Shatter Resistant Glass

Shatterproof glass can provide significant improvements both in security and in safety.

In a residential application, shatterproof glass can be as crystal clear as standard glass to blend in excellently and provide clear lines of sight.

There are many reasons a homeowner would want their glass to be unbreakable. What first comes mind to most is burglary prevention. Most people’s homes or apartments are replete with windows on all sides of their house. This presents significant opportunity for the simplest of burglary attacks to gain entry, as simple as taking a nearby loose brick to shatter window glass.

Shatterproof glass for home windows

Shatter resistant glass can protect against these brute force methods. Shatter proof glass typically is composed of layers of glass sandwiched around layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Rather than the window shattering, this allows the glass to absorb the impact into a “spider-web” shape, while still retaining its fixed shape.

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Fortified Estate’s Shatter-Resistant Glass Protection Levels

There are different levels of shatter proof glass. The first levels, P1A – P5A, focus on impact resistance. Their certification achieved through withstanding impact from an 8lb steel ball being dropped at varying heights on to the glass.

Higher levels, namely P6B – P8B, offer significant more protection, more akin to the efforts of a determined criminal. This burglar resistant glass is designed to withstand the tools employed in these cases, such as axes, according to Pilkington:

Shatter-Resistant European Standards

EN 356 : 1999 : ‘Glass in building – Security glazing – Testing and classification of resistance against manual attack’

  1. Hard object drop impact
  2. Axe impact

EN 356 : 1999 Classifications

  1. Hard object drop test

8lb steel sphere (4 inch diameter)

  • To achieve level P1A: 3 drops from 5 feet
  • To achieve level P2A: 3 drops from 10 feet
  • To achieve level P3A: 3 drops from 20 feet
  • To achieve level P4A: 3 drops from 30 feet
  • To achieve level P5A: 9 drops from 30 feet
  1. Axe test

Method: Hammer attack followed by axe strikes

  • To achieve level P6B: Able to withstand 30 – 50 strikes
  • To achieve level P7B: Able to withstand 50 – 70 strikes
  • To achieve level P6B: Able to withstand over 70+ strikes

Types of Shatter-Proof Glass We Offer

Understanding the diverse security needs of our clients, we offer a range of shatter-proof glass, each designed to serve a specific purpose. Here is what we offer:

Laminated Safety Glass

Our laminated safety glass is designed for reliable shatter resistance. It is manufactured by combining multiple layers of glass with a resilient polyvinyl butyral interlayer. Under severe impact, the glass may crack, but the fragments remain bonded to the internal layer, reducing the chances of penetration or holes.

Thin Bulletproof Glass

For environments requiring ballistic protection, our thin bulletproof glass offers an excellent safety solution. This thin, lightweight glass is created utilizing an advanced layering method that incorporates high-strength polycarbonate. Using polycarbonate reduces the need for glass and overall thickness, making the door’s design sleeker while still keeping it secure. The glass is independently tested, adhering to high standards such as BR4 or BR6, which is equivalent to UL3 and UL8, to determine its impact resistance and effectiveness. These bulletproof glass panels are suitable for use in various spaces, including offices, stores, and vehicles.

Decorative and Tinted Shatter-Resistant Glass

You do not have to sacrifice the aesthetics of your property for the sake of safety. We provide tinted shatter-resistant glass that provides excellent protection while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of your space. We also offer customization options to allow you to personalize your home security options.

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shatter resistant glass

How Fortified Estate’s Shatter-Resistant Glass Works

We employ advanced technologies to design shatter-resistant glass panels that deliver unparalleled performance. Tested to exceptionally high standards, these glass panels create a secure barrier against attacks. Here are the core technologies integrated in our shatter-resistant glass:

Laminated Glass Layers

Laminated glass layers form the foundation of these shatter-proof glass panels. This involves integrating an interlayer of high-strength materials, PVB and EVA, between multiple sheets of glass. This interlayer fusion holds the layers together, preventing the glass from shattering into pieces.

Impact Absorption Technology

The polycarbonate layers inside these glass panels enable energy absorption and dissipation without allowing energy to concentrate at the point of impact. The energy from an impact is dispersed across the entire surface area of the outer glass layer, acting as a shock absorber that minimizes the likelihood of shattering.

Specialized Frame and Seal Systems

We engineer our framing system using industry-grade materials and technologies. Made from reinforced materials such as high-strength steel, these frames are designed to withstand immense stress. They are installed with high-strength sealants that keep the structure intact, offering maximum resistance against physical impact.

Applications of Shatter-Resistant Glass

Our shatter-resistant glass provides a versatile security solution for a broad range of applications, including:

Residential Safety and Security

You can enhance the security of any residential space by installing shatter-resistant glass in the windows and doors. Whether it is installed in high-rise buildings or private residential structures, this glass provides protection against severe weather events and forced entry. Besides security, our laminated glass also reduces outdoor noise and blocks harmful UV rays, protecting your interiors and creating a comfortable living environment.

