- Description
- Application
- Specification
- Installation
- Warranty
- Measure
Metador Defender Xtraguard: The Heavy-Weight Security Deterrent
High-Security Performance | Reinforced Construction | Cost-Effective Protection
When standard steel doors aren't enough, but your insurance doesn't mandate a specific LPS 1175 certification, the Metador Defender Xtraguard is the definitive answer. Engineered for sites that demand serious physical resistance, this door offers a significant step up in strength, weight, and defensive capability compared to standard personnel doors. Without the constraints of certification compliance this door can be manufactured to suit your needs, whether that is size or maybe a unique element or design in the panel.
The Xtraguard is designed to be a formidable physical barrier. It utilises thicker steel skins, reinforced cores, and heavy-duty hardware preparations to withstand sustained physical attack, making it the ideal choice for remote utility sites, back-of-house retail, and secure plant rooms.
Why Choose the Defender Xtraguard?
Many high-security doors carry a premium price tag purely for their certification paperwork. The Xtraguard offers the same physical muscle as many rated doors but keeps costs down by bypassing the certification process. It is the "common sense" choice for business owners who want a door that simply stops intruders.
"Built Like a Tank" Construction
The Xtraguard distinguishes itself with a superior build specification designed to resist heavy impact, drilling, and jemmy attacks:
- Thicker Steel Skins: Manufactured with 1.5mm or 2.0mm galvanised steel skins (upgradeable from standard), creating a leaf that is significantly more resistant to cutting and denting.
- Reinforced Core: Unlike standard honeycomb doors, the Xtraguard uses a solid timber core or high-density mineral wool with internal steel stiffeners. This creates a solid, non-hollow sounding door that feels immovable.
- Heavy-Duty Frame: Supplied with a 2.0mm high-tensile steel frame with a 90mm profile, ensuring the door cannot be easily prised away from the wall.
- Anti-Jemmy Design: Integrated astragals and dog-bolt hinges ensure the leaf remains securely interlocked with the frame, even if the hinges are attacked.
High-Security Locking Options
A door is only as secure as its lock. The Xtraguard is compatible with the highest grade of locking hardware usually reserved for government-spec doors:
- Multi-Point Locking: 3-point or 5-point Sashlocks that secure the door at the top, middle, and bottom.
- High-Security Panic Hardware: Compatible with Exidor 700 series heavy-duty panic bars and Mico Tindall multi-point locking systems for maximum resistance.
- Cylinder Protection: Can be fitted with hardened steel cylinder guards to prevent lock snapping and drilling.
Key Features & Benefits
- Superior Durability: Galvanised steel construction with a high-quality powder-coated finish (any RAL colour) prevents rust and corrosion, even in harsh external environments.
- Visual Deterrent: The robust appearance signals to potential intruders that the building is hardened against attack.
- Versatile Sizing: Custom-manufactured to fit your specific structural opening perfectly, ensuring tight tolerances and fewer leverage points.
- Stainless Steel Threshold: Durable low-profile threshold as standard, compliant with DDA regulations while preventing water ingress.
Summary: If you need a door that physically repels determined intruders without the expense of an accredited "Red Book" certificate, the Defender Xtraguard is the best pound-for-pound security door on the market.
Ideal Applications
The Metador Defender Xtraguard is the preferred specification for:
- Remote Utility Sites: Water, gas, and electric substations where response times are slow.
- Data Centres: Uncertified but physically impenetrable access points.
- High-Risk Rear Exits: Retail units and warehouses facing dark service yards.
- Secure Storage: Chemical stores, archive rooms, and high-value stock rooms.
Technical Specification: Metador Defender Xtraguard
The Defender Xtraguard is built to a heavy-duty specification, exceeding standard steel door industry norms. It is available in 4 distinct build levels, allowing the physical resistance of the door to be matched to the specific security risk on site.
Build Specification Levels
Level 1 (Standard)
Steel Skin: 1.5mm galvanised steel
Core Material: Mineral wool with internal steel stiffeners
Security Description: Baseline heavy duty specification. Stronger than a standard personnel door and ideal for general rear exits, offices, and low-risk storage where visual deterrence is key.
Level 2 (Reinforced)
Steel Skin: 2.0mm galvanised steel
Core Material: Mineral wool with internal steel stiffeners
Security Description: Anti-cut upgrade. The thicker steel skins provide significantly increased resistance to cutting tools and heavy impact, making it much harder to breach the leaf.
