Level 3 ballistic doors are designed to stop bullets from a range of handguns. These doors come in almost any material and configuration. They can be classic, industrial steel slabs; innocuous wooden doors indistinguishable from any standard office door; or custom designs made to seamlessly blend into your building’s existing architecture.
Bulletproof doors at this level are some of our most recommended products for a reason. They’re suitable for many different types of facilities and applications, making them a versatile barrier in your security portfolio.
What is a Level 3 Ballistic Door?
“Level 3” refers to the UL 752 Standard for Bullet-Resisting Equipment, the standard to which TSS ballistic doors are all tested. This means that a third-party testing lab has independently confirmed that any TSS Level 3 ballistic door will stop at least three shots from a .44 Magnum handgun.
What are the Most Common Types of Level 3 Ballistic Doors?
Level 3 ballistic doors are available in a variety of styles and finishes.
TSS also regularly creates specialty custom doors to fit your unique requirements. If you’re looking for something specific that you don’t see in this list, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us anyway. Custom fabrication is our specialty, so there’s a good chance we can help you get what you need.
ALUMINUM BALLISTIC DOORS
Aluminum ballistic doors have reinforced aluminum frames and large panes of bullet-resistant glazing. These are typically full-vision doors but are also available as half-vision, side window, or view lites. Full-vision Level 3 doors are a regular part of a storefront entryway system.
Aluminum ballistic doors are suitable for both interior and exterior applications and can be either standard single doors or double doors. Each door is 2⅜” thick and weighs around 200 to 300 pounds, depending on glazing and hardware.
Wood Ballistic Doors
Wood Level 3 ballistic doors are interior doors and are available in all window styles. They can also be made to include a transaction window, with a small counter, deal tray, and talk-thru window integrated into the door itself.
Wood bullet-resistant doors are most often either standard 3’ single doors, extra-wide 3’6” single doors, or standard double doors. TSS also regularly creates extra-large bullet-resistant wood double doors—for doorways up to 7’ wide and 10’ tall—and custom-size doors. Each door is 1¾” thick and weighs around 150 pounds for a standard single door.
All of our ballistic wood doors are custom made, so we can match any veneer, stain, or style, including panel doors or those with multiple windows. This makes it easy to blend your ballistic barriers into existing interiors.
All-Glass Ballistic Doors
All-glass Level 3 ballistic doors are made from glass-clad polycarbonate (GCP). This is a laminated window material made of layers of tempered glass and polycarbonate. It’s available in many different varieties and can be extremely durable against day-to-day wear and tear. It’s also available with various coatings, tints, mirror finish, and more.
These all-glass bullet-resistant doors are always full-vision doors and are only suitable for interiors. TSS regularly produces standard single and double doors in this material and style. Each of these Level 3 doors weighs around 220 pounds and is 1¼” thick.
Steel Ballistic Doors
Steel ballistic doors are available in five styles: slab, half-vision, side lite, view lite, and a combined door and transaction window. These doors are great for both interior and exterior, come as both standard single or double doors, and arrive primed and ready to paint or pre-painted. Each door weighs around 200 pounds and is 1¾” thick.
Acrylic Ballistic Doors
Acrylic ballistic doors are interior full-vision doors. They have a slimmer aluminum frame that gives the illusion of a frameless style. The large window is composed of a single piece of Level 3 bullet-resistant glazing. These are available as standard single and double doors. Each door is 1¼” thick and weighs around 160 pounds.
How Much Does a Level 3 Ballistic Door Cost?
Most Level 3 ballistic doors cost between $3,000 and $5,000, depending on materials and style. This includes basic door hardware: a lever-handle lock set, heavy-duty continuous hinge, and a closer suitable for the additional weight and thickness of a ballistic door.
However, if your facility uses access control systems, automatic door openers, sensors, door-positioners, locking mechanisms, or any other features, your hardware cost will reflect the sophistication of these tools.
How a Level 3 Ballistic Door Compares to Level 8
In recent years, we’ve found that many customers start out asking for barriers that are ready to stop military-grade tactical rifles—and suffer some pretty severe sticker shock.
If you’re concerned about protecting from firearms used in high-profile attacks, then you’re looking to stop 5.56mm and 7.62mm bullets. That requires a Level 8 door. These doors are extremely thick, heavy, and expensive.
A Level 8 ballistic door will be around 4” thick, weigh around 600 pounds, and cost between $6,000 and $7,000, depending on materials and other factors. At a minimum, door hardware will add another $1,000. Level 8 doors may feature different windows and veneer styles, but given that weight and thickness, there is no “standard” door hardware.
Meanwhile, the average Level 3 ballistic door is around 200 pounds and 1¾” thick. It can accommodate a wide range of door hardware options and comes in almost any style or material.
Most importantly, a Level 3 ballistic door is more than sufficient for most people and facilities. Here, you can see one of our steel Level 3 ballistic doors stopping more than 100 bullets of various calibers shot from a variety of pistols, long guns, and tactical weapons:
TSS Can Help You Choose a Level 3 Ballistic Door
Choosing a ballistic door depends on your security needs, budget constraints, desired aesthetics, and ease of use.
At TSS, we have decades of experience helping people strike the right balance and create the ballistic barrier that’s right for them. To learn more about your options when it comes to bulletproof doors of all levels, download our comprehensive Ballistic Doors Solutions Guide.
If you have any questions or are ready to begin moving forward with a project, we’re here to help. Team TSS looks forward to speaking with you!