Shopfront Boarding in South East London
Shopfront boarding in South East London is often needed with no warning – a smashed shop window, an attempted break‑in, or accidental damage that leaves your business exposed. We provide fast, professional shopfront boarding to secure your premises, protect stock and make your property safe for staff and the public.
Need urgent help securing your shopfront? Call 020 4538 1506 now for 24/7 emergency boarding up.
We cover high streets and commercial areas right across South East London – from Peckham, Lewisham and Greenwich to Woolwich, Dulwich, Bermondsey and beyond – with an experienced, fully mobile team.
When You Need Shopfront Boarding
You might need shopfront boarding in South East London in a range of emergency situations:
- Shop window smashed by vandalism or attempted burglary
- RAM‑raid or vehicle impact damaging glazing, frames or roller shutters
- Accidental breakage during deliveries or internal works
- Storm damage that leaves large panes cracked, loose or unsafe
- Fire or flood damage where glass has broken from heat or structural movement
- Pre‑emptive security for vacant or refitting units that need temporary protection
We regularly provide:
- Commercial boarding up for retail units, cafes, restaurants and salons
- Retail boarding up for high street multiples and independents
- Facilities management boarding up for managing agents and FM companies
- Business boarding up for offices with glazed entrances or curtain walling
Whether you’ve discovered your shop window smashed first thing in the morning, or you’ve had to call the police after out‑of‑hours vandalism, our fast boarding up services help you:
- Make the area safe (no loose glass, no exposed edges)
- Prevent easy access to your stock and equipment
- Deter further vandalism or opportunistic theft
- Meet insurer expectations around emergency property securing
If you also need your windows reglazed, we can work with your chosen emergency glazier or glazier of choice (board now, glaze later) so you’re never left exposed.
How We Secure Your Shopfront
Our focus is on non-destructive securing wherever possible, using robust materials and fixings that insurers recognise.
1. Initial Safety Check & Clean‑Up
On arrival we will:
- Assess structural safety of the glass, frame and surrounding area
- Isolate the danger zone with cones or tape where needed
- Carefully remove loose glass and sharp edges
- Sweep and bag up broken glass from the pavement and inside the premises
Where there are concerns about structural damage (e.g. serious vehicular impact to shopfront), we’ll explain any limits to what can be safely boarded until a structural engineer or builder has assessed it.
2. Measuring & Planning the Boarding
We measure:
- The size and number of panes – including large shopfront glass panels
- The height from ground level and any access requirements
- Obstacles like roller shutters, grilles, signage, awnings or canopies
- Any need to maintain emergency exits or ventilation
We then plan the most secure way to board up and secure your shopfront while keeping the fixings as sympathetic as possible to your frame and façade.
3. Materials: Plywood & OSB Boarding
We typically use a mix of:
- Structural plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board)
- Common thicknesses: 18mm or 21mm, depending on risk and opening size
These materials are:
- Strong and impact‑resistant
- Suitable for short to medium‑term temporary boarding up
- Accepted by insurers for emergency boarding up in most cases
For very large areas or particularly high‑risk sites, we can discuss temporary steel doors or steel security screens for added protection.
4. Anti‑Tamper Fixings & Non‑Destructive Methods
Wherever possible, we use anti‑tamper fixings, designed so they can’t be easily undone from the outside.
Our priority is non-destructive securing:
- We try to use existing frame fixings or brick joints
- We avoid drilling into tiles, heritage stone or shopfront joinery where we reasonably can
- We explain clearly if any drilling or minor surface damage is unavoidable to secure the opening safely
For roller shutters or grilles:
- We can board behind or in front of shutters depending on damage and access
- If the shutter is jammed, we may board over it as a temporary safety measure until a shutter engineer attends
5. Temporary Steel Doors & Steel Security Screens (Where Needed)
For high‑risk or longer‑term issues – such as fire‑damaged or vacant units – we can install:
- Temporary steel doors to allow controlled access for staff, insurers and contractors
- Steel security screens or Sitex‑style anti‑vandal security screens to protect open frontages while keeping views in/out if required
These options are particularly useful for:
- Long insurance investigations
- Extensive fire or flood refurbishments
- Vacant property boarding where you need more than timber
If this applies to you, our team will explain the pros and cons of plywood/OSB vs steel options on site.
Why Choose Us for Shopfront Boarding in South East London?
