Three Common Uses for Security Film

Security window films are often talked about as if they’re a single solution to a single problem, usually “making glass stronger”.

In reality, security films exist for very different reasons, and understanding why they’re used matters far more than simply choosing the thickest option available.

Across residential, commercial and public buildings in the UK, security films generally fall into three practical use cases, each linked to a very different type of risk.

1. Meeting Safety Glazing Requirements (Clear 100 Micron)

The most common, and often overlooked, use of security film has nothing to do with crime at all.

It’s about compliance.

UK Building Regulations require certain areas of glazing to meet recognised safety standards, particularly where accidental human impact is possible. Think:

• internal glass doors
• low-level glazing
• office partitions
• schools and public buildings
• residential renovations involving large glass panels

Clear 100 Micron Safety Film allows existing glass to achieve the required safety performance without replacing the glazing itself.

Instead of strengthening the glass in a structural sense, the film works by holding shattered glass together if breakage occurs. This dramatically reduces the risk of injury from flying shards.

In many projects, it becomes a practical and cost-effective alternative to full glass replacement, especially during refurbishments.

2. Delaying Forced Entry (Clear 175 Micron)

When people think of “security film”, this is usually what they have in mind.

Clear 175 Micron Safety Film is widely used across both homes and commercial premises where unauthorised access is a realistic concern.

Its purpose isn’t to make glass unbreakable, because no glazing system truly is but to slow intrusion attempts.

And that delay matters.

When applied correctly, the film keeps broken glass bonded together, meaning an intruder cannot simply smash and step through. Multiple impacts are required, noise levels increase, and entry time extends significantly.

In real-world security planning, this often achieves the main objective:

• discouraging opportunistic break-ins
• increasing detection risk
• buying valuable response time

You’ll commonly see this level used in:

• shopfronts
• offices
• ground-floor residential glazing
• schools and healthcare settings

It’s less about absolute resistance, and more about changing the outcome of an attempted entry.

3. Blast Mitigation & High-Risk Environments (Clear 300 Micron)

At the highest end sits Clear 300 Micron Security Film.

This category moves beyond everyday security into protective glazing applications used in environments exposed to elevated risk profiles.

In venues where blast risk must be considered, such as transport hubs, government facilities or large public venues, glass fragmentation becomes one of the primary causes of injury during an explosion.

Thicker security films help mitigate this by:

• retaining fractured glass within the frame
• reducing dangerous glass projection
• limiting secondary debris hazards

It’s important to understand that the film does not stop an explosion.

Its role is to reduce harm caused by glass failure.

Used alongside appropriate installation methods and frame anchoring systems, higher-micron films form part of a broader safety strategy rather than acting as a standalone solution.

Choosing the Right Level, Not the Thickest One

One of the most common misconceptions is that thicker automatically means better.

In practice, the correct specification depends entirely on risk type, not product hierarchy.

A residential refurbishment aiming to meet safety glazing standards does not require blast mitigation film. Equally, a high-risk public venue requires a very different approach than a domestic property.

Security film works best when matched to purpose.

The Real Value of Security Film

Across all three categories, the principle remains consistent:

Security window film doesn’t prevent glass from breaking – it controls what happens after it breaks.

Whether the goal is compliance, intrusion delay, or risk mitigation, the technology allows existing glazing to perform beyond its original capability without major structural change.

That combination of protection, practicality and sensible cost is why security film is used everywhere today from homes and shops to large commercial environments across the UK.

You can purchase professional-grade security window films at the best prices in the UK from our online shop Tintfit Window Films.