Boarding Up for All Property Types in Watford (WD1–WD25)

If you need to secure a home, shop, office or vacant building in the WD area, we provide practical, reliable boarding up across Watford and surrounding WD postcodes. We understand you may be dealing with a burglary, smashed window, storm damage or an unsafe opening—and you need it made safe quickly and correctly.

We’ve been trading for 10+ years, fully insured, with DBS-checked technicians. We cover WD1 to WD25, attending homes, high street units, industrial units and managed sites. We don’t promise fixed response times, but we prioritise urgent calls and will give a realistic ETA on the phone. For immediate help, see our emergency boarding up.

The Property Types We Secure

We handle a wide range of properties in Watford and the wider WD area. Each type needs a slightly different approach—materials, fixings, access and documentation. Below we explain what to expect and how we tailor the work.

Residential Properties (Houses, Flats, Maisonettes)

  • Typical needs: smashed window panels, forced entry doors, damaged patio doors, skylights after storms.
  • Methods: 18mm exterior-grade plywood for larger openings; 12mm OSB for smaller panes; anti-tamper fixings to prevent removal from outside; non-destructive fixings where frames allow.
  • Access: Upper floors may require towers or long-reach ladders; we assess on arrival.
  • Practicalities: We keep disturbance low for neighbours, tidy up broken glass where safe, and can board internally or externally depending on frames and access.
  • Paperwork: Time-stamped photos, itemised invoice and a simple work statement to support insurance claims.

Learn more about our residential boarding up. If you’re dealing with a break-in, see post-burglary securing.

Commercial Properties (Shops, Offices, Restaurants)

  • Typical needs: shopfront boarded up after impact or vandalism, office glazing failures, warehouse pedestrian doors compromised.
  • Methods: Larger spans often need multi-board panels with reinforced joins; we use battening where frames are unsuitable. Temporary steel doors can be installed for damaged entrances.
  • Out of hours: We routinely attend evenings and weekends to make safe with minimal disruption to trading.
  • Compliance: RAMS available on request; we liaise with security or facilities teams if required.
  • Deliverables: Photos for incident logs, clear notes for insurer or landlord, and a plan for follow‑up glazing.

Explore our commercial boarding up and shopfront boarding service.

Vacant and Void Properties

  • Typical needs: securing after squat prevention works, repossessions, end-of-tenancy damage, or to protect a property pending refurbishment.
  • Methods: Mix of heavy-duty plywood, steel security screens, or temporary steel doors depending on risk, duration and access.
  • Why it matters: Anti-tamper fixings and medium-term solutions deter re-entry and fly-tipping; important if the property will be unattended for weeks.
  • Options: We can revisit for periodic checks or adjustments if instructed by agents or owners.

See our dedicated page for vacant property boarding and consider temporary steel doors for higher-risk entrances.

How We Tailor Materials and Methods

Different properties demand different approaches. Our technicians carry a range of materials and fixings to match the opening, frame condition and security level needed.

  • Plywood vs OSB: 18mm exterior-grade plywood is our standard for doors, large windows and shopfronts. 12mm OSB may be used for smaller, non-critical openings to reduce weight on fragile frames.
  • Anti-tamper fixings: Crucial for unattended properties so boards can’t be removed from outside.
  • Internal vs external boarding: Internal boarding can be less obtrusive and more secure if frames and access allow; external boarding is used when there’s glass spall or unstable frames.
  • Temporary steel doors and security screens: For medium-term protection on void or repeatedly targeted properties.
  • Weatherproofing: For roof lights and storm damage we add membranes or edge sealing as needed; see roof and skylight boarding.

If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive methods, we’ll explain options and get your approval before proceeding.

What You Get With Every Attendance

  • Rapid, prioritised attendance across WD postcodes (no fixed guarantees; realistic ETAs on the phone)
  • On-site assessment and clear explanation of options
  • Safe removal of loose shards where possible
  • Correctly sized boards, battening if needed, anti-tamper fixings for security
  • Time-stamped photos, itemised invoice and work statement suitable for insurers
  • Clear next steps for glazing repairs or further security measures

For urgent “board up broken window” or “board up door” needs, go to emergency boarding up in Watford.

