Shopfront Boarding in Harlow
Shopfront boarding in Harlow makes a broken shop window, glazed entrance or commercial frontage secure until the permanent glazing or door repair can be arranged. Boarding Up Harlow boards shops, offices, restaurants and warehouses, and a person answers the phone 24 hours a day if the damage happens after closing. The van carries boarding stock and fixings.
When shopfront boarding is the right call
Commercial frontages fail differently from house windows. The glass panels are larger, the frames are often aluminium or timber sections that carry a lot of weight, and an entrance door is usually part of the same glazed run. Shopfront boarding fits when:
- a display window or glazed panel is cracked, shattered or missing after a break-in, an impact or storm damage
- a glazed entrance door or side panel has been forced and can’t be locked properly
- an office, restaurant or warehouse has broken windows and needs to be secure overnight or over a weekend
- a unit is closing for a while and the frontage needs protecting
If the main problem is a forced door, frame or lock, our door boarding and securing service covers that in more detail. On most shopfront jobs the two overlap, and we treat the frontage as one job.
How we board up a shop front
Making the area safe first
Broken shop glass is heavy, and a cracked panel can drop without warning. Before boarding, loose glass and debris are made safe so the board can sit properly and nobody on the pavement is at risk. Please keep staff and customers clear of the damaged area and don’t try to pull out hanging glass yourself.
Materials
For most shop windows and glazed panels we use exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm. It’s rigid enough to span large openings and stands up to weather. Large display windows may need more than one sheet, jointed and fixed so there’s no weak seam to lever at. OSB can suit smaller openings such as a fanlight or narrow side panel. We’ll explain what’s going on each opening rather than using one approach for everything.
Fixings
Commercial frontages often face the street, so the fixings matter. Security or anti-tamper fixings make the boarding much harder to remove from outside. Where the frame is sound, we use non-destructive fixing, which helps protect the frame for the glazier and keeps the eventual repair simpler.
When the frame is badly damaged
Sometimes the frame itself is bent, split or pulled away from the wall, often after a forced entry. In that case we explain the options before we fix anything, because boarding is only as secure as what it’s fixed to. That might mean securing the damaged frame or door first, or fixing differently from our usual method. You’ll know what’s proposed and why before work goes ahead.
Historic shopfronts in Harlow
Harlow Council’s Shopfront Design Guide names Old Harlow High Street, Bush Fair and The Stow as historic shopping areas it aims to protect, and Old Harlow’s High Street has well-preserved original shopfronts. If your premises has an older timber shopfront, mention it on the call. We’ll favour non-destructive fixing wherever the frame allows, so the original joinery is left in the best condition for repair.
Offices, restaurants and warehouses
Commercial boarding up in Harlow isn’t only retail. The same approach applies to:
- Offices: ground-floor glazing, glazed entrance screens and reception doors
- Restaurants and cafés: wide frontage windows and glazed doors, where debris near food areas needs to be cleared with care
- Warehouses and industrial units: windows, personnel doors and higher openings where access needs planning
Upper-floor windows, fascia-level glazing and roof lights change the access needed, so tell us about them on the call. Skylights are covered by our roof boarding work.
What happens on the visit
- We check the damage and confirm the agreed work with you or whoever is on site.
- Time-stamped photographs are taken before work starts.
- Glass and debris are made safe.
- Openings are measured and boarded, with damaged doors or frames secured first if that’s been agreed.
- Time-stamped after photographs are taken once the frontage is secure.
What you receive
- Made-safe, boarded openings across the agreed part of the frontage
- An itemised invoice
- Time-stamped before and after photographs
- A written statement of the work done
These documents are what most insurers ask for. Your insurer decides what the policy covers. Our guide to insurance claims paperwork explains what each document is for. After a break-in, report it to the police, keep the crime reference number and contact your insurer. Our page on burglary repairs covers those first steps.
Boarding makes the premises secure now. Your glazier or door specialist can then fit the permanent repair, and the boards come off when it’s ready.
What affects the quote
The quote is given on the call, free and clear, before any work starts. These are the things that shape it:
- the number and size of the openings, and how many sheets a large display window needs
- height and access, including fascia-level glazing, upper floors or anything needing ladders
- materials and board thickness
- fixing method, including security or anti-tamper fixings
- whether a damaged door or frame needs securing first
- how much broken glass and debris needs making safe
Our pricing page explains these factors in more detail.
Who we are
Boarding Up Harlow is 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 at any hour, including nights, weekends and bank holidays. The arrival time is worked out on the call once we have your postcode.
Talk to us about your shopfront
To get a quote, tell us the postcode, the type of premises, roughly how many openings are damaged and how large they are, and whether there’s a damaged door or frame. Safe photographs taken from a distance help us plan access and materials. Please don’t go close to hanging glass to take them.
Call 01279 744 842 or Email us with the details and photographs.