Glass surface are vulnerable to many accidents like explosions, fire, and theft. They are first to break as they are weakest line of self-defense. A safety film can be the best way to make your glass windows stronger, secure, and more-resistant. We tested and researched around 50 films for good 60 hours. Of them BDF S8MC is the best safety window film. The second best is No products found. .
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Top 6 Safety Window Film
1. BDF S8MC – Best For Home
BDF protect clear safety is one of the toughest safety film in the market. It is a shatterproof window film as it can sustain even the hardest hit by a rock or stone. It can absorb the impact from break-in attempts and hold the glass together. What we liked more was its unmatched clarity and visibility. These films give you excellent safety and remain unseen. They are blessing if you want to add a security to your glass windows at office or home without changing the original appearance.
For installing it, first you need to remove the film from the back lining. After removing you just have to stick it carefully to your window making sure that there are no bubbles left behind. Moreover, prefer cutting the film in a little bigger then the actual dimension of the glass. Lastly, the product comes with everything from an installation guide to tools to help you place the film in a simple and easy way.
- Excellent clarity
- 99% UV protection
- Easy to install
- Good thickness
- Comes with all the required tools
- None
Bottom Line
A must have window security film for protection and safety.
2. Gordonglass Security – Best For Stores
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It comes in our because of its excellent thickness and overall quality. These are designed to prevent entry of buglars or intruders in your private space. They are shatterproof, so even if the glass is broken the film hold the window preventing thief from entering your home. We recommend this film for the front doors or the back doors of houses, offices, stores, shops, etc.
Moving on to its installation, you just have to take out the roll and peel out the outer lining. It has a strong adhesive that sticks to the glass in seconds. So, be careful while putting it on the glass prefer starting it from one end and then going on as this avoid bubble formation.
- Excellent clarity
- Great thickness
- Good UV protection
- Completely shatterproof
- Trimming it is difficult
Bottom Line
A great product for front and back glass windows in office, home, stores, shops, etc.
3. VViViD 12m Safety– Best For Offices
The best thing about this one is that that it comes in various sizes. VViViD has an size option for all the size glass windows whether its small or big. They start from 30inch by 1o feet and go up to 60 inch by 12 feet. This one again is designed for maximum safety and protection. They prevent entry of burglars into your space by absorbing even the hardest breaking attempt. We tested and found that this one is again shatterproof.
Moving on to its installation, you have to cut the film according to your window size and then stick it on. Make sure to take the exact measurements of your glass to avoid any difficulty while installation. Last but not the least, the product comes with all the necessary installing tools to make the process much faster and easier.
- Comes in multiple sizes
- Offer good protection
- Great thickness
- Good adhesive
- Squeezing out bulbs is difficult
Bottom Line
A decent quality great thickness window safety film in the market. We love the fact that it comes in a lot of sizes so as to fit in different size glass windows.
4. Queenbox Safety – Best Against Armed Intruders
If you are looking for an affordable yet promising product, this one can be a good option. This one has a good 3M bulletproof security window film. The film remains as it is even with the hardest breaking attempt. We tested and found that the glass won’t shatter off and thereby is effective in keeping the intruders and burglars away from your space.
Moving on to its installation part, its same like others. You need to cut the film as per your window size, and remove the back film. We recommend you to wet the glass before putting the film from sticking instantly to the surface and thus avoiding bubble formation.
- Affordable price
- Great for room windows
- Decent clarity
- Bulletproof
- UV protection is not very great
Bottom Line
An affordable window film which you can install in your room windows, bathrooms, and other areas.
5. Shatterguard Door Protection – Best For Home Office
Shatterguard is a moderate level window film in the market. The shock absorbing effect of this film is moderate. It ca sustain small stones/pebbles but might not prove to be very effective for other heavy impactful breaking attempts. So, as said by the manufacturer it’s not bulletproof but it lies closer to other security films in the market. We would recommend it to keep your home/office burglar proof.