Typical Scenarios by Property Type

  • Homes (WD1, WD17, WD18): Smashed sash window from a stray football; patio door forced during a burglary. We secure with internal boards where frames allow, keeping warmth in and risk out.
  • Shops (WD24, WD19): Out-of-hours shopfront impact. We span large openings with braced boards and discuss visibility needs for reopening.
  • Offices (WD25, WD6): Glazing failure or vandalism on ground-floor panels. We co-ordinate with facilities management and provide RAMS if requested.
  • Vacant units (across WD2–WD7): Repeat attempts at entry. We advise on stepping up from timber to steel screens or a temporary steel door.

If you’re unsure which approach suits your property, call us and we’ll talk through it. You can also read our plain-English explainer: What is boarding up?

Our Process: From Call to Secure

  1. Call us and describe the opening, property type and postcode.
  2. We advise on immediate safety and provide a realistic ETA.
  3. On arrival, we assess frames, glazing, access and risk level.
  4. We cut boards to size and fix using appropriate methods and anti-tamper fixings.
  5. We clean up loose glass where safe and confirm you’re happy with the result.
  6. We provide photos, documentation and advice for the next steps.

For events like vandalism, storms or fire, see our situation guides:

Insurance and Documentation

We’re not loss adjusters, but we work with insurance requirements daily. We provide:

  • Time-stamped photos of damage and completed boarding
  • Itemised invoices showing materials and labour
  • A brief work statement describing the incident and actions taken

For more detail, read our insurance claims support and general FAQs. For cost factors and what affects pricing by property type and size, see our pricing guidance.

Safety, Access and Limitations

  • We won’t promise “30 minutes guaranteed”—traffic and workload vary. We do prioritise urgent calls and aim to attend as quickly as possible.
  • High or awkward access (upper floors, roof lights) may require towers or alternative methods; we’ll explain options and any limitations.
  • Post-fire scenes: we secure the property but don’t offer smoke or odour remediation.
  • Structural issues: if there’s a risk to safety, we may advise temporary fencing; see temporary fencing.

Areas We Cover for All Property Types

We operate across Watford and the WD area, including WD1–WD25. Common requests come from WD1 (town centre), WD17–WD19, WD23–WD25 and surrounding districts. Check our full map of areas we cover or view local pages such as:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you board up both houses and flats in the WD area?

Yes. We secure individual houses, flats and maisonettes across WD1–WD25. For upper floors we’ll assess safe access and choose internal or external boarding accordingly.

Can you secure my shopfront tonight in Watford?

Yes, we handle out of hours and weekend call-outs. Visit emergency boarding up or call for a realistic ETA based on your WD postcode.

What if my vacant property has repeated break-ins?

We can upgrade from timber boards to security screens or a temporary steel door, which helps deter repeat attempts. See vacant property boarding for options.

Will boarding up damage my window or door frames?

We use non-destructive methods where frames allow and explain any unavoidable fixings before proceeding. If frames are too damaged, we’ll discuss alternatives and get your approval first.

Can you provide documentation for my insurer or landlord?

Yes—time-stamped photos, itemised invoice and a simple work statement. See our insurance page for what insurers typically ask for.

Do you cover commercial offices and managed sites in WD24 and WD25?

We do. We can liaise with facilities teams, provide RAMS if needed, and coordinate access with security. See commercial boarding.

How long does boarding up take for a typical smashed window?

Most single openings are secured on the first visit. Duration depends on size, access and frame condition. For more on cost and time factors, see our pricing guidance.

Who should I call first after a burglary at my property in WD18?

If a crime is in progress or you’ve just discovered it, contact the police and obtain a reference number. When safe, call us to secure the property after burglary and notify your insurer.

Next Steps