What Is PAS 24? A Guide to Secure Glazing

A slim-frame sliding door should make a statement for its sightlines and connection to the garden, not leave you questioning its security. So, what is PAS 24? It is a British standard for enhanced security performance in external doorsets and windows, designed to show that a specified product has resisted a defined series of physical attack tests.

For homeowners, architects and builders, PAS 24 is a useful reassurance when choosing glazing for an extension, renovation or new-build scheme. It looks beyond appearance alone, testing how the complete product performs when someone attempts to force entry. But it is not a universal badge that can simply be applied to any door or window. The exact system, configuration, glazing and locking arrangement matter.

What is PAS 24 and why does it matter?

PAS stands for Publicly Available Specification. PAS 24 sets out requirements and test methods for enhanced security performance of external doorsets and windows in the UK. The current edition is PAS 24:2022.

In practical terms, it assesses whether a product can withstand common methods of opportunistic forced entry. Test samples are subjected to manual attack, impacts and attempts to manipulate or defeat vulnerable points. The intention is to assess the window or door as an assembled, functioning unit rather than judging a lock or frame in isolation.

That distinction is particularly relevant for contemporary aluminium glazing. A large glass opening may have exceptionally slender profiles, concealed tracks or an almost frameless appearance, yet still be designed around an independently tested security specification. The performance comes from careful engineering across the frame, sash or panel, glass, hardware, locking points and fixings.

PAS 24 does not mean a product is impossible to breach. No realistic security claim can promise that. It means the tested product has met a recognised benchmark for resistance to the specific methods and loads defined by the standard. It is one important part of a properly considered home-security strategy, alongside good site lighting, sensible access control and secure installation.

How PAS 24 testing works

PAS 24 testing is deliberately practical. A test laboratory examines a representative product sample and applies a defined sequence of attacks to likely weak points. These can include the lock area, hinge side, glazing beads, panel joints, frame corners and the interface between moving and fixed elements.

The methods vary by product type and construction, but typically examine whether an intruder could gain access by applying manual force, using basic hand tools, levering components apart, manipulating locking hardware or striking vulnerable sections. Doors and windows are also assessed for their ability to retain the glazing and resist attempts to create an opening large enough for entry.

The outcome is not based on one component passing on its own. A high-security cylinder cannot compensate for an inadequately designed sash, and toughened glass alone does not make a door PAS 24 compliant. It is the tested combination that counts.

The tested specification is crucial

This is where many project discussions need more precision. PAS 24 certification normally applies to a defined system and a defined range of tested sizes, opening arrangements, glass make-ups and hardware options. Change the panel dimensions, locking arrangement, threshold detail or glazing specification and the result may no longer match the original tested construction.

That does not mean every bespoke door falls outside enhanced security requirements. Premium aluminium systems are engineered in families of approved configurations. It does mean the proposed design should be checked against the relevant system documentation before it is specified or ordered.

For example, a two-panel sliding door and a large corner-opening arrangement may use related profiles but have different security considerations. Pocket doors, where panels slide into a wall cavity, also demand careful detailing around tracks, locks, drainage and access for maintenance. A specialist supplier can confirm whether the chosen layout is covered and recommend an appropriate alternative where necessary.

PAS 24:2022 for aluminium doors and windows

The 2022 edition reflects the ongoing development of products, hardware and testing practice. When comparing systems, it is sensible to ask whether the particular door or window configuration is PAS 24:2022 certified, rather than relying on a broad statement that a brand or profile family is secure.

Aluminium is well suited to high-performing glazing because it combines strength with dimensional stability and slim profile possibilities. However, material alone is not a security rating. The quality of the thermal break, corner construction, interlocks, locking hardware, glazing retention and manufacture all influence the finished product.

This is especially significant with expansive sliding doors, where homeowners understandably want uninterrupted views and minimal framing. A well-designed system can bring together refined sightlines, triple glazing and enhanced security without making the room feel heavily framed. The Cortizo Cor-Vision Evolution, for instance, is a PAS 24:2022 certified system that pairs a near-frameless visual effect with 46mm triple glazing and options such as recessed frames and sashes.

The right choice still depends on the opening, the location of the property and how the doors will be used. A garden-facing door in a quiet, overlooked setting may call for a different balance of features from a street-facing entrance or a large opening on a more exposed plot.

Is PAS 24 required under Building Regulations?

PAS 24 is often discussed in connection with Approved Document Q, commonly known as Part Q, for new dwellings in England. Part Q covers reasonable standards of security for easily accessible doors and windows in new homes. PAS 24 certification is widely used as evidence that a product meets the required security performance, subject to the applicable product scope and project requirements.

It is not a simple rule that every replacement window or extension door must have PAS 24. Requirements can differ depending on whether the work is a new build, extension, conversion or refurbishment, as well as the project location and planning conditions. Secured by Design requirements, insurer expectations and a client’s own brief may also influence the specification.

For architects and contractors, the practical approach is to establish the relevant building-control and planning requirements at the design stage, then select products with documentation that supports the intended compliance route. For homeowners, it is worth raising the question before the design is finalised, particularly when choosing large-format doors or windows at ground level.

What PAS 24 does not tell you

A PAS 24 rating is valuable, but it should not be treated as a complete measure of door or window quality. It does not, by itself, confirm thermal performance, weather resistance, acoustic reduction, fire performance, colour durability or visual quality. Nor does it guarantee that a poorly fitted product will perform as tested.

Installation deserves particular attention. The frame must be fixed correctly into a suitable structural opening, with appropriate packers, fixings and perimeter sealing. Thresholds need to be properly supported, and locking hardware must be adjusted so that it engages as intended. These details protect both security and weather performance.

It is also worth separating PAS 24 from glass specification. Security glass may be appropriate in certain locations or under a particular brief, but the glass type must form part of the approved product arrangement. Likewise, smart locks can add convenience and access control, but their presence does not automatically make a doorset PAS 24 compliant.

How to specify PAS 24 glazing with confidence

Start with the opening and its use. Consider whether the product is a front entrance, a secondary access door, a first-floor balcony door, a ground-floor window or a large garden-facing slider. Think about exposure, privacy, the desired sightlines and whether the project has a formal security requirement.

Then request confirmation for the actual proposed system. This should cover the opening type, dimensions, panel arrangement, glass build-up, lock and handle option, threshold and any special detail such as a corner, fixed-light combination or pocket configuration. Do not assume that a brochure image or a general PAS 24 reference applies to every variation.

For a supply-only project, accurate installation information is just as important as product selection. For a professionally installed scheme, make sure the installer understands the tested configuration and follows the manufacturer’s requirements. Security performance is protected by the whole chain, from design and manufacture through to final adjustment on site.

A premium glazing scheme should never force a choice between elegant architecture and practical reassurance. When PAS 24 is considered early, it becomes part of the design discipline: a secure, beautifully detailed opening that feels as good to use every day as it looks from across the room.