Add an Extra Layer of Security with Bullet Resistant Walls

6 October 2017
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6 October 2017, Comments Comments Off on Add an Extra Layer of Security with Bullet Resistant Walls

Whether it’s a business, school, hospital, government building, or other facilities, one element of a safety and security plan often overlooked by many is the protective value bullet resistant walls offer. If your business or facility is being newly constructed or is undergoing major renovations, it’s the perfect time to add an extra layer of security with bullet resistant walls.

Your Comprehensive Safety and Security Plan

No organization or business can be without a comprehensive safety and security plan. From protecting your location against burglars and other criminals to knowing what to do in case of emergencies such as natural disasters or active shooter incidents, there’s a lot to cover. Your security plan will likely include such measures as the types of locks installed on windows and doors, video surveillance cameras, and alarm systems. 

Taking your security plan to the next level might include bulletproof glass for windows and doors, as well as exterior items such as rolling metal shutters or metal bars over windows (neither of which feel especially welcoming to your customers or clients). Depending on the type of facility, the plan might also include access control via keypads or ID card readers, panic buttons employees can press to immediately notify law enforcement of an incident in progress, and of course robust cybersecurity measures as well. But maximum protection from the threat of gun violence should also include bullet resistant walls, whether exterior or interior.

How Bullet Resistant Walls are Built and Installed

The way walls are made bulletproof is by bullet-resistant fiberglass panels. But this isn’t just plain fiberglass, it’s a special composite laminated fiberglass made with layers of ballistic fabric or mesh (such as the well-known brand Kevlar) being saturated with a synthetic resin, pressed and baked at high temperatures to form rigid panels. These ballistic fiberglass panels can vary in thickness to provide protection against a range of bullets fired from guns following a similar scheme of 8 levels of protection seen for bulletproof glass as follows:

Level 1 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about a quarter-inch thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 2.6 pounds and can withstand 3 rounds fired from a 9mm handgun.

Level 2 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 5/16 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 3.6 pounds and can withstand 3 rounds fired from a .357 Magnum handgun.

Level 3 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 7/16 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 4.8 pounds and can withstand 3 rounds fired from a .44 Magnum handgun.

Level 4 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 1-3/8 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 13.9 pounds and can withstand 1 round fired from a .30 caliber rifle.

Level 5 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 1-7/16 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 14.8 pounds and can withstand 1 round fired from a 7.62mm rifle.

Level 6 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 3/8 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 3.9 pounds and can withstand 5 rounds fired from a 9mm submachine gun.

Level 7 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 1-1/8 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 11.7 pounds and can withstand 5 rounds fired from a 5.56mm rifle.

Level 8 ballistic fiberglass panels are typically about 1-7/16 inches thick. Each square-foot panel weighs around 15.2 pounds and can withstand 5 rounds fired from a 57.62mm rifle.

As you can see, weight is a definite factor to figure into any bullet-resistant wall project. The ballistic fiberglass panels are attached to the wall studs, and then regular wall materials (drywall, paneling, etc.) are placed overtop them and finished off as normal with paint, wallpaper, stain, and so on. No one will even know it’s a bullet resistant wall because, for all intents and purposes, it just looks like any other wall. Given the costs involved, only choose the level of protection that aligns with the most likely threat your facility will face, not the worst-case threat or you’ll end up overspending.

Products that Protect Businesses

What we specialize in at Creative Industries are products that help businesses protect both their operations and their employees while still facilitating transactions with customers and clients. Below you’ll find our most common product categories:

Bullet Resistant Windows: More than a dozen different configurations for a range of applications that involve employees interacting with customers.

Deal Trays: 13 different deal tray products protect workers when interactions with customers require passing small items back and forth.

Drawers: Our 9 styles of drawer products are similar to the ones you’ve seen at bank drive-ups. The employee inside extends and retracts the drawer to exchange items during transactions.

Pass Thrus: These 11 different products serve the same function as drawers but are configured to handle packages of various sizes.

Talk Thrus: Our 7 different kinds of talk-thrus can be added to any bullet-resistant transparent barrier to facilitate verbal communication between employees and customers.

What you’ll see on our website are the standard products we offer in each category, but we can also customize any product to fit your specific design requirements and needs.

Creative Industries: Bulletproof Products for Businesses and Beyond

We’ve been a family-owned and operated business headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, since the 1970s but have served businesses and other facilities all over the United States. We don’t just hand you a list of products and leave it up to you to decide. We get to know your business and its security needs so we can make the best recommendation possible of products that will give you the protection you need at a price you can afford. We’ve worked with companies across a wide range of industries, so take a peek at some of the work we’ve done on our portfolio page. When it’s time for your organization, business, or facility to achieve greater peace of mind by better protecting your operations and your employees, Creative Industries is ready to help! Use the contact page of our website or give us a buzz by phone direct at 800-776-2068. We look forward to helping you!