Moving on to its installation, it comes with all the instructions and tools. As per the reviews you can easily install it without a bubble, fold, or difficulty to trim it down.What is more interesting is that you get a lifetime warranty on this product.
- Decent quality
- Fully transparent
- Easy to trim, installs without a fold or a bubble
- You can not install it outside as it is not weather resistant
Bottom Line
A good product for everyone who wants safety at home.
6. HOHOFILM – Best For Garage
This is yet another affordable option in the list. It is again a basic film offering moderate level of security. You can consider putting it at airports, banks, offices, jwelery stores, top floors, shower rooms, etc. for extra security. While testing we found that it works well for low impact break attempts but for direct high impact it might shatter off (depending on the source of impact).
The installation part as reviewed by others and tested by us takes a little time. The glue is really sticky so you need to be careful to wet the glass surface significantly to avoid bubble and folds.
- Decent quality
- Completely invisible
- Affordable pricing
- Installation is a bit messy
Bottom Line
If you are looking for an extra security device for you house or office, you should consider this option.
Buying Guide – What To Consider?
You cannot simply go to the market and pick any one and regret later. Choosing the best window security film is important as it a matter of security. All the products available in the market are not as good as they look. A few of them tear our or shatter even with the slightest hit. It is extremely important for you to check the specifications and quality of the film. We know that is impossible for you to test each and every film available in the market. That’s why we tested and reviewed the top of the top products for you. Not only this, we have also come up with a buying guide for little more help. This guide can help you with the prime considerations that you should look for when buying the security film for glass windows. Make sure you not down your requirement and then match it to the product chosen by you for worthy purchase. So, without further ado let’s start with it:
1. Thickness
This is one of the most crucial aspect. The thickness of the film matters a lot and provide the security benefits. This is often the determining factor for the price. In general the thicker the better. The thicker the glass the better it absorbs the breaking attempt and is better to hold on the shattered glass. Nevertheless, there are some rule to this.
Nowadays, a lot of products in the market have come up which are thinner but stronger at the same time but they all have a big price tag. It is because the thick films were interfering with the visibility. So, they have made the thin and the stronger one. These kind are sheets are generally used by military, FBI, large corporations, banks, airports, etc. You can also buy it for your home but you need to shell out a little more money.
For home use, we recommend thickness of 3 to 12 mil. 3 mil is minimum to provide required security benefits. You can consider 3 and 4 for the bathroom windows top floor windows and the 8 and 12 for the front doors/glass windows or the backyard doors. It is because they are the common sites of the intruders/theifs to get it in. The best ones in this category are BDF S8MC , No products found., VViViD 12m Safety , and Queenbox Safety
2. Size
This is a personal requirement. We cannot guage the size of your window. That is why we have mentioned the products that comes in various sizes and almost all the small to medium to large size of products are covered. Furthermore, also consider to buy a large roll or sheet if you have multiple windows. You might find it difficult to get accurate size, so you might have to make little adjustments. Make sure that you buy a larger size than the required dimensions so as to cover the window completely. A smaller size might not fit well but with the large size you can fit it well and cut down the extras.
3. Type Of Adhesive
All the quality security films come with strong adhesives to make sure the films adheres to the glass firmly. For the security glass films a strong adhesive backing that is weather resistant is recommended. Nevertheless, in a few products you might get the static cling backing. This kind of backing acts like a mini suction cup to similar cohesive surfaces. This kinds of film is rarely seen window security films ad is often not recommended due to low security benefits.
It is the adhesive cling that works the best. It bonds to the surface more strongly and thus best for safety. Furthermore, this kind of film is versatile it can stick better to various surfaces not only to the smooth ones. You can out them on a rough glass, smooth glass, or any other surface. There is one more advantage of this film, they can sustain ever changing weather conditions be it rain, snow, heat, or cold. They last longer and won’t come out. The only glitch with them is that they are very difficult to re-position or remove when adhered to the surface. While putting them even if it sticks slightly to any other surface, you would have a hard to remove it and in many cases you need to buy a new one.
