Every builder and contractor knows that no building on earth is a perfect match for its plans. In the real world, walls aren’t absolutely square, ceiling heights are not consistent, and every counter ends up being a little low or a little high.
Part of this is the reality of weathering and aging: buildings settle, frames swell, mortar crumbles. But even brand new construction is never “standard.” The architect can tell you: “That opening is 15-feet wide and 4 feet tall.” But when you go in with a tape measure, you won’t be surprised if it’s 15 ⅝ feet long, 4 feet at one end, 4 ¼ feet at the other, and 47 inches in the middle.
In a normal construction situation, that’s fine. If you were to ask someone to come and drywall over that opening, and you told them it was 15-by 4, everything would turn out fine. They’d trim a little here, fill a little there, tape it and mud it and it would look great.
But it’s a different story when you are talking about adding ballistic security. If you decide that you want to convert that 15-by-4 opening into a bullet-resistant window, and we arrive with three pieces of 5-by-4 feet glass-clad polycarbonate, they aren’t going to fit, and there is nothing you can do about it on site.
This is why we can never take anyone’s word for it, or just glance at some drawings. We want someone at that site, taking very specific measurements at a series of points down every surface, and recording them to within 1/32 of an inch. Because, as a practical matter, every good ballistic barrier system has to be treated as a custom job.
Key Considerations when Designing Custom Ballistic Systems
We look at three key considerations when designing a custom ballistic system. In order of importance, these are:
- Functionality
- Aesthetics
- Threat Level
Functionality: What has to get done on a daily basis, and how can we make that as easy as possible?
A poorly thought out ballistic system always makes you less safe and more frustrated.
People have to work in your building. The ballistic system cannot impede that. If you can’t easily accept a delivery, talk to a visitor, or give them a clipboard with the form they need to fill out, then one of two things happen:
The best-case scenario is that everyone will be annoyed all the time. Your staff will have to yell to be heard, visitors will have to repeat themselves to be understood, everyone will have to hunt around for that just-right angle to fit deliveries through that tiny cash tray.
The worst-case scenario is that you’ll start to undermine your own security just to get your job done: you’ll leave the sliding reception window open so you can be heard and pass that clipboard without the hassle, or come out of the secure area to accept packages.
Aesthetics: What choices can we offer to make this system look as good as possible?
A good ballistic barrier doesn’t get in the way, physically or visually.
That barrier protects you on the rare occasion when disaster strikes, but you have to live with how it looks, and how that makes you feel, every single day. It is worth focusing on making that barrier something that enhances the environment where people are spending their time.
I often see ballistic barrier systems that have a lot of thick framing and bulky structural elements all over the place. I have to imagine that arises from the people who did the work sticking to what they know, in terms of how to frame out and support a barrier. Or they just aren’t very familiar with the materials, and so take a “better safe than sorry” approach.
But the result is really obtrusive and unattractive. All that framing begins to feel like a cage. It makes staff and visitors feel like they are in a fortress or prison or war zone. It’s extremely rare that a ballistic system has to be like that anymore. We have the technology and expertise now to make bright, airy, attractive ballistic systems.
Threat Level: Does the barrier system we’ve been asked to design match the threat level that organization realistically faces?
A ballistic barrier system must protect against the threats you really face. If your risk assessment includes a risk of organized and prolonged attempts at forced entry, or a need to address significant fire risk, then your ballistic system should be able to meet those challenges.
We usually find that people begin by overestimating their security needs. As we’ve noted for years, not everyone needs the Level 8 ballistic security it takes to stop modern tactical rifles.
And that’s a good thing, because when you begin to design a ballistic system to meet an extreme threat level, the weight and thickness of the ballistic materials are significant design limitations. When you overestimate the threat level, you’re really limited in what you can do in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
Our Proven Process: Ensuring Attention to Every Detail
There’s a lot of interaction between these three key considerations. For example, functionality is always first and foremost in my mind, because it has such an enormous effect on your day-to-day life. But practically speaking, the threat level often defines what materials we can choose.
If you need forced-entry rated bullet-resistant glass (as opposed to just needing a specific ballistic rating), then you have fewer choices. That, in turn, has an effect on your aesthetic options, and how you approach functionality. If you need a 3-inch thick ballistic barrier system with 500-pound doors, that’s going to affect how employees can safely accept deliveries. And, of course, all of that is subject to budgetary constraints, timelines, supply chains, and all the other realities of any construction project.
This is why we rely on an iterative proven process centered around the all-important Approval step. This process allows us to “dial in” that design over several rounds of revisions, if need be, to strike the appropriate balance.
After the initial consultation (“Assess”) and design/engineering (“Plan”) phases, the project’s dedicated TSS project manager returns to the client with detailed drawings and quotes. They review everything together, and make sure that the initial assessment (and the resulting plan) didn’t miss anything. If some detail did slip through the cracks, the TSS project manager will adjust accordingly, correct any errors, and produce a new set of drawings and quotes to reflect the current state of the plan. Only when every detail is nailed down, understood, and approved do we move forward with fabrication, manufacturing, building sub-assemblies, and then shipping it all for installation.
Ballistic Barrier Customization Trends
Traditionally, when people think of “customizing” something, they’re focused on finishes, colors, coatings, and treatments. With ballistic systems, we offer that same range of options: if you choose a bullet-resistant wood door, we can veneer it to match your decor. We powder coat and paint steel doors and frames, and offer a variety of finishes and hardware options.
But the area of customization that’s attracting the most interest recently is the ballistic glazing itself. As more buildings need ballistic exterior windows, there is increased demand to meet the traditional performance criteria for exterior windows: reduced glare and heat transmission on sunny days, decreasing heat loss on winter days, privacy protection, and so on.
At one time, ballistic glazing pretty much only came in clear slabs. Maybe you could try applying a tinted film, but results were mixed. Today, there are several types of ballistic glazing on the market, and many more options. The most popular ballistic glazings are laminated polycarbonate glazing and glass-clad polycarbonate (GCP). Both of these are made of fused layers of acrylic, polycarbonate, glass, and other materials. This gives us a lot of latitude when it comes to adding tints, mirroring, “frosting,” high-efficiency “low-e” coatings, and even constructing ballistic windows that feature true double-paned insulated glass and thermal break framing.
TSS Can Help Design and Implement Your Security Solution
Security is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Every bulletproof barrier must be custom to be effective. At TSS, we want to support comprehensive security planning for everyone—that’s why we make free materials available, including our Ultimate Guide to Ballistic Security. These no-cost, no-obligation materials provide you with a solid foundation in the core concepts of ballistic security and bullet-resistant barriers—regardless of prior experience or area of expertise.
A well-designed system balances safety, aesthetics, and functionality while integrating seamlessly with other security measures and building systems. Striking this balance requires experience and expertise. TSS can help you develop a tailored, high-performance security solution that meets your unique needs and fits your budget. Our team of experts is ready to answer your questions and get started on your project. Feel free to contact us today to get started.
Jim Richards is the CEO and co-founder of Total Security Solutions, an industry leader in the design, fabrication, and installation of custom bulletproof barriers. Jim has decades of experience in the bullet-resistant glass and physical security industries. You can sign up for his free security newsletter which offers security advice once a quarter; no sales pitch, just insight and advice.
