Glass walls, partitions and entrances give buildings a natural, inviting look, but all that glass can leave you feeling exposed.
Secure storefront systems offer additional layers of exterior or interior protection. While they were originally designed for the retail market, they’re also common for corporate buildings, education, government offices and more. They help to separate spaces, allowing visitors to freely enter the lobby but require them to check in with staff protected by a bullet-resistant barrier.
This preserves an open view in large lobby spaces while significantly increasing security.
We recently installed an extensive interior storefront in a major U.S. airport, creating the TSA checkpoint that more than 100,000 travelers pass through each day.
These probably sound—and look—like big construction projects. But when approached properly, a secure storefront system can be installed with little or no downtime.
What is a Secure Storefront System?
If you picture a glass wall with glass doors, you’re thinking of a storefront. If it’s been made to withstand armed attacks and attempts at forced entry, it’s a “secure storefront” or “bulletproof storefront.”
Interior and exterior secure storefront systems are fundamentally the same; they often extend from floor to ceiling and are composed of bulletproof doors, ballistic framing, and bullet-resistant glass.
In recent years, many of our secure storefront systems have been installed in non-retail settings, including corporate offices, schools, and government facilities at every level—from local city offices to federal courthouses.
These aren’t just standard glass storefronts that have been reinforced; these are secure storefront systems. If you just swap out the existing glass for bullet-resistant glazing you might increase security a little, but not as much as you think, and not for long.
The windows will stop bullets, but the framing won’t, and the surrounding walls might or might not. Over the course of years, standard framing will not bear the weight of ballistic glazing, which can be more than twice as heavy as conventional glass. Windows will leak, frames will separate from walls or windows (or both), or cause structural damage where other building elements are overloaded. The same goes for door hinges, closers, and other hardware. Bulletproof doors mounted in standard frames will sag and stick, or fail to close and latch properly.
No single product or item increases ballistic security by itself. Security comes from adopting a “systems approach,” making sure you have the right set of interlocking pieces that support each other, with no gaps, and without obstructing day-to-day business and building use.
What's The Difference Between A Storefront System and A Curtain Wall?
Curtain walls and storefronts have a similar appearance and design. Both refer to a non-load-bearing assembly of glazing and framing, and they can be used for interior or exterior applications.
The main difference is that a storefront includes windows and an entryway. In exterior applications, it's typically on the first floor of a building, anchored at the top and bottom and used for high-traffic areas. Curtain walls can cover several stories and contain only windows, no entrances.
Do We Have to Close Our Building to Add a Secure Storefront?
Given how extensive a storefront system is, this is an extremely common concern. The short answer is no, you don’t need to close your building to install a secure storefront system.
No one can afford downtime. Government offices need to provide services year-round, and businesses need to be open for business. Schools have a limited window during breaks in which to do all of their improvements and upkeep. One more huge project can seem like a lot.
And it’s reasonable to imagine that installing a secure storefront system will be a big, disruptive project. While not load-bearing, an exterior storefront system is integrated into the building envelope. That means it has to perform like any other exterior window. It needs to have thermal properties, resist severe weather, block harmful UV rays and meet high levels of performance. It may be tinted or mirrored, able to withstand wind loads, or treated to reject excess heat.
Although interior storefronts tend to be simpler—smaller scale, clear glazing, protected from the elements—installing one almost by definition would seem to disrupt your day-to-day operation, because the entire point is to create a barrier that, during an emergency, will stop attackers.
Unfortunately, too many building owners look for "storefront products" first instead of looking for a partner to implement a systems approach to securing your entrances or interior spaces.
If you're working with a company that doesn't have in-house designers, manufacturers, and a plan to deliver and install your system, then it will be disruptive.
Our Approach: Custom Solutions With a Proven Process
Total Security Solutions treats each secure barrier project as a custom ballistic system from start to finish.
All storefront systems will include ballistic doors and frames. But a given location might also call for ballistic fiberglass in surrounding walls, an access control system, or accessories like secure passers or a small transaction window to facilitate daily operations. In some cases a storefront system also calls for non-ballistic security enhancements, like security window films in areas where there is no ballistic threat, but you still need to reinforce the window against vandalism or attempts at forced entry.
Each of these materials, system elements, and completed components are tested to a variety of physical security standards. Depending on your needs, those standards might include forced-entry standards (like ASTM F3038 and DOS SD-STD-01.01 Rev. G), fire-resistance standards (such as UL 10C), and UL 752, the “gold-standard” for bullet resistance in construction materials and building elements.
Our approach to physical security is inherently collaborative.
We’ll work with structural engineers or your HVAC and facilities teams to ensure that the ballistic barrier system is integrated properly into your other building systems, and the building itself. We’re also accustomed to working closely with architectural teams to help them understand their options.
This proves especially helpful when your preferred architects have limited experience with ballistic materials, and might not be familiar with the design limitations and opportunities these specialized materials offer.
As the project progresses, we can support local glaziers and contractors with installation preparation, and can even guide them through the installation process if you opt to use local contractors instead of one of our installation teams.
The end result is a physical security system that blends effortlessly with the rest of the building, increasing peace of mind for occupants while enhancing—not encasing—your aesthetics.
Learn more about our process in this video.
Enhance Security—Without Disrupting Services
We built our reputation on fast, seamless installations, specializing in overnight, off-hours, and weekend installation.
Today, we maintain the industry’s largest installation team, and support countless local contractors and glaziers, to install our bullet-resistant systems. Our proven process includes identifying potential complications at every stage. When we’re taking initial measurements for frames, doors, and glazing, we’re already asking: “How are we going to bring this in? What is it going to take to position these pieces?”
We're always considering the ideal installation timeline as well.
Our in-house design and fabrication teams take these factors into account as they begin to create your bulletproof storefront. Two identical storefronts might be designed and fabricated entirely differently to ensure the fastest installation in their unique environments.
Considering an upgrade to your security?
Talk to a TSS expert today for a free consultation, to schedule a site evaluation, or request a custom quote.
We’re eager to help you secure your building without disrupting your business.
