After a break-in, the first goal is getting the storefront closed. The second is deciding what goes back in the frame. Most owners replace it with whatever was there before, and that’s often fine. But if the same window has been hit twice, it’s worth knowing your options.
Here’s how the three most common choices compare.
Tempered glass
Tempered glass is regular glass that has been heated and cooled quickly to make it much stronger. When it does break, it shatters into small, rounded pieces instead of long sharp shards. That’s why building codes require safety glass in doors and in the panels right next to them.
What it does well:
- Strong against everyday knocks, wind and temperature changes.
- Safe when it breaks, so it’s the standard for storefront doors.
- Usually the fastest and least expensive to replace.
Where it falls short: once it breaks, the whole panel falls out of the frame. Someone with a hammer or a rock can be inside in seconds.
Tempered glass also can’t be cut after it’s tempered. Every panel is made to the exact size of your opening, which is why a custom size takes a few days even when you need it tonight.
Laminated glass
Laminated glass is two layers of glass bonded to a plastic interlayer in the middle. When it breaks, it cracks in a spider-web pattern, but the pieces stick to the interlayer and the panel stays in the frame.
What it does well:
- Much harder to get through. Someone can crack it, but making a hole big enough to climb through takes time and noise.
- Stays in place when broken, so the store isn’t open to the street overnight.
- Blocks most UV light, which helps keep products in the window from fading.
- Cuts down street noise a little.
The tradeoffs: it costs more than tempered glass, it’s heavier, and it usually has a longer lead time. On some door systems the frame needs different glazing stops to hold the thicker glass.
Security film
Security film is a clear, thick film applied to the inside of existing glass. It doesn’t make the glass stronger, but when the glass breaks, the film holds most of the pieces together.
What it does well:
- Cheaper than replacing the glass with laminated.
- Can go on glass that isn’t broken, so you can upgrade the windows next to the one that was hit.
- Holds shards together, which helps with both break-ins and accidents.
The limits: film on regular glass is not as strong as true laminated glass, and its strength depends on how it’s attached at the edges. Film that only covers the glass, without being anchored to the frame, can let the whole sheet push in.
Which one makes sense
A simple way to think about it:
- First break-in, low-crime block: replace with tempered glass to match what you had.
- Second or third break-in, or high-value inventory in the window: laminated glass in the panels people target, usually the ones beside the door.
- Several large windows and a tight budget: security film on the existing glass, with laminated in the panel that was broken.
Your insurance company may have an opinion too. Some insurers offer better terms to businesses that upgrade glass after repeat claims, so it’s worth asking your agent.
What we can do the same night
If the broken panel is a standard size of tempered glass we carry, we can often replace it on the first visit. Laminated glass and custom sizes have to be ordered, so the crew will board up or install a temporary panel, measure on the spot and come back with the finished glass.
Need help tonight? Call City Doors and Glass at 202-717-7099 or see our 24/7 commercial emergency service. For planned upgrades, our commercial door glass replacement page has more detail.
