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Impact-resistant security glass with spider-web crack pattern still holding together in the window frame

Security Upgrade · Available On Every Window & Patio Door

Impact Glass — Strength You Can See. Protection You Can Trust.

A laminated security interlayer bonded between two panes of glass. If the window is struck, it cracks but stays in the frame — keeping the opening closed and slowing forced entry to a stop.

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Why Homeowners Choose It

Ordinary glass gives way in seconds. Impact Glass doesn't.

Most break-ins happen at ground-floor windows and patio doors. Standard glass shatters on first impact — Impact Glass absorbs the hit, cracks around the interlayer, and keeps the opening closed. The extra seconds are usually enough to end the attempt.

  • Increased protection against forced entry
  • Holds broken glass in place — no falling shards
  • Reduces risk of injury from breakage
  • Blocks up to ~99% of UV (protects floors and furniture)
  • Noticeable noise reduction from outside
  • Compatible with Low-E, argon and Super Spacer®
Diagram of Impact Glass showing two panes of glass bonded around a security interlayer

How It Works

How Compact Glass Works — Step By Step

Compact / Impact Glass is engineered as a single sealed unit that behaves very differently from a regular double-pane window when it is hit. Here is exactly what happens, from manufacturing to the moment of impact.

  1. STEP 01

    Two panes are laminated to a security interlayer

    During manufacturing, two sheets of glass are bonded under heat and pressure to a heavy-duty polymer interlayer (typically PVB or SentryGlas®). The interlayer becomes a permanent part of the glass — it cannot be peeled off or defeated separately.

  2. STEP 02

    The laminated pane is built into a sealed IG unit

    The laminated pane forms one side of a Cardinal insulating glass (IG) unit. The other pane carries the Low-E coating, and the cavity is filled with argon and closed with a warm-edge Super Spacer®. You get security AND full energy performance in the same sealed unit.

  3. STEP 03

    On impact, the glass cracks — but does not open

    When struck by a brick, tool or blunt force, the outer glass cracks in a spider-web pattern. Because every fragment stays chemically bonded to the interlayer, the opening remains closed. There is no gap to reach through, no hole to climb through.

  4. STEP 04

    The attacker gives up — or gets caught

    Forced entry through Impact Glass takes repeated, loud, sustained attack — usually 60+ seconds of visible, audible effort. Most break-ins are opportunistic and abandoned within 30 seconds. That's the whole point: the extra time is what stops the entry.

Learn more about the glass technology inside every Trust Build window in our Low-E coatings guide and the vinyl windows overview.

Security Glass Comparison

Standard vs Laminated vs Impact Glass

Not all glass performs the same under attack. Here's how the three options compare against forced entry.

Standard Glass

10% security rating

Provides minimal resistance against forced entry. Once impacted, the glass shatters quickly and leaves an open point of entry.

  • Single glass layer
  • No security interlayer
  • Basic protection only

Laminated Security Glass

50% security rating

A security interlayer bonded between two sheets of glass. Broken glass stays attached to the interlayer, delaying entry and reducing injury risk.

  • Glass + interlayer + glass
  • Interlayer min. 0.030" (0.76 mm)
  • Delays forced entry
Recommended

Impact / Compact Glass

90% security rating

Heavy-duty security interlayer designed for repeated impact. Cracks may form, but the opening stays closed — a strong deterrent against break-ins.

  • Glass + heavy interlayer + glass
  • Interlayer min. 0.060" (1.52 mm)
  • Maximum protection
Impact Glass comparison chart: Standard 10%, Laminated 50%, Impact 90% security rating
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How Each Glass Type Breaks

Annealed vs Tempered vs Impact

Annealed Glass

Ordinary glass. Breaks into large, dangerous shards — a real safety hazard.

Tempered Glass

Safer under impact. Breaks into small, benign pieces — but still leaves an open hole.

Impact Glass

The only option that stays in the frame after impact — safety glazing that actually protects the opening.

Get a Quote for Compact Glass

Add laminated security glass to any Trust Build window or patio door. Free measurement, transparent per-opening pricing, and a lifetime warranty on the complete unit. Serving Toronto, the GTA and all of southern Ontario.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Impact Glass — sometimes called Compact or laminated security glass — is a sealed insulating unit that bonds two panes of glass to a heavy-duty security interlayer (a tough polymer such as PVB or SentryGlas). If the glass is struck, it cracks but stays attached to the interlayer, keeping the opening closed and dramatically slowing forced entry.
Standard annealed glass breaks into large, dangerous shards and offers roughly 10% resistance to forced entry. Tempered glass breaks into small safe pieces but still leaves an opening. Impact Glass uses a reinforced interlayer that holds the pane together after impact — rated at about 90% security performance.
Any Trust Build window or patio door can be built with an Impact Glass unit — casement, picture, tilt & turn, slider, hung, bay/bow, basement egress, and sliding or French patio doors. It is the most-requested upgrade for ground-floor windows, side and back doors, and any accessible glass in Toronto, the GTA and across southern Ontario.
Yes. The laminated security interlayer blocks up to ~99% of UV rays (which protects flooring, artwork and furniture from fading) and provides measurable noise reduction — typically a 3–5 STC improvement over an equivalent non-laminated unit. This makes it a popular choice on busy streets, near highways and under flight paths.
Yes. Impact Glass is fully compatible with Cardinal Low-E 180, 272 and 366 coatings, argon fill and warm-edge Super Spacer®, so you get security without giving up energy performance, comfort or ENERGY STAR® certification.
The rebate is tied to the certified energy rating of the window, not the glass security layer. When Impact Glass is built into an ENERGY STAR® certified Trust Build window with the qualifying Low-E + argon package, the complete window is eligible under Ontario's Home Renovation Savings Program — the security upgrade does not disqualify it.
As a rough guide, Impact Glass typically adds 25–40% to the glass line-item of a window, depending on size, thickness of the interlayer and whether it is paired with tempered glass. Most homeowners upgrade only the most exposed openings — ground-floor windows, patio and side doors — which keeps the total cost of the project modest while covering the highest-risk points of entry.
It uses the same construction principle — two panes bonded to a laminated interlayer — but hurricane glass is tested and certified to specific wind-borne debris standards (Miami-Dade / ASTM E1886/E1996). Trust Build Impact Glass is engineered for forced-entry security in the Canadian climate; it delivers the same 'stays-in-the-frame' behaviour under impact without being sold under a hurricane certification.
In most cases, no — the interlayer makes the insulating glass unit heavier and slightly thicker than a standard IG, and older sashes/hardware are usually not rated for it. It is installed as part of a full window or IG replacement so the sash, gasket and hardware are all engineered for the load.
Yes — Impact Glass units carry the same lifetime warranty as every Trust Build window: frame, glass, hardware and workmanship for as long as you own the home.

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Frames, sashes, hardware and our workmanship — covered for as long as you own the home.

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