Richmond Board Up Specialists provides emergency board up services to homeowners, landlords and businesses throughout Richmond and the surrounding communities. We secure damaged doors, garage openings and sliding glass panels after accidents, vandalism, fire or vehicle impacts. From a single broken window to a full storefront, we cover exposed openings with sturdy plywood that keeps out weather and intruders and helps prevent further damage until repairs can begin. Contact us for a free quote today.
What's Involved in an Emergency Board Up Job?
An emergency board up closes every broken window, door, or wall breach with plywood fastened to the framing, so the building stays weathertight and locked until permanent repairs begin.
- Broken glass knocked out and swept from sashes
- Plywood sheets cut to fit each opening
- Panels screwed into studs or window framing
- Kicked-in doors secured with through-bolted cross braces
- Damaged roof sections covered with tarped sheathing
What Types of Openings Can Be Boarded Up?
Nearly any building opening can be boarded after a break-in, fire, or storm, from a small basement hopper window to a full storefront glass wall.
- Double-hung and casement residential windows
- Sliding patio doors with shattered tempered glass
- Commercial storefront glazing and display windows
- Fire-vented holes cut through roof decking
- Vehicle impact breaches in exterior walls
What Makes an Emergency Board Up Job Bigger or Smaller?
A single cracked ground-floor window gets boarded in well under an hour, while a fire-gutted house with second-story openings and roof holes can run a full crew most of the night.
- Number of broken openings on the building
- Openings above ladder reach needing a lift
- Charred or rotted framing that won't hold screws
- Oversized glazing wider than a 4x8 sheet
- Brick or masonry walls requiring masonry anchors
What Equipment and Materials Does Emergency Board Up Require?
Exterior-grade plywood and long structural screws form the core of any board up kit, backed by cordless saws and drivers that work without site power.
- Half-inch or thicker CDX plywood sheets
- Cordless circular saw and impact driver
- Three-inch exterior structural screws
- Carriage bolts with 2x4 strongbacks
- Reinforced poly tarps and cap nails
How Do You Know You Need Emergency Board Up?
Any opening that leaves a building unlockable or open to rain calls for emergency board up right away, since insurers often expect reasonable steps to prevent further loss.
- Shattered window glass after a burglary
- Doorjamb split from a forced entry
- Firefighter ventilation holes left in the roof
- Storm debris punched through siding
- Rain blowing in through broken skylights