Security glazing for armoured doors: how to enlighten the entrance without affecting the security

Is it possible to insert glass panes into an armoured door?

Nowadays there are several types of shatterproof and bulletproof glass, which can guarantee certified security and insulation.

Choosing the glass for an armoured door certainly enhances the lighting and gives character and personality with a further touch of preciousness.

 

Safety first of all: classification and certification of shatterproof and bulletproof glazing

Our security glazing is subject to specific tests of resistance, ruled by Standard UNI EN 356 “Test method for the determination of resistance to manual burglary attempts”.

Security glazing is classified in accordance with Standard EN 356 based on two types of tests:

  • anti vandalism test

Resistance to acts of vandalism is tested by verifying the response of glass to impact with a standard steel ball (diameter 10 cm and mass 4,11kg). The sphere is dropped from various heights, identifying 5 classes from P1A to P5A.

  • burglary resistance test

On the other side the resistance to burglary provides a specific test, called the axe test: using here a standard instrument too, in specific an axe with a 2kg forged steel head. Based on the observed reaction, 3 classes are identified in increasing order P6B, P7B and P8B.

In order to establish the resistance to bullets, the tests and the consequent classification are defined in the Standard UNI EN 1063  “Classification and test requirements for testing by bullet resistance”.

The glazing (with one or more layers of glass) and the compound glass panes (glass and plastic) are tested to resistance against shots of hand gun, rifle and shotgun.

The tests provide that 3 close shots exploded against the pane, exactly at the top of an equilateral triangle of 10 mm on each side.

For hand gun and rifle is used the abbreviation BR (from BR1 to BR7), while for the shotgun the abbreviation SG is used with only two classes identified (SG1 and SG2).

In addition, the Standard UNI EN 1063  provides for a further classification, determined by the presence or absence of spalls, in particular:

  • There must be no glazing perforation or in parts of it and no perforation of the sheet on the opposite side. This type of glazing is classified with an additional « NS » mark (no spalls)
  • There must be no glazing perforation from the projectile or parts of it, but the perforation of the sheet with glass spalls fallen from the rear part. This type of glazing is classified with an additional « S » mark (spalls)

Available armoured glazing configurations

The position of security glazing for armored doors can have several configurations within the structure of the door. In technical language we divide them into three different types:

  • glazed transom

the transom glazing is intuitively the one positioned above the leaf (or above the two leaves in case of a double leaf door) and can have several shapes, from half moon to rectangle or triangle depending on the context.

  • glazed sidelight

this glazing is located at the side of the leaf, mounted on a special additional fixed leaf. Also in this case you can have several shapes depending on the features of the property and personal tastes.

  • door light

finally we talk about door light when the glazing are set inside the leaf. As usual, the possibilities are many: from single to multiple inserts, with multiple variations of shapes and distribution.

To ensure security, Bauxt uses different types of glass to provide the requested level of intrusion protection, bulletproof performance, as well as sound and heat insulation. P5A safety glazing is applied as standard, offering a high thermal insulation with UG=1,1W/m2K and upon request P7B-type armoured glass in order to have enhanced safety (this glazing is in fact also bulletproof BR2/S).

 

And as for any other detail, in Bauxt you can customize also the glazing, choosing among many available finishes: transparent, Stopsol, etched, satin… a world of transparencies and coloured reflections to enlighten with precious shades every property’s entrances.