What Is Boarding Up?

Boarding up is the process of fixing strong timber or steel panels over broken or vulnerable openings (such as windows, doors and shopfronts) to secure a property quickly and safely. In South East London, boarding up is most often used after a break-in, vandalism, storm damage or accidental breakage to protect people, prevent further damage and keep insurers satisfied while permanent repairs are arranged.

Need urgent help? Call 020 4538 1506 for 24/7 emergency boarding up across South East London, or contact our team for advice and a free, no-obligation quote.

What Does “Boarding Up” Actually Involve?

Boarding up a property means we:

  • Make the area safe (clearing glass, cordoning off hazards).
  • Cover the opening with strong panels (usually plywood or OSB).
  • Fix the boards using secure, anti-tamper fixings.
  • Check doors, windows and access points still work as needed.
  • Leave you with clear photos and paperwork for your insurer.

In practice, boarding up in South East London can include:

  • Window boarding for smashed or cracked glass
    (see our dedicated window boarding in South East London service).
  • Door boarding up for kicked-in or forced doors
    (learn more about door boarding up).
  • Shopfront boarding for broken commercial glazing and ram‑raid damage.
  • Roof & skylight boarding after storms or impact damage.
  • Vacant property boarding and security screens for empty homes or commercial units.

The aim is always the same: emergency securing of your property so it’s safe, weather-tight and secure until permanent repairs are completed.

When Is Boarding Up Needed?

You might need emergency boarding up in South East London any time a door, window or opening is:

  • Broken
  • Easy to force open
  • No longer weatherproof
  • Likely to attract unwanted attention

Typical situations include:

After a Burglary or Attempted Break-In

If a burglar has smashed a window or forced a door:

  • Glass may be shattered or missing.
  • Locks and frames may be damaged.
  • The property is exposed and vulnerable.

Post-burglary boarding up gives you immediate security and peace of mind while you sort locks, alarms and glazing. For more detail, see post-burglary boarding up in South East London.

Vandalism and Criminal Damage

Common in shopfronts, communal entrances and ground-floor flats:

  • Bricks or bottles thrown through windows.
  • Graffiti and smashed panels on doors or shopfronts.
  • Repeated attempts by the same vandals.

Here, boarding up is used to both secure and deter, often combined with temporary steel doors or security screens for added protection. Our vandalism repair boarding services explain this in more depth.

Storm, Fire or Flood Damage

Severe weather and incidents can leave openings exposed:

  • Storm damage boarding for blown-out windows, roof lights and damaged doors.
  • Fire damage where glass has cracked or exploded from heat.
  • Flood damage causing swollen frames that won’t close properly.

In these cases, boarding up is about safety and temporary weatherproofing, often alongside tarps and other make-safe measures. You can read more about storm damage boarding, fire damage securing and flood damage boarding.

Accidental Breakage and Impact

Not all damage is criminal:

  • A ball through a patio door.
  • DIY accidents.
  • Vehicular impact to a shopfront or low wall.

Here, boarding up deals with sharp glass, unsafe frames and exposed openings. See accidental breakage boarding in South East London for typical examples.

How We Secure Your Property

We focus on non-destructive securing wherever possible, meaning we protect your property without causing extra damage. Only in rare cases (for example, serious structural damage) would we need to remove parts of a frame or fabric.

Here’s how the process usually works.

1. Initial Assessment & Safety Check

On arrival we:

  • Assess the extent of damage and any structural concerns.
  • Make a quick plan to secure all affected openings.
  • Clear any loose or hanging glass and debris.
  • Establish a safe working area, particularly in busy streets like Deptford High Street, Peckham Rye, Lewisham town centre or around stations such as Brockley or Woolwich Arsenal.

If there are concerns about electrics, gas or structure after fire or flood, we’ll flag this and may advise involving the relevant emergency services or a structural engineer.

2. Measuring & Preparing Materials

We measure each opening precisely so the boards:

  • Fully cover the damaged area.
  • Sit snugly against the frame or surrounding wall.
  • Don’t obstruct essential ventilation unnecessarily.

We generally use:

  • Exterior-grade plywood (often 11–18mm) for most doors and windows.
  • OSB (Oriented Strand Board) boarding, another strong sheet material, especially suitable for larger spans and roof openings.
  • Temporary steel doors where a strong, lockable entry is needed (e.g., communal entrances or vacant commercial properties).
  • Steel security screens (Sitex-style) for medium/longer-term vacant property security.

The exact choice depends on:

  • Size and height of the opening.
  • Access (ground floor vs upper floors).
  • Short-term vs medium-term security needs.
  • Insurer expectations and any property management requirements.

3. Fixing Using Secure, Anti-Tamper Methods

We aim to use fixings that can’t be easily removed from outside, such as anti-tamper screws and coach bolts. Typical methods include:

  • Non-destructive fixing into existing frames
    Ideal when frames are sound and insurance prefers minimal additional damage.
  • Through-bolting with internal bracing
    Boards fixed through to strong internal timbers where frames are weak or missing.
  • Fixing into surrounding masonry
    When frames are heavily damaged or unsafe (e.g. after impact or fire).

Where possible, we:

  • Avoid drilling into tiles, decorative plaster or listed features.
  • Leave scope for your glazier or joiner to repair easily.
  • Keep fixings neat and aligned for a professional finish.

