Window Boarding in Barnet
Boarding Up Barnet provides window boarding in Barnet for homes, flats, shops and empty properties. When a pane is smashed, cracked through or missing, we cover the opening with a fitted board, deal with loose glass and help protect the property from weather and entry until the glazing can be replaced. A person answers the phone 24 hours a day. If the window broke tonight and you need someone out now, our 24-hour emergency boarding-up page explains what to do first.
When window boarding is the right call
Boarding suits any window that can’t be left as it is but can’t be reglazed straight away. Common examples:
- a pane smashed during a break-in or attempted break-in
- glass cracked right through and likely to drop out
- a window broken by a stray ball, a fall or storm debris
- several windows broken at once
- windows on an empty property that need closing up while it’s vacant
If a door or its frame was also forced, that needs securing too, and door boarding and securing damaged frames covers that part of the job. Glazed shop windows and display frontages are handled differently because of their size, so they come under shopfront boarding.
How to secure a broken window in Barnet before we arrive
You don’t need to tidy up. Your safety comes first.
- Stay clear of the glass. Don’t pull loose shards out of the frame, especially on an upper floor where pieces can fall onto people below.
- Close off the room if you can, and keep children and pets out of it.
- Don’t lean out of or climb up to a high window to inspect it.
- Photograph the damage from a safe spot if you’re able. It helps your insurer and helps us plan.
- After a break-in, report it to the police, keep the crime reference number and let your insurer know.
When you call, tell us the postcode, which floor the window is on, roughly how big it is and what it’s made of if you know (timber, uPVC, metal). Safe photographs sent by email are very useful.
Materials and fixings we use
Plywood window boarding
Most windows are boarded with exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm thick. It’s strong, copes with the weather and is hard to force, which matters on ground-floor and street-facing windows. The board is sized to the opening so that it sits tight and leaves no gaps to lever at.
OSB for smaller openings
For small panes, such as a toilet window or a narrow side light, OSB can be a sensible choice. We’ll explain which material suits your opening rather than defaulting to the heaviest option every time.
Security fixings
Where a window is exposed or easy to reach, we use security or anti-tamper fixings that are much harder to remove from outside. On an upstairs window that’s out of reach, standard fixings may be all that’s needed. We’ll talk it through on the call.
Protecting the frame
Wherever the frame allows, we fix in a way that limits damage, so the glazier has less to put right afterwards. That isn’t always possible. If the frame is split, rotten or bent out of shape after a forced entry, a board can’t simply be screwed to it and expected to hold. In that case we explain the options before starting, such as fixing to the surrounding structure, so you know exactly what’s being done and why.
Access, height and upper floors
A ground-floor window at the front of a house is usually straightforward. Access takes more planning when the window is:
- on the first floor or above
- above a conservatory, extension roof or basement well
- reached only through a narrow side return or rear garden
- in a block of flats, such as the five-storey blocks found around the Dollis Valley Estate near High Barnet
Some upper-floor windows can be boarded from inside, while others need ladder work outside. Tell us what you can see from the ground and send photos if you can. We’ll confirm on the call how we’d reach it. Please don’t go up a ladder to measure it yourself.
What happens on the visit
- Before photographs. We take time-stamped photos of the window as we find it.
- Making the glass safe. We remove loose and hanging glass from the frame and clear broken glass and debris from the immediate area so nobody gets hurt.
- Measuring and fitting. The van carries boarding stock and fixings, so the board is cut to the opening and fixed in place using the method agreed on the call.
- Check and after photographs. We check the board is firm and the opening is closed, then photograph the finished work.
If anything turns out different from what was described, such as a frame that’s worse than it looked, we’ll stop and talk to you before going further.
What you receive
- a broken window made safe and boarded with no open gaps
- the agreed work and nothing you didn’t agree to
- an itemised invoice
- time-stamped before and after photographs
- a written statement of the work done
That paperwork is the kind insurers usually ask for. Our insurance claims guide explains how to use it. Your insurer decides what’s covered, not us.
What affects the quote
There are no prices on this page because every window is different. We give a free, clear quote on the phone before any work starts. The main factors are:
- how many windows need boarding and how big they are
- height and access, including upper floors and ladder work
- the material and board thickness
- whether security or anti-tamper fixings are needed
- whether a damaged frame needs securing first
- how much broken glass and debris needs making safe
The pricing page explains each factor in more detail.
After the boarding
The board is a make-safe. It helps protect the property so you can arrange new glazing on a sensible timescale without rushing into the first quote. Once the glazier is ready, the board comes off and the permanent repair goes in.
About us
We’re an independent local boarding-up service with over 10 years’ experience. We’re fully insured, with the certificate available on request, and DBS-checked. We attend nights, weekends and bank holidays.
Talk to us about a broken window
Send us the postcode, which floor the window is on, its approximate size and a few photos taken from a safe spot. We’ll talk through access and the right board and fixings, and give you a clear quote before any work begins.