Level 3 (Solid)
Steel Skin: 1.5mm galvanised steel
Core Material: Solid timber core (chipboard/timber)
Security Description: Anti-impact upgrade. The solid timber core removes the “hollow” feel of steel doors and offers excellent resistance against sledgehammer and heavy battering attacks.
Level 4 (Ultimate)
Steel Skin: 2.0mm galvanised steel
Core Material: Solid timber core (chipboard/timber)
Security Description: Maximum physical resistance. The ultimate uncertified specification, combining thick anti-cut steel skins with a solid anti-impact core. Recommended for remote sites and high-value asset protection.
Detailed Construction
| Door Leaf Thickness | 45mm (standard across all levels) |
| Construction Method | Folded and mechanically fixed skins with bonded core. Integrated “anti-jemmy” astragal to the leading edge of the active leaf to help prevent pry-bar attacks. |
| Frame Profile | 90mm deep single rebate profile in 2.0mm high-tensile steel. Bolted corners for structural rigidity. |
| Fixing Method | Adjustable fast-fit fixing system with threaded adjusters (approx. 16 fixings per doorset) for precise alignment and secure anchoring. |
Hardware & Locking
| Hinges | Minimum 4x stainless steel ball-bearing hinges per leaf (BS EN 1935). Security dog bolts: Solid steel pins fitted to each hinge side to lock the leaf into the frame if hinges are cut. |
| Locking Options |
|
| Cylinder Protection | Options for hardened steel cylinder defenders and anti-snap cylinders. |
Performance & Finish
| Thermal Performance | Typically 2.2 W/m²K (standard Levels 1 & 2). Solid core (Levels 3 & 4) thermal performance may vary. |
| Finish | Polyester powder coated (PPC) to any standard RAL or BS colour. Marine-grade finish available for coastal applications. |
| Warranty | 2-year manufacturer warranty against manufacturing defects. |
Installation Guide: DIY vs. Professional
The Metador Defender Xtraguard is designed with the installer in mind, featuring a unique "Fast-Fit" adjustable frame system. However, due to its heavy-duty construction, it is physically demanding to handle.
1. Handling & Weight (Critical Warning)
Do not underestimate the weight of this door.
- Weight: A single Level 2 or Level 3 Xtraguard door can weigh in excess of 80kg - 120kg depending on size and core specification.
- Manpower: We strongly recommend a minimum of 2 strong people for offloading and positioning. For larger or solid-core doors, 3 people or mechanical lifting aids (genie lift/glass lifter) are advised.
- Delivery State:
- Single Doors: Typically delivered fully assembled (door leaf pre-hung in the frame). You may need to separate the leaf from the frame to reduce weight for positioning.
- Double Doors: Often delivered with the frame and leaves separate to make handling manageable.
2. The "Fast-Fit" Adjustable Frame
The Xtraguard features a clever frame design that removes the need for fiddly packers or shims.
- Adjusters: The frame is fitted with roughly 16 threaded hexagonal adjusters (depending on size).
- Method:
- Place the frame in the opening.
- Use a cordless drill with a hex bit to wind out the adjusters until they grip the wall.
- This temporarily "clamps" the frame in place, allowing you to fine-tune the level and plumb without holding the full weight.
- Once perfectly level, you drill through the centre of the adjusters into the masonry/steelwork and bolt it home.
3. Tools Required
- SDS Drill (for masonry fixing holes).
- Impact Driver (for driving concrete bolts).
- Long Spirit Level (1800mm+) – Essential for checking the hinge jamb is 100% vertical.
- 12mm / 14mm Hex Bit (for frame adjusters).
- Crowbar / Air Wedge (for final lifting/positioning).
4. Should I Install It Myself?
| DIY / Builder | Professional Door Installer |
|---|---|
| Pros: Save on labour costs. Cons: Handling the weight can be dangerous without experience. If the frame is not fitted 100% square (even 2mm out), the heavy door will not latch correctly or may swing open/closed on its own. |
Pros: They will have the lifting gear and experience to handle the weight safely. They understand how to "toe-and-heel" glaze and adjust heavy-duty hinges for perfect operation. Cons: Higher initial cost. |
Recommendation: If you are an experienced builder with a helper, the "Fast-Fit" system makes this a straightforward job. If you are a DIY novice, we strongly advise hiring a professional purely due to the health and safety risks of handling heavy steel doors.
Your Metador Defender Xtraguard doorset is covered by a comprehensive warranty package provided by Samson Doors and backed by the manufacturer, Metador. This warranty reflects our confidence in the "Built to Last" construction of the Defender range.
1. Structural Guarantee (Steelwork)
- Duration: 2 Years (Standard) | Up to 10 Years (Subject to Maintenance Contract).