4. Access, Ventilation & Temporary Doors

Boarding up doesn’t have to mean “sealed shut”. We think about how you’ll use the property while works proceed:

  • Temporary secure doors with proper locks allow day-to-day entry to homes, shops or stairwells.
  • We consider ventilation after flood or fire, balancing fresh air with security and weatherproofing.
  • For commercial units, we coordinate with existing shutters or roller doors so you can still operate if needed.

Our specialist services – door boarding up in South East London and shopfront boarding for businesses – explain the options for more complex access needs.

5. Clean-Up & Insurer-Friendly Paperwork

Once secured, we:

  • Tidy the work area, removing broken glass and waste materials.
  • Take time-stamped photos of the damage and the completed boarding.
  • Provide an itemised invoice and a simple work statement describing what we’ve done.

This paperwork supports your claim; for more guidance see our dedicated page on insurance support for boarding up in South East London.

Why Choose Our South East London Boarding Up Team?

Local, 24/7 Coverage Across SE Postcodes

We cover the whole of South East London – including areas like Greenwich, Camberwell, Sydenham, Catford, Peckham, Abbey Wood, Bermondsey and Woolwich – with a mobile team on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We don’t promise exact arrival times, but we:

  • Prioritise emergencies.
  • Dispatch the nearest available team.
  • Keep you updated on progress.

For immediate help, visit our 24/7 emergency boarding up page.

Over 10 Years’ Hands-On Experience

With 10+ years working on homes, shops, offices and vacant buildings across the SE postcodes, we’re used to:

  • London terrace windows and sash frames.
  • Large retail glass fronts on busy high streets.
  • High-access jobs and awkward alleyways.
  • Managing landlord, tenant and insurer expectations.

Our technicians are:

  • DBS-checked for your peace of mind.
  • Covered by public liability insurance.
  • Trained in safe working practices and respectful of your property.

Non-Destructive Securing Wherever Possible

We know you want to avoid extra damage and cost. Our default approach is:

  • Board to the existing structure, not through it, wherever feasible.
  • Choose fixings that can be removed by your glazier or joiner without major repairs.
  • Escalate to more invasive methods only where safety or structure requires it – and explain why before we proceed.

Guaranteed Workmanship & Clear Communication

You can expect:

  • Strong, tidy boarding, correctly sized and fitted.
  • Fixings checked and tightened before we leave.
  • A clear explanation of what has been done and any follow-up steps you should take.
  • Workmanship guarantees on our boarding and fixings (materials themselves are typically temporary).

Our aim is always to leave you feeling safer and fully informed, not more stressed.

What Happens Next If You Need Boarding Up?

If you’re currently dealing with broken glass or damage, here’s how using a professional boarding up service in South East London usually works:

  1. Get in touch
    Call us on 020 4538 1506 or contact our South East London team. Tell us:

    • What’s happened (burglary, storm, accident, etc.).
    • The type of property (flat, house, shop, office, vacant unit).
    • Any immediate risks (exposed public pavement, children in the home, etc.).

  2. We assess and quote
    We’ll give you a clear, no-obligation quote based on:

  3. We attend and secure
    Our technician visits, explains the plan, then:

    • Makes the area safe.
    • Boards up windows, doors or roofs as needed.
    • Provides temporary doors or added security where appropriate.

  4. Paperwork & follow-up
    You receive:

If you’d like to understand the full range of options, our boarding up services overview gives a simple breakdown of each service type, and property types we cover shows how we tailor our approach to homes, businesses and vacant buildings.

Boarding Up FAQs

What is boarding up in simple terms?

Boarding up means covering broken or vulnerable doors, windows or openings with strong boards or security panels so the property is safe, secure and weatherproof until permanent repairs are made.

How long does it take to board up a property?

It depends on:

  • How many openings are damaged.
  • The size and height of the windows/doors.
  • How complex the access is (e.g. upper floors, busy pavements).

Many straightforward jobs take around 1–2 hours, but larger shopfronts or multiple floors will take longer. When you call, we can give a more specific estimate for your situation.

How much does it cost to board up a window in South East London?

Costs vary with:

  • Size and number of windows.
  • Height/access equipment required.
  • Material choice (plywood vs OSB, thickness).
  • Time of day (daytime vs out-of-hours).

We don’t list fixed prices because every job is different; instead, we provide clear, written quotes before work starts. You can read more about the factors involved on our boarding up prices page.

Is boarding up covered by insurance?

In many cases, insurers do pay for reasonable emergency boarding up after events like burglary, storm or accidental damage. Policies differ, so you should:

  • Check your policy wording.
  • Keep any police reference number (for burglaries/vandalism).
  • Provide the insurer with our photos, invoice and work statement.

We provide insurance-ready paperwork, but we’re not loss adjusters or legal advisers. For guidance on the process, see our insurance support for boarding up page.

Do you offer non-destructive securing?

Yes. Non-destructive securing is our default wherever possible. That means:

  • Using existing frames or structures for fixings where they’re safe.
  • Minimising extra holes or damage.
  • Discussing any unavoidable invasive work with you before proceeding.

Only when frames are severely damaged, or there are safety/structural issues, do we need more substantial fixing into masonry or internal structures.

Who do I call for a broken window late at night?

If you’re in South East London and need emergency window boarding near you, you can:

We’ll talk you through any immediate safety steps and dispatch a boarding up specialist to secure your property.

Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506 or Email us for fast, professional boarding up in South East London.

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