Industry application
Polycarbonate Security Glazing and Protective Barriers
Security glazing and protective barriers need high impact resistance, clear visibility, stable fabrication and reliable mounting details. Bakway supplies solid and hard-coated polycarbonate panels for transparent protection projects.
Polycarbonate security glazing: the attack it stops and the layers it takes
Security glazing is specified by the threat it must resist — forced entry, ballistic, or riot/impact — and each threat level maps to a different polycarbonate thickness or laminate build. “Bulletproof” is not one product; a sheet that stops a thrown brick is nothing like one that stops a handgun round, and specifying the wrong level either fails the threat or wastes money on over-glazing.
Why polycarbonate for security
Polycarbonate’s value in security glazing is that it is nearly unbreakable by impact and stays in the frame under repeated blows — an attacker with a hammer or bat cannot punch through the way they can with glass. A single thick monolithic sheet resists forced entry and riot-level impact; ballistic protection needs engineered multi-layer laminates, usually polycarbonate combined with glass or acrylic interlayers.
Threat levels and build
| Threat | Typical build | Stops |
|---|---|---|
| Forced entry / vandal | 6–12 mm monolithic PC | Bats, bricks, hammers, sustained blows |
| Riot / containment | 12–15 mm+ monolithic PC | Heavy sustained impact, crowd force |
| Ballistic | Multi-layer PC/glass laminate | Rated to a firearm standard (e.g. UL 752 / EN 1063) |
Ballistic ratings are specific to a tested laminate construction and a named standard — they cannot be inferred from thickness alone. If the requirement is ballistic, tell us the standard and level and we will supply against a tested build, not a nominal thickness.
The details that make security glazing actually secure
The glazing is only as strong as its frame and bite. A rated sheet in a shallow or weak frame is defeated by levering it out of the opening, not by breaking it. Security glazing needs deep frame engagement, secure fixing, and a frame rated to match the glazing — the specification has to cover the whole opening, not just the panel. Surface hard-coating also matters, since security glazing is often in exposed, high-abuse locations and must stay clear.
What to send for a security glazing quote
- Threat level: vandal resistance, riot containment, or ballistic (with standard)
- Opening size and the framing it glazes into
- Interior or exterior (drives UV and coating)
- Whether existing frames must be reused (affects achievable rating)
Tell us the threat and the opening. We will specify the build and flag where the frame, not the sheet, is the limiting factor.
Material choice
Sheet options we normally discuss
| Option | Where it usually helps |
|---|---|
| Solid PC sheet | General transparent impact protection and security glazing panels. |
| Hard-coated PC sheet | Panels exposed to frequent cleaning, handling or abrasion. |
| Thicker laminated or layered design | Projects needing higher impact resistance can be reviewed by drawing and application. |
Quotation details
What we need before quotation
| RFQ item | Why we need it |
|---|---|
| Threat or impact risk | Describe whether the panel protects against tool impact, flying parts, public contact or equipment risk. |
| Panel design | Send thickness, size, edge finish, holes, slots, bend lines and mounting method. |
| Surface requirement | Confirm hard coating, anti-scratch, tint, clarity and cleaning environment. |
| Approval needs | Confirm whether test reports, samples or inspection documents are required. |
Related pages
More ways we can support your project
FAQ
Security Glazing FAQ
Send an application RFQ
Share application, sheet type, thickness, size, quantity, drawing if available and destination country. We will review the material, processing and packing details before quoting.
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