- Coverage: Covers the main structural integrity of the door leaf and frame against manufacturing defects, material failure, and weld failure under normal usage conditions.
- Conditions: The door must be installed correctly (square and plumb) and maintained in accordance with the Operation & Maintenance manual supplied.
2. Finish Guarantee (Powder Coating)
| Finish Type | Warranty Period | Coverage & Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Standard PPC (Polyester Powder Coat) |
1 Year | Covers peeling, flaking, or significant fading. Excludes damage caused by physical impact, chemical cleaning agents, or harsh environmental exposure (unless specified). |
| Marine Grade PPC (Upgrade Option) |
10 Years | Essential for coastal or industrial sites. Provides long-term protection against salt spray and corrosion. Condition: The finish must be cleaned periodically (recorded in a log) to remove salt/pollutant deposits. |
3. Hardware & Moving Parts
- Duration: 1 Year (Manufacturer's Warranty).
- Coverage: Locks, handles, panic bars, hinges, and closers are guaranteed against mechanical failure.
- Exclusions:
- Misuse: Forcing handles, slamming doors against closers, or vandalism.
- Lack of Lubrication: Hinges and latch bolts must be lubricated every 3-6 months (lanolin/light oil) to prevent seizing. Failure to lubricate voids the warranty.
- Keys/Cylinders: Broken keys or jammed cylinders due to foreign objects are not covered.
4. Important Warranty Conditions
To ensure your warranty remains valid, please observe the following:
- Installation: The warranty is void if the door is installed out of square (twisted frame), as this places excessive stress on locks and hinges.
- Modifications: Drilling extra holes, cutting the leaf, or fitting non-approved third-party hardware will invalidate the warranty.
- Maintenance Log: For commercial sites, we recommend keeping a simple log of 6-monthly inspections (lubrication, visual check). This may be requested in the event of a claim.
5. How to Make a Claim
If you encounter an issue, please contact the Samson Doors support team immediately.
- Step 1: Email details of the fault to our support team, including your original Order Reference Number.
- Step 2: Provide clear photographs or video showing the issue (e.g., the faulty part, the door label, and the overall installation).
- Resolution: We will assess the claim with the manufacturer. Valid claims will be resolved via replacement parts or, in significant cases, a replacement unit.
Note: This warranty is a "parts only" warranty unless the door was installed by Samson Doors' own installation team. Labour costs for third-party repairs are not covered.
How to Measure for Your Metador Defender Doorset
Getting the measurements right is critical. Steel doorsets are precision-engineered products and cannot be trimmed or planed on site like timber doors. Please follow this guide to determine the correct ORDERING SIZE.
1. Measure the Structural Opening
Measure the raw aperture (brick-to-brick or steel-to-steel) where the door will be installed.
- Width: Measure at the Top, Middle, and Bottom of the opening.
Record the smallest dimension. - Height: Measure at the Left, Centre, and Right from the lintel to the finished floor level.
Record the smallest dimension. - Diagonals: Measure corner-to-corner to check if the opening is square. If there is a significant difference (more than 5-10mm), you may need to allow extra tolerance.
2. Calculate Your Ordering Size
We recommend the following tolerances for the Metador Defender frame:
- Width: Deduct 10mm from your smallest structural width (5mm clearance per side).
- Height: Deduct 10mm from your smallest structural height (5mm at the top, 5mm at the bottom).
Calculation Example:
- Smallest Structural Opening: 1000mm (W) x 2100mm (H)
- Minus Tolerance: -10mm (Width) | -10mm (Height)
- ORDER SIZE: 990mm x 2090mm
3. The "Fast-Fit" Frame System
The Metador Defender Xtraguard is supplied with a high-tensile steel frame featuring adjustable fixing points.
- Adjustment: The frame is fitted with threaded adjusters (dog-bolts) that wind out to bridge the 5mm gap you have allowed.
- Why the tolerance matters: This 5mm gap allows you to slide the frame into the opening easily and shim/adjust it until it is perfectly square and plumb, even if your brickwork is slightly uneven.
Important Reminders
- Thresholds: The "Overall Order Height" includes the threshold. If you are installing on top of a finished floor, measure from that floor level. If you are recessing the threshold, measure from the sub-floor.
- Opening Direction: Check if there are any obstructions (rainwater pipes, walls, uneven ground) that might stop the door opening fully to 180 degrees if required.
- Metric Only: Always measure and order in Millimetres (mm).
Once your order is placed, we will produce a CAD drawing for you to sign off before manufacture begins. This is your final safety net to check the sizes.