Local, Experienced & Fully Insured
- 10+ years’ experience securing shops and commercial premises across South East London
- Coverage across SE postcodes – including SE1–SE28 and neighbourhoods such as Peckham, Elephant & Castle, Lewisham, Greenwich, Woolwich, Bermondsey, Camberwell and Catford
- Public liability insurance in place for your peace of mind
- DBS‑checked technicians for trustworthy attendance at your property, day or night
We regularly work with:
- Independent retailers and restaurants
- Multi‑site chains and franchises
- Landlords, estate agents and property managers
- Facilities management and security companies
For broader commercial needs, you may also want to see our commercial boarding up in South East London overview.
Non‑Destructive Wherever Possible
We know shopfronts are part of your brand. Our technicians:
- Use non-destructive securing methods wherever it’s safe to do so
- Explain any drilling or unavoidable marks before we start
- Keep signage, shutters and lighting in mind when positioning boards
Insurer‑Friendly Paperwork & Evidence
Most insurers expect prompt emergency board up after a break‑in or impact. We can help make this smoother by providing:
- Time‑stamped photos of the damage and our completed boarding
- An itemised invoice showing labour, materials and call‑out
- A simple work statement describing the incident and what we secured
For more details, visit our page on insurance support for boarding up in South East London.
Please remember to keep:
- Any police reference number if a crime has been reported
- Your policy number and insurer contact details handy when you call us
RAMS & Safe Working for Commercial Sites
For larger or managed sites we can provide:
- Brief RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements) on request
- Coordination with your security, FM, fire alarms and CCTV providers
- Consideration for pedestrians and neighbours, especially on busy streets and shopping centres
What Happens Next?
Whether you call us at 3pm or 3am, our process is straightforward:
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Call us or email details
- For urgent issues, Call 020 4538 1506 immediately.
- Tell us your location, type of damage, and any immediate risks.
- For non‑urgent or planned works, you can contact our South East London team with photos.
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We assess and quote
- We’ll explain likely options and costs based on the information you provide.
- For complex frontages, we may ask for photos to confirm access and materials.
- You can also review how we work across all services on our boarding up services in South East London hub.
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We attend and secure
- Our technician arrives with boards, fixings and safety equipment.
- We make safe, board up and secure your shopfront using plywood or OSB and anti‑tamper fixings.
- Where necessary, we liaise with your glazier, shutter engineer or builder on site.
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Paperwork and aftercare
- We provide your invoice and basic work statement for insurance.
- If you’re comparing options or planning remedial works, you can review typical boarding up price factors on our pricing page.
- For future incidents, our situations hub explains how we help after burglary, vandalism, storm, fire, flood or accidental damage.
If your damage is specifically due to vandalism or criminal damage, our dedicated vandalism boarding in South East London page may also be useful.
FAQs – Shopfront Boarding in South East London
How fast can you board up my shopfront?
We provide 24/7 emergency boarding up across South East London with efficient dispatch. Actual arrival times vary with traffic and workload, but we always prioritise emergency boarding up near you where there is a safety or security risk. Call us and we’ll give you a realistic timeframe based on your exact location.
Do you offer out‑of‑hours shopfront boarding?
Yes. We specialise in out-of-hours boarding up for shops and commercial units. Whether it’s late at night, early morning, a weekend or a bank holiday, we operate a genuine 24 hour boarding up service for South East London businesses.
Will boarding up damage my frames or shopfront?
We use non-destructive securing methods wherever we safely can. Sometimes, especially after serious impacts or with very large panes, minimal drilling may be needed to ensure the boards hold securely. If any such fixings are necessary, we will explain this before we start.
Can you help if my roller shutter is also damaged?
In many cases, yes. If the shutter is stuck open or damaged, we can usually board behind or over the shutter to make the premises secure. If the shutter mechanism itself needs repair, you will still require a dedicated shutter engineer, but our boarding will protect the opening in the meantime.
Do you replace the glass as well?
We are not full‑service glaziers, but we often work alongside emergency glaziers. We can board up broken windows immediately and then your chosen glazing company can return to measure and replace the glass. This “board now, glaze later” approach is standard in many insurance claims.
Will my insurer pay for shopfront boarding?
Every policy is different, but emergency securing after a break‑in, impact or storm is often covered. We can’t give legal or insurance advice, but we do provide insurance‑ready paperwork (photos, invoice and work statement) to support your claim. For more on this, see our insurance support for boarding up page.
Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506 for 24/7 emergency shopfront boarding in South East London, or Email us with photos for a fast, no‑obligation quote.
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