Commercial and Office Buildings

For businesses, our glass protects storefronts from break-ins. In office settings, these glasses are installed in reception areas, executive offices, and ground-floor windows to minimize the risk of forced entry.

Government and High-Security Facilities

In high-risk environments, such as government and high-security facilities, our shatter-resistant glass provides protection by delaying aggressive entry. These glass panels are used in entry points, public-facing windows, and internal partitions.

Specialty Projects Requiring Thin Bulletproof Glass

Our thin bulletproof glass is engineered for high-security applications where standard bulletproof glass is too bulky to use. These thin-profile glass panels can be used in specialty projects, such as retrofitting historical buildings, securing luxury vehicles, and yachts.

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Benefits of Shatter-Resistant Glass

Our shatter-resistant glass delivers value for your investment and peace of mind. Here are the benefits our product offers:

Enhanced Safety and Protection

Our glass enhances the safety and security of any space, from residential homes to commercial buildings. It provides a protective barrier that delays unauthorized entry during break-in attempts, which provides you with the time to take proactive security measures.

Reduced Risk of Injury from Flying Glass

After an impact, whether it was caused by an accident, severe weather, or forced entry, these glass panels do not shatter into pieces like traditional glass. The unique design of this glass holds the glass fragments together, which drastically minimizes injury risks from glass shards.

Weather and Impact Resistance

Designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions and impact, our glass offers excellent defense against hurricanes, tornadoes, and debris flying during storms. Even if the glass incurs cracks, its structural integrity often remains intact.

Noise Reduction and Energy Efficiency

The multi-layered lamination structure of our glass makes it an effective barrier against sound. These glass panels can help dampen external noise caused by traffic, construction, or other activities. Additionally, these panels are also energy efficient. They prevent energy leakage, maintaining a consistent indoor temperature.

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As can be seen from the above chart, a criminal attempting break in to one’s home would significantly tire long before a P6B or above window could be made a small opening through. Even if a small area is eventually penetrated, the shatter resistant glass will significantly slow down the burglars entry and exit of the home, allowing for a significantly higher chance of the police arriving in time. Bullet proof home windows can provide even further protection.

Another household application of shatter proof glass is for storm protection. Especially in the USA, a large area of livable areas are at frequent risk of tornados and other intense storms. Not only can glass be at risk of creating an opening for shrapnel from a tornado to enter the house, but shattering glass can itself be the most dangerous, like dozens of knives flying in the air.

In fact, it is estimated that 60% of the injuries from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing were attributed to flying or falling glass shards.

Shatter resistant windows can provide the safety in the event of these extreme storms, to keep the storm safely outside and clear from unnecessary debris.

Our team at Fortified Estate can advise you on the right shatterproof glass for your home or apartment to keep your home as beautiful as it should be secure.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Both shatter-resistant glass and bulletproof glass enhance safety, and, at Fortified Estate, both types of glass are made with the same technology, but each is engineered for different levels of security threats. Shatter-resistant glass is designed to resist attacks from handheld weapons like hammers and axes. It is made from layers of glass clad with polycarbonate (GCP). This method creates a strong adhesive bond between the glass layers that keeps the glass fragments attached to one another even when they develop cracks upon impact. Its main function is to prevent an attacker from gaining entry. It is primarily used in cars, homes, and commercial buildings, where glasses are prone to impact.

Yes. Bulletproof glass is inherently shatter-resistant due to its laminated structure. A thin bulletproof glass pane can effectively resist shattering upon impact. Installing bulletproof glass panels means you are getting the best of both bullet-resistant and shatter-resistant features in a single investment.

Shatter-proof glass is designed to delay forced entry, making break-ins extremely difficult. The glass’s ability to retain its structural integrity even after being broken helps delay forced entry attempts. This means that even if the attacker continuously attacks in the same spot, it can take several minutes to break through the protective barrier, allowing for an immediate security response. The glass we provide meets either the P6B standard (30-50 axe strikes) or the P8B standard (up to 70 axe strikes).

Absolutely. Shatter-resistant glass is an excellent choice for residential use. It enhances safety by making it harder for intruders to break the glass. It also minimizes the risk of glass shattering due to severe storms or hurricanes.

Some improvements can be made to existing windows, but it will not be possible to achieve the same level of protection as a true purpose-built armored window with shatter-resistant glass. 

Existing windows can be enhanced by placing various types of window film into them or even replacing the glass altogether. But a truly secure window uses far thicker glass than film provides, and a normal frame can not support the thickness of shatter-resistant glass. So upgrades to pre-existing windows will only provide minimal benefits. 

 

Typically, for our windows, there are two parts: the actual security glass and the thermal glass. We create an insulated glazing unit (IGU) using our security glass and then one or two layers of thermal glass with argon-filled interlayers. These provide beneficial thermal properties.

As far as the security section of the glass itself, ours typically ranges from 12 mm (½”) for forced entry resistance, to 37 mm (1-½”) for rifle bullet resistance. It’s worth noting that this is much thinner than glass-only options, which can be as thick as 70 mm but only provide the same level of protection.

 

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