A Guide To Securing Commercial Entrances for Stores, Offices, and Other Facilities

Modern commercial entrances do more than provide access to a building — they shape first impressions, guide foot traffic, and serve as a visual connection between your business and the outside world. 

Whether you operate a retail store, an office, or any other type of commercial space, glass entry doors and surrounding storefront windows define the look and feel of your entrance. However, while glass entryway systems offer numerous benefits, they also present one of the most common security vulnerabilities in any commercial property: they’re easy to break.

This guide will walk you through the risks associated with unprotected glass entrances, explore your options for strengthening them without sacrificing aesthetics, and introduce Riot Glass retrofit security glazing and framing systems, industry-leading solutions for hardening commercial entrances.

Why Glass Is So Common (And Risky) in Commercial Entrances

Glass has long been a preferred material for commercial entryway doors and storefronts due to its versatility, functionality, and modern appearance. Some of the most common reasons businesses choose glass entrances include:

• Natural light: Glass doors and windows allow daylight to flood indoor spaces, reducing the need for artificial lighting and creating a more pleasant environment.
• Visibility: In retail, this transparency lets customers see merchandise before stepping inside. In professional offices or medical facilities, it creates a welcoming and open feel.
• Aesthetic appeal: Glass entryway door systems complement contemporary architecture and can be easily customized with branding and signage.

These advantages make glass entryways ideal for attracting customers and showcasing a professional image, but the very things that make glass so appealing for commercial entrances also make it risky from a security standpoint.

The Security Vulnerabilities of Commercial Glass Entrances

Standard commercial glass, even tempered safety glass, offers little resistance to forced entry. Most types of commercial entrances can be easily compromised by breaking through the glass with simple burglary tools like crowbars, hammers, or even bricks, allowing intruders to reach through and open a door from the inside — or step right in through the broken glass. Common threats include:

• Smash-and-grab thefts: Common in retail settings, criminals can easily shatter glass to quickly access valuables.
• Burglary: A broken glass door allows full access to an interior space after business hours.
• Vandalism: Riots and targeted vandalism can lead to costly damage to unprotected glass.
• Looting: In civil unrest, criminals may take advantage of the chaos to shatter entryway doors and windows and loot businesses.
• Active threats: During an active threat scenario, unsecured glass entry points can leave building occupants exposed.

Worse yet, attackers don’t need to fully break through the glass to negatively impact a business — even cracking or shattering it can cause business interruption, expensive repairs, and a loss of public trust.

The Solution: Retrofitting Commercial Entrances with Security Glazing

The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to rip out and replace your existing glass doors and storefront windows to secure your commercial entrance.

Riot Glass retrofit security glazing is a solution designed to reinforce your current glass without changing its appearance. It provides a durable barrier that resists impacts, forced entry attempts, and even prolonged attacks.

Key Benefits of Riot Glass Retrofit Glazing for Commercial Entrances:

• Virtually invisible: Riot Glass panels are crystal-clear and blend in seamlessly with your existing doors and windows, complementing both modern and classic architecture.
• No need for full replacements: Retrofit installation saves time and money by preserving your original storefront system.
• Tested and proven: These systems are tested to resist sledgehammers, crowbars, thrown objects, and even ballistic attacks, giving business owners peace of mind regarding a full range of threats.
• Customizable: Riot Glass can be tailored to fit nearly any door or window configuration and architectural style.

This retrofit approach turns vulnerable glass entryway doors and storefronts into access denial systems strong enough to withstand repeated blows while maintaining their architectural integrity.

Go Beyond the Door: Reinforce Surrounding Glass Too

Many commercial entrances feature more than just a single glass door. Often, the entryway is part of a larger glass storefront system, frequently including large or full-length windows. Reinforcing only the door leaves these surrounding glass panels exposed.

Fortunately, Riot Glass retrofit glazing is modular, allowing you to secure all parts of the commercial entryway using the same clear, high-strength materials.

For example, a retail store might secure its entry doors and the large display windows on either side, or an office building might secure its entrance and entire glass facade. By addressing the full glass entrance area, you close off any potential points of weakness and present a consistent, hardened perimeter.

The Role of Security Framing: Meet the Riot Glass Universal Framing System

It’s important to note that glass is only as secure as the framing system holding it in place. During a break-in attempt, even the strongest glazing can fail if the attacker pries it out of the frame.

That’s where the Riot Glass Universal Framing System (UFS) comes in. This innovative system is engineered to work with retrofit glazing and provides robust support for both RG-Series security glass and AP-Series polycarbonate-based infills.

UFS Framing Options:

• Standard System: Ideal for low-to-moderate threat environments where a low footprint and budget are top concerns.
• Heavy-Duty System: Built to withstand prolonged forced entry attempts and ballistic attacks — recommended for high-crime areas or facilities with heightened security concerns.
• Conversion System: Designed to replace existing glass and gaskets in aluminum-framed glass entryway doors, these offer a seamless solution for older doors and windows that need upgrading.

The UFS accommodates a wide variety of infill thicknesses and materials, from 1/4” containment-grade panels up to 1 3/4” ballistic-grade glazing. It’s also designed with sleek lines and architectural finishes, so you don’t have to sacrifice style for security.

With the right framing in place, your entryway security glazing system becomes a completely forced entry-resistant barrier, not just a glass upgrade.

Applications of Reinforced Commercial Entrances Across Industries

Virtually any commercial property can benefit from reinforced glass entrances. Riot Glass glazing panels and the UFS framing system have been deployed across a wide range of industries:

• Retail stores: To prevent smash-and-grab theft, burglary, and looting during civil unrest.
• Corporate offices: To protect property, data, equipment, and personnel.
• Schools and universities: As part of broader active threat protection strategies.
• Healthcare facilities: To safeguard staff and patients in volatile situations.
• Government buildings: For perimeter hardening against both physical and ballistic threats (J-Series sub-framing is specifically designed for hardening courthouses and other historic judicial buildings).

Each facility type has unique needs, and Riot Glass offers flexible solutions to meet them — without disrupting daily operations or impacting customer experience. Indeed, one of the key advantages of the Riot Glass system is its ability to deliver real security without sacrificing visibility or aesthetics. 

Many business owners hesitate to “harden” their buildings for fear of making them look cold or uninviting, but Riot Glass is designed specifically for use in public-facing environments where appearance matters. You retain your open, transparent storefront — customers can still see in, and natural light still pours through — while enjoying the same level of protection you’d get from opaque barriers or metal shutters. It’s discreet, durable, and dependable.

Fortify Your Commercial Entrances Today

Your commercial entrance is one of the most important parts of your facility — and often the most targeted during criminal activity. While standard glass may look appealing, it does little to keep your building secure.

Riot Glass retrofit glazing and the Universal Framing System provide a cost-effective, customizable, and architecturally sound way to transform vulnerable commercial entrances into strong access denial systems.

Whether you manage a single storefront or a portfolio of commercial buildings, now is the time to take proactive steps toward reinforcing your entryways.

Contact Riot Glass today for a free consultation to explore your options and find the right solution for your facility.