Slats, materials and performance · Rolling Shutter Guide
Are rolling shutters bulletproof?
No. Roll-A-Shield's rolling shutters are not bullet-resistant, carry no ballistic rating, and Roll-A-Shield offers no bullet-resistant shutter. A closed shutter is a physical barrier against forced entry and smashed glass: getting through one takes time, tools and noise. If a plan or insurer specifies a ballistic level, a rolling security shutter does not meet it.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield offers no bullet-resistant shutter, and none of its shutters carries a ballistic rating. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield's shutters hold no security, burglary or forced-entry certification; their security comes from construction and locks. Roll-A-Shield data
- The 63 mm single-wall slat is solid extruded aluminum; the 38 mm and 55 mm insulated slats are rolled aluminum around a polyurethane foam core. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield's slat comparison marks only the extruded single-wall slat as resisting damage during a crime attempt. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Aluminum rolling shutters of any make, including Roll-A-Shield's 38 mm and 55 mm insulated and 63 mm single-wall extruded slats.
A rolling security shutter looks solid, and people reasonably ask whether it would stop a bullet. The straight answer is no: Roll-A-Shield does not make a bullet-resistant shutter, and none of its shutters carries a ballistic rating. This page explains what a shutter is built to resist instead.
Will a rolling shutter stop a bullet?
Do not count on it. Roll-A-Shield's shutters are not bullet-resistant and carry no ballistic rating, so we make no claim about what they would do against gunfire.
The curtain is made of interlocking aluminum slats that roll up into a box above the opening. Roll-A-Shield makes two kinds of slat, insulated (foam-filled) and extruded:
| Slat | Construction | Roll-A-Shield strength mark |
|---|---|---|
| 38 mm insulated | Rolled aluminum with a polyurethane core | One check |
| 55 mm insulated | Rolled aluminum with a polyurethane core | One check |
| 63 mm single-wall | Extruded aluminum | Three checks; marked as resisting damage during a crime attempt |
These marks compare our own slats with each other. None of them is a ballistic rating.
What does a rolling shutter resist?
It resists forced entry and protects the glass behind it. A closed shutter puts an aluminum curtain between the outside and the window or door, so getting in means getting through or around the curtain first, which takes time, tools and noise. That is why shutters are used on bedroom and patio windows, storefronts, counters and drive-through windows.
Roll-A-Shield's shutters hold no burglary or forced-entry certification; the protection comes from how they are built. The parts that matter most:
- The slat. The extruded 63 mm single-wall slat is harder to cut through than a foam-filled slat.
- End retention. On extruded slats, a screw at each slat joint rides in its own channel inside the guide rail, so the curtain cannot be pushed out of the track. The 63 mm single-wall slat always runs in an end-retention rail.
- Locks and the operator. How the curtain is held down is covered in how rolling shutters resist break-ins, and how they lock.
Which Roll-A-Shield shutter is strongest?
Choose the 63 mm single-wall extruded slat with end retention. It is the slat Roll-A-Shield rates strongest and recommends for high security. If you want to see into the space while it is closed, the perforated 63 mm slat keeps the same structural strength as the solid single-wall slat and lets light and air through. For rooms used to store valuables, see shutters for closets, gun rooms and safe rooms.
Stop: If a plan, insurer or security consultant specifies a ballistic level, a Roll-A-Shield rolling security shutter does not meet it.
What next
For a security shutter, call (480) 921-0200 or request a quote and tell us what you are protecting. We will recommend the slat, end retention and lock, and we will tell you plainly what the shutter will and will not do.
Frequently asked questions
Can a rolling shutter be made bulletproof by adding thicker slats?
Not by Roll-A-Shield. We offer no bullet-resistant shutter, and none of our slats or shutters carries a ballistic rating, so a thicker slat would not change that.
Which Roll-A-Shield slat is hardest to break through?
The 63 mm single-wall extruded slat. It is the slat our comparison rates strongest, and it always runs in an end-retention rail, which makes the slats very hard to push out of the track.
Are your security shutters certified for forced entry?
No. Roll-A-Shield holds no burglary or forced-entry certification. The security is real, but it comes from the aluminum curtain, the rails and the locks, not from a test certificate.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
If you need the strongest shutter we make for a storefront or a home, ask about the 63 mm single-wall slat with end retention. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.