How to choose the right lock
The lock industry is divided into three grades by ANSI/BHMA — Grade 3 (residential, lowest), Grade 2 (light commercial), and Grade 1 (heavy commercial / high-security). Most builder-grade hardware on new homes in Greater Vancouver is Grade 3. It is fine for an interior bathroom door. It is not fine for an exterior front door if you care about kick-in resistance.
For a front or back exterior door, the minimum we recommend is Grade 2 with a 1" deadbolt throw and reinforced strike plate. For a high-traffic commercial entrance, a master key system, or a building where you want documented key control, you want Grade 1 with a restricted keyway (Mul-T-Lock, Medeco, Abloy).
The other axis is keyway. Standard Schlage SC1 and Kwikset KW1 keyways are everywhere — your neighbour's hardware store cuts them for $4. Restricted keyways like Mul-T-Lock MT5+, Medeco M3, and Abloy Protec2 use patented profiles that legally cannot be cut without an authorized dealer and a signed key card. That's the difference between hoping your old keys don't get used and knowing.