4. Shattering Power
This is another crucial aspect but it is difficult to gauge out. You cannot gauge by looking at the film whether it shatters or not. The shattering also depends on the breaking impact. With an extremely powerful impact, the products with 3 or 4 mil thickness generally shatters. Nevertheless, they can bear the mild to medium level of attempts. The products with thickness of around 12 mil are almost shatter proof and bullet-proof. They can take the highest impact easily. They hold on to even the shattered glass pieces and they require more noise and power to break. The products in our list are tested and are shatter-proof. We tested then for several levels of breaking attempts and included only the ones that passed our testing technique.
5. Visibility
This is again important for both the looks and security. An invisible film won’t alert the intruder/thief about the security option and thus might be successful in laying down a trap against them. Further, for visual and look purpose too a invisible film with good clarity is desired. A film that has low visibility and clarity would fail to give you the view and thus might not appeal much.
6. UV Power
Most of the best window protective films come with the ability to prevent UV rays from the sun going inside. This way they make sure you and your family is not exposed to UV rays on a regular basis. These rays that comes from the sun may harm your health and your skin in the longer run. In addition to this, though they prevent the UV rays but they let the warmth from the sun to go inside your house.
7. Price
This is again a personal choice. Our test was based on to choose the worthy products no matter what the price was. Each and every product was checked for quality, effectiveness, and for its worthiness. The products in our list has varying price ranges, we have the low budget ones, the mediocre ones, and also the top choice ones. Prefer choosing the one that matches your requirement.
Benefits Of Window Security Film
The window security films can be a great choice for everybody who has glass windows and doors in their home or personal workspace/office. Not only this for added security these top window protection films are used widely in a a variety of places like school, office, airports, ware houses, stores, shops, etc. These films are actually one of the best ways to keep your space safe and sound. Down below we have explained a few prime benefits of windows security films. Let’s go through them:
1. Prevents Thefts And Entry Of Intruders
For burglars to access to a house or any other place the most easy way is through glass windows. They found it easy to smash/break the glass door and enter the premises. No matter how advance your security system is, but if it does not do much about how easily the glass breaks then your security is at risk. Nowadays, the burglars and intruders have special pens with a shattering end or a small tiny hammer to shatter a glass in minutes.
To avoid all these unforeseen conditions windows film is a blessing. These protective films keeps the glass intact for longer so that more force and noise have to be made for breaking it to gain an access. There are many top quality window protective films in the market that are shatter-proof and bullet proof and requires a drastic amount of effort to break. All the products available in the market are not great, you need to choose wisely.
2. Fire
The standard glass windows break in to large pieces when exposed to a high temperature. This can prove dangerous to the person standing next to the window or glass door at the moment when it happens. Further, these large pieces are more dangerous to cross through the window when it happens thus making an escape almost next to impossible. A window security films works contrary to it. It keeps the glass pieces in place and ensure a safe emergency exit by preventing these glass pieces setting in the escape way. Thus, they are a perfect precautionary method that you should for your safety.
3. Explosions
A strong loud explosion can shatter the glass window with ease. The glass pieces can fly over the place and can cause serious damage to everyone in the area. The explosion can happen anywhere in the neighborhood or in close vicinity but its impact can have adverse effects. In such cases, the effect is seen in and around the soundings too, the nearby residents property and life also get effected. So, to avoid the damage caused by such incidences installing a glass security film is a great choice.
4. Safety During Earthquakes
It’s quiet obvious for the window panels to break as a result of an earthquake. The strong ground vibration breaks the glass. If you live in an area close seismic activity, tempered glass panels are a good investment for your and your family’s safety. When the glass panels have these tempered film they tend to absorb the impact and thus shatter or break off very easily.
