Spadina Security Inc.

  
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Deadbolt quality - What's the Difference?

Grade 3 = Residential	Grade 2 = Commercial	Grade 1 = Institutional

It's all about the Grades

Door hardware is designed for a specific purpose.  The number of uses per day is considered when choosing the materials, the mechanism and the quality of the materials.

Grade three is the lowest grade.  It is intended for residential use.  This grade of deadbolt is normally used twice per day.  Once when you leave your home, and again when you return.  Locksmiths have noticed a sharp decline in the quality and the price of this grade of deadbolt and don't often recommend grade three hardware except to those who have strict short term budget concerns.

Grade two deadbolts are heavy duty.  They are designed to be used over and over again during the course of the business day.  Businesses are often concerned about burglary so these locks are designed to defend the business against the experienced burglar.

Six pin cylinders, a stronger bolt and an ice pick sheild are common features of this grade of deadbolt.

Grade one deadbolts are designed to work for hundreds of thousands or even millions of cycles with little wear.  This is the lock we would all use if we could afford it.  Now with security a greater concern than ever before, High Security locks, that is locks that meet the UL 437 requirements for burglary resistance, are commonly installed.

A cheaper option for the homeowner on a budget is to install a high security cylinder in a grade two deadbolt.  This adds key control and pick resistance  to the deadbolt and costs about half as much as installing a grade one high security deadbolt.