Shatterproof glass is kind of a catch-all term that can refer to a variety of security glass products. The term can be a bit misleading because what people are usually referring to when they say “shatterproof” is laminated safety and security glass. This type of glass is not actually unbreakable as you might have been led to believe, but it is very shatter-resistant. If this type of security glass does break, it will hold the shards from your glass doors and windows in place and prevent the glass from shattering dangerously inwards. Let’s take a closer look at some of the advantages of using this type of strong window glass to protect your property.
What is Shatterproof Glass?
There is usually some confusion among consumers regarding what shatterproof (or unbreakable) glass really is. The main reason for this is that a) as mentioned before, it’s not really unbreakable, and b) there are two main window types that are marketed as ‘shatterproof’ or ‘unbreakable’.
- Polycarbonate Windows: These are fully plastic windows created by fusing thick, sturdy, and flexible polycarbonate panels together.
- Laminated Windows: These windows are made with a thin, small piece of transparent plastic that is placed between two thin sheets of regular glass.
Although neither of these is truly unbreakable, they are very sturdy and capable of withstanding a large amount of force. They’re also lighter than traditional glass windows.
How Does Shatterproof Glass Protect your Home?
The specifics of how shatterproof glass works aren’t too tough to understand but it’s important to know why and how it protects your home.
Polycarbonate Glass
Polycarbonate windows are sturdier and more difficult to break than traditional glass windows. Some sources suggest that polycarbonate windows are 250 times more resistant to potential impacts and damage.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass windows work similarly to polycarbonate in that, when struck with enough force, the outer glass layer will break (and potentially shatter), but the polycarbonate sheets between the glass sheets will remain intact.
Keep in mind that laminated glass that shatters poses no risk at the moment of breaking because it’s meant to break into small shards that aren’t sharp to cause any skin damage or injuries.
Shatterproof laminated glass is an excellent choice when it comes to the security of your home due to its sturdiness and entry prevention for potential burglars.
If you’re looking to improve the security of your home by installing laminated glass, reach out to us for a quote and professional advice!
Benefits of Shatter Resistant Laminated Security Glass
1. Increases Safety During Unexpected Accidents
If you’ve ever accidentally broken a standard glass window, you know how easily and unexpectedly it can happen. From a stray baseball or golf ball to a cleaning or construction mishap, all kinds of accidents can happen to break your windows. With shatter-resistant and shatterproof glass, you don’t have to worry about this because the robust thermoplastic interlayer is strong enough to withstand most accidental impacts. If something does happen to crack your window glass, you don’t have to worry about sharp shards of glass flying towards people inside because the laminated glass is designed to hold them in place.
2. Protects Against Forced Entry
Installing security glass is one of the best and most practical ways to reinforce your home against break-ins and burglary attempts. Depending on the level of strength, the glass can delay forced entry by anywhere from around four minutes to complete non-entry. This extra window of time is often enough to deter criminals completely, give those inside your property time to react, and allow the authorities time to arrive. Laminated security glass can withstand repeated high-force impacts from common break-and-enter tools like crowbars, hammers, axes, and more.
3. Reduces Sound Transmission
The thermoplastic interlayer of laminated security glass also helps block out sound. If you live on a busy street or have a business in a bustling part of town, you can use this type of glass to reduce sound transmission and make your home or commercial property quieter and more peaceful. If you install the glass throughout your whole property, you’ll notice a significant reduction in noise.
4. Lowers Energy Costs
When you install energy-efficient laminated glass over your existing glass windows and doors, you’re essentially turning a single-pane window into a double-pane, or a double-pane into a triple-pane. This can translate into big utility bill savings because it helps maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and reduces your reliance on HVAC systems all year long. In fact, the savings that this can generate are significant enough that installing laminated glass is an investment that often pays for itself fairly quickly.
5. Prevents Damage During Extreme Weather Events
If you own property in an area prone to hurricanes, windstorms, tornadoes, and other severe weather, shatterproof glass is a great way to protect your home or business against devastating damage. Strong winds can easily hurl a branch, lawn chair, or other debris through standard windows. Not only is this dangerous to anyone inside, but it leaves your property exposed to further damage or flooding. Laminated safety and security glass lets you rest easy knowing that your property is safe when mother nature gets a little unpredictable.
6. Doesn’t Detract from Appearance or Visibility
A big advantage of security glass over other methods of reinforcing your glass doors and windows is that it looks just like normal window glass. This means that you don’t have to sacrifice views or curb appeal for safety and security. Using bars and gates to secure the windows of a business can make it look uninviting, just as storm shutters can be unattractive and feel claustrophobic when put in place. Laminated glass, on the other hand, is virtually invisible.
7. Provides UV Protection
You’ve probably noticed things like photos, upholstery, furniture, carpets, and anything else you have near your standard glass windows fade over the years due to sun exposure. Laminated glass solves this problem by blocking out most of the harmful UV rays that cause fading. It can also be used to reduce glare and is available in tinted, colored, and mirrored varieties if you want to add privacy.
Do We Offer Shatterproof Glass?
Absolutely! Our laminated security glass contains an extremely tough thermoplastic interlayer that creates a durable and reliable security barrier for your glass windows and doors. Our shatter-resistant glass consistently outperforms other varieties of laminated safety glass on the market. We offer laminated security glass of various strengths and thicknesses, so you can choose the right solution for your goals and budget.
Is There Such a Thing as Shatterproof Glass Film?
As with laminated safety and security glass, there are no window films that are truly 100% shatterproof. However, there are security window films that help hold the glass in place should it be broken. These films can provide many of the same benefits as laminated safety glass to a more limited degree, but at a lower cost. Campbell offers 3M safety and security window film composed of pliable polyester Mylar that can be applied to any existing glass surfaces for added strength.
What About Unbreakable Glass?
If you want the absolute highest level of safety and security, you can install polycarbonate panels. These panels aren’t actually glass, but rather a combination of polycarbonate, acrylics, and other types of plastic. Riot Glass offers the ArmorPlast line of polycarbonate shields, which can truly be considered shatterproof glass. These panels look and feel just like regular glass, but can stop bullets, depending on the security rating level you choose.
Contact us today to discuss our shatterproof and shatter-resistant glass options. We are happy to provide a consultation to assess your property, give recommendations, and provide you with an accurate estimate.
