Check both — the weaker one is the attacker's preference.
Which door is most used by your household?
The frequently used door is more likely to be left unlocked or ajar. That entry point needs the bar — but also better lock habits.
The Recommended Setup by Scenario
One bar on the single entry door. SWB Model A, no permanent install.
Back door first (less surveillance). Front door second. Move the bar nightly if you have one; buy two if budget allows.
Back door first regardless — corner lots have side doors with more privacy than the highly visible front.
Both doors, simultaneously. Plus window bars on ground-floor windows adjacent to any door (reach-through attack vector).
SWB Model A — One Bar, All Doors
Adjusts 17.5"–47.5", works on front door, back door, and all windows. Move it nightly to your priority entry. ~$90.
View Model A →FAQ
Which door do most burglars use?
FBI: 34% front door, 22% back door. But opportunistic entries favor the front; planned forced entries favor the back, where there's more privacy and time to work.
Which door should I secure first?
The one with less natural surveillance from neighbors and the street. For most homes, that's the back door — where prepared burglars have time and privacy.
Can one bar protect both doors?
Yes — move it nightly to your priority entry. For permanent always-on protection, one bar per door. SWB Model A covers all standard residential door handles.
Related
Marcus Reid · IDA Certified
12 years residential security specification · Property assessment methodology for 1,200+ clients · NYC · Chicago · LA