5. For Security
These are transparent window films. So, are see through from the inside and outside as well. If you install them on your window then nobody can even make out that you have an added security layer. Even the basic ones add some kind of protection as it holds the glass together.
6. Protects From UV Rays
The sun rays from the glass window enter your house pretty easily. Data says these UV sun rays are harmful for skin and its over exposure can cause many skin and health issues. Nevertheless, if you install a safety film you can get over it. These films have the power to not let the harmful UV rays to comes inside through the glass window. The products mentioned by us are 99% UV effective. However, don’t you worry it won’t let the UV rays to come inside but because of its transparent nature the warmth of sun would be maintained in your house at all time. Therefore, installing them is not only an investment for you safety but your health too. All the products available don’t offer the same level of protection so prefer choosing the ones that are best in all terms.
How To Install?
You can install the window security film in two major ways. First is DIY i.e.do it yourself. Second is hiring a professional.
Hiring A Professional
When going with the second option of hiring a professional you need to pay attention. Make sure the person adheres the film neatly without a single bubble or scratch. Otherwise they would be no good in getting it done by a professional. Make sure the professional follow all these steps while doing the job:
1. Measures and cuts the window film as per the window dimensions. Cutting to a little larger size is preferable.
2. Windows that are of the standard size up to 5 by 4 feet are easy to install and the professional charge nominal for them but for windows that are larger than this size additional charges are applied. It is because they have to put the security film in two parts. We recommend you to measure the window panel and then choose a size of film that matches.
If you are first timer consider hiring a professional. This will make sure that the film is adhered properly providing maximum protection and safety.
DIY (Do It Yourself)
Do it yourself will require effort, time, and patience. Make sure you read the instruction manual thoroughly before reading it for the best application. Additionally, you should make sure that all the required tools like a cloth, water, tools, etc.
If you want to install the security film by yourself, here is a step by step guide.
- Measure your window size
- Cut a layer of window film slightly bigger then the size of your window with scissors
- Keep the tools handy squeezer, knife, and a trimmer
- Clean the glass thoroughly. Wipe it down with a paper towel. Make sure that there is no dirt left
- Next, spray the window film application on to the glass.
- Start removing the back lining, sprat the sticky side of the film with application solution and slowly remove it.
- Make sure to stick the sticky side on the window.
- Remove any bubble or fold with the help of a cloth.
- Once the film is secured on the glass surface spray the solution from the outside.
- You can also use the squeezer to remove of the air bubles
- Once done wipe of the excess solution from the surface.
Be careful, you cut only one layer of the film for covering one side of the glass unless you want to cover both the interior and exterior side of the glass. Now, you must be confused do you have to cover both the sides or only one side. Actually, its a personal choice covering both the sides will give some extra security. The glass would be at a negligible risk of shattering or breaking down even with hardest breaking attempt. But this will reduce the visibility. As the film would be on both sides there are chances that you get a translucent kind of view. Nevertheless, if you are a first timer prefer installing the window film only one side first and later on when you feel the need you can always go for the other side.
There is one another important aspect that we would like inform you about- the tools. Generally, most of the top windows security films comes with the tools for installation. In addition to this, they also come with an instruction manual to guide you better. Prefer reading the instruction manual thoroughly before starting the process it is extremely important. The products in our list have both the instruction manual and tool kit so it would be convenient if you choose any one from our list.
Final Talk
Most of the modern architectures bound to have a lot of glass windows in an apartment. Actually, it’s inevitable to leave without them. They not only add aesthetics to your home but also give you pleasant view and ambience. Glass windows look amazing but are a little risky too. But by using the top safety window films you can prevent the unforeseen future risks. Prefer choosing the top safety films only for the best security. You can always go forward and check our list for an easy shopping experience. We hope that this article helped you in choosing what you wanted.
BDF S8MC- Editor's Choice
Summary
A must have window security film for protection and safety.
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