Avery Dennison safety and security film: glass that breaks but does not come out of the frame.
Security window film is a clear, heavy-duty polyester laminate bonded to the inside face of your glass. It does not stop the glass breaking. What it does is hold the broken glass together and in the frame, which is what actually matters — it turns a two-second smash-and-grab into a noisy, prolonged, visible struggle, and it stops a broken pane from becoming a room full of flying glass.
Forced entry, smash-and-grab theft, vandalism, accidental impact, seismic events and storm debris. In each case the failure mode is the same — the glass comes out of the opening — and film is what helps prevent it. It is used on storefronts, offices, schools, medical buildings and public facilities.
A determined person with a tool will eventually get through anything. The point is time and noise. Film turns one blow into sustained, loud, repeated effort in full view of the street. That delay and noise is often enough to make an opportunistic intruder give up.
Film alone is one half of the system. Where the risk justifies it, we anchor the film to the frame with an attachment system so the whole pane stays in place rather than being pushed through in one piece. Security film also comes in different thicknesses, from 4 to 15 mil, and we match the film and the attachment to the glass and the risk. We will tell you when your opening warrants it and when it does not.
If the glass also takes afternoon sun, a tinted security film gives you heat and glare control and the security laminate in one film and one installation.
The films we install
We are an Avery Dennison authorized dealer. These are the security films we specify, with figures from Avery Dennison’s published data.
Optically clear safety and security film for the inside face of the glass, with low reflectance and high UV protection.
Best for: Storefronts, offices, schools and public buildings
A safety film made to be installed together with an Avery Dennison solar film, so one window gets heat and glare control plus a security layer.
Best for: Sunny glass that also needs protecting
A white, sandblasted-look film that adds privacy and holds broken glass together. A lower-cost alternative to privacy glass or new partitions.
Best for: Restrooms, offices, conference rooms and retail back rooms
Security film for the outside face of the glass, where the inside is not accessible. Clear Poly X is made for rigid plastics and resists gouging and acid attack.
Best for: Exterior-only access, bus shelters and plastic glazing
Figures are Avery Dennison published data on 3 mm single-pane glass. Results on your windows depend on the glass and how the film is installed.
Choosing a thickness
Every Avery Dennison security film holds broken glass together. The thickness decides how much abuse it takes first. Test results below are for the specific thickness in Avery Dennison’s published data.
The entry level. Passes the ANSI Z97.1 and CPSC 16 CFR 1201 impact tests for safety glazing, plus GSA Level C blast testing. Holds glass together after accidental impact, a storm or an earthquake.
A heavier laminate with more resistance to tearing when someone keeps hitting the glass. The 7 mil film also passes the 48-inch ANSI Z97.1 pendulum test and EN 12600 class 1B1.
The heaviest films. The 12 mil film is tested to EN 356 P4A manual attack, GSA Level D blast, ASTM E330 wind load and the Miami-Dade small-missile hurricane test. For the highest-risk openings, usually with a frame attachment.
Thickness is only part of it. How the film meets the frame, whether it is anchored with an attachment system, and the glass itself all change how an opening performs. We look at all three on the site visit and tell you what the opening actually needs.
Our work
Questions
It depends on the risk. 4 mil meets safety-glazing impact standards and holds glass together after accidents, storms or earthquakes. 7 to 8 mil takes more punishment before it tears. 12 to 15 mil is for the highest-risk openings and is usually paired with a frame attachment. We recommend a thickness on the site visit.
Avery Dennison SF Clear films are tested to safety-glazing impact standards including ANSI Z97.1 and CPSC 16 CFR 1201, with the level passed depending on thickness. Whether film satisfies a specific code or insurance requirement depends on the building and the inspector, so check with them before relying on it.
Yes, two ways. A tinted security film does both in one sheet, or SF Clear Mod is installed together with an Avery Dennison solar film for the full solar performance of that film plus a security layer.
Yes. Most security film goes on the inside, but SF Clear X is made for the exterior face when the inside is not accessible, and Clear Poly X is made for plastic glazing like bus shelters.
Only if you choose a tinted security film, which adds solar control to the security laminate. Clear security film is for when you do not want any change to the look or light level of the glass. See our Tinted Security Film page for the options.
Normally, once the film has cured for 30 days. Any non-abrasive glass cleaner and a soft cloth or rubber squeegee. Avoid abrasive pads and anything with grit in it.
No. Clear security films are optically clear and change the appearance of the glass very little. Tinted versions look like any other solar control film.
You can buy something called security film. Retail kits are usually thin film with consumer-grade adhesive, made for do-it-yourself installation. Professional safety films come in a range of thicknesses with commercial adhesive systems, and we match the thickness to the glass and the risk. How it is installed, including edge coverage and frame attachment where needed, is a big part of how it performs.
It depends on the specific film and where it is installed. Interior security film is built for a long service life, and we give you the manufacturer's warranty for your film in writing with your quote.
No. No window film makes glass bulletproof or unbreakable, and if glass is hit hard enough it will break. Security film holds the broken glass together and in the frame, which slows down entry and keeps a broken pane from turning into flying glass.
Grills stop entry but do nothing about flying glass, and blinds do nothing about either. They are complementary rather than alternative.
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A free on-site visit gets you measured openings, exact film specs and a fixed price. No obligation, and nobody will push you into a film you do not need.
