If you live in an area that doesn’t usually get hurricanes, then your home may not be equipped with the thick windowpanes and hurricane shutters that many people in storm-prone areas have as a matter of routine. In this case, in the unlikely event that a hurricane is being predicted for your area, you might want to look into smart practices for boarding up your windows to prevent breakage and potential internal damage to your home.


Most relevant authorities recommend boarding up with at least one layer of 5/8-inch thick plywood. However, if you can manage to get a thicker wood or to apply multiple layers, it cannot hurt to go beyond the minimum recommendation. Also, keep in mind that boarding up windows is typically a two person job, as you’ll likely be working with large panels that will require someone to hold them up while another person attaches them. Try to get this work done before the weather becomes too bad, as heavy winds can make it hard to maneuver these plywood panels.

Step 1: If you have a wood-framed home, mark locations of the studs on both sides and underneath the window. If the studs are not immediately apparent, you might have to use a drill to do a little bit of probing.

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