Jim Richards | |
Bulletproof doors and windows are more common than ever. That means more glaziers and contractors are fielding requests to install ballistic materials and components, often with very little support from their supplier, or in a situation where everyone on the project is new to bullet-resistant materials.
At Total Security Solutions, glaziers and contractors who install our systems are a major part of our business, and their success will always be key to our success. That starts with making sure you have all the information you need.
A Quick Overview of Ballistic Materials
The most important thing to know is that ballistic windows are always thicker and heavier than their non-rated counterparts.
In a modern bullet-resistant system, the glazing will usually range between 1.25”-thick and 8 pounds per square foot all the way up to 2.5” thick and around 25 pounds per square foot. That creates some challenges. On a normal job, a three-by-four foot window might weigh around 80 pounds. On a high-security job, a window that is the same size will weigh closer to 300 pounds. Plan accordingly.
There are several common types of rated ballistic glazing you’re likely to encounter. The three most common are:
Bullet-resistant acrylic
Acrylic glazing, also sometimes called bulletproof plexiglass, is a single thick slab of monolithic acrylic that is durable, yet can be cut to fit your space and integrate well with existing design.
Laminated polycarbonate
Laminated polycarbonate is composed either entirely of layers of polycarbonate or a combination of polycarbonate and acrylic. Its unique layered design allows it to contain a bullet without shattering. Our most popular glazing is LP1250, an acrylic core with polycarbonate panels on both sides.
Glass-clad polycarbonate
Glass-clad polycarbonate, also known GCP, is comprised of layers of glass and a polycarbonate cap sheet. It can be designed in varying thicknesses to offer ballistic protection tested to UL 752 Levels 1-8, offering the highest levels of protection.
TSS also produces a range of custom insulated glass units, using all glass or GCP.
While windows are the major focus of many bullet-resistant installations, they aren’t the whole story. It isn’t very reassuring to be a receptionist sitting behind a bullet-resistant window mounted in a wall that couldn’t stop an arrow, let alone a bullet. The best practice is to reinforce the drywall surrounding a ballistic window with bullet-resistant fiberglass panels. If you’re asked to install bullet-resistant windows, it’s probably worth asking the general contractor or architect if they’ve thought about the walls.
Five Tips for a Successful Project
Over the course of 30,000 bulletproof system installations — and plenty of mistakes — we’ve noticed a few patterns. Follow these tips, and your installation will go much smoother.
1. Talk to Us Early On in Your Project
We’ve been doing this for decades, and have completed over 30,000 ballistic projects. Call us! Describe your project and ask us about any potential pitfalls we see. We’re happy to help you start out on the right foot.
Most importantly, pay attention to recent developments and new potential problems we’re seeing in the field. For example, uncertainty within international supply chains has increased lead times for certain components like door hardware. A 12- to 16-week wait for these elements is more common, so you should choose and order your hardware and framing as early as possible to stay on schedule.
2. Measure and Verify
Measure carefully, and don’t trust any measurement you didn’t take yourself.
If you take good measurements to within 1/32 inch, we can engineer everything to ensure the right allowances with the correct tolerances. It’s extremely important to get these right and verify the hold-to dimensions against what was actually built, not what was planned in the architectural drawings.
This is an issue more often than you’d think. For example, say there is a set of architectural drawings that say an opening is 40 inches. Someone signs off on that dimension on the approval drawings for the ballistic windows. We fabricate a window to fit that opening. It arrives, and you realize that the opening that was supposed to be 40 inches actually came in at 39 and ⅝ inches.
The bullet-resistant framing and glass we made for a 40-inch opening will not fit and cannot be trimmed on site. In some cases we may be able to rework the pieces if they are shipped back to our facility, but that’s rare and something you’ll want to avoid if you don’t want unexpected delays.
3. Handle With Care
Handle bullet-resistant materials and components as though they are as delicate, if not more delicate, than their standard counterparts.
Because “bulletproof” is often used as a synonym for “indestructable” or "foolproof," some people assume they can’t be damaged or damage other components in your building. A pane of ballistic GCP weighing several hundred pounds can easily make a mess of your drywall, millwork, or flooring and become cracked, chipped, or blown out if you bang it around, or even just briefly rest it on a corner or edge without appropriate care.
4. Don’t Crank Down Fasteners
Never overtighten the fasteners. People naturally want to give every fastener just a little more of a twist “to make sure.” Fight that urge!
Many ballistic window systems include a large glass backer over a speak-hole. Despite being small, this is an expensive component. That glass backer serves a vital function of protecting the person standing behind that barrier. It’s thick, hardened ballistic material that’s undergone a multi-step/multi-station fabrication process that includes CNC, drilling, and polishing.
Glaziers and contractors are forever overtightening the fasteners that hold these backers in place, leading to stress fractures, chips, and cracks that compromise security in the worst possible place.
5. Watch Your Bottom Line
A piece of ballistic glazing can be ten times as expensive as a similar-sized piece of glass. Take ten times as much caution in handling it.
Make sure everyone understands that these delicate, precision components are expensive. Accidents happen. Jobsites are full of hazards. Glass is the most delicate material on-site, and most glass isn’t all that expensive. Builders and contractors factor jobsite mishaps and replacement costs into their price. Workers are used to assuming that a few pieces of glass will get damaged during installation and it is no big deal. Be sure that everyone understands that with this glass, it is a big deal.
TSS Is Your Partner in Success
TSS is a partner, not just a supplier. We’ve thrived by focusing on the success of glaziers and contractors by prioritizing support and communication. That includes a library of free educational materials (like our Ultimate Bulletproofing Guide) and a quarterly newsletter that offers security advice and industry insights without a sales pitch—just good, reliable information.
If you have any questions, or are ready to begin moving forward with a project, we’re here to help. Send us a message to get started. We look forward to helping you shine!
