Boarding Up Windows

[cladano]

I'm new here and have been doing a lot of reading lately.
I've heard a lot of you guys talking about boarding up your windows.

Can you guys debate why you would want to board up your windows or why you wouldn't want to?

My initial thought would be that it's a good idea for extra layer of protection but then I thought it would kill your lighting and would be hard to see out and view intruders or what not.

Also would it make your house a target? If you're the only one in that area with boards would you stand out too much? If someone was attacking your house would boards stop them any more than windows?

Thoughts?

[apTacticalGear.com]

I say board them. The targets are normally the easiest to get into. The normal thief will not want to mess with prying board's off when there's an easier window to just break. As far as the lighting hopefully you have some lights prepped.

[9111315]

Back in the day they were called storm shutters.

Today, shutters are just eye candy.

[Allamakee County]

You see that a lot? Here? On this website?

I hardly ever do.

[Sue Doh Myn]

For a more stealth look, board them from the inside with the board painted black and curtains/drapes between the window & board. Should look pretty close to 'normal' from the outside, and won't allow light to show at night.

[TheFittest]

I was going to make the same suggestion. And with some ingenuity you can also use some thick acrylic for a small peek window. If I remember correctly, anything over 2" thick is bullet proof.

I would love some nice looking steel shutters that lock from the inside. Now that's some money well spent!

And as far as being a target, if looting has increased that much (to the point of going house to house) then it will work both ways. One group will pass over you because they don't want to put out the effort. The other group will try harder to get in because they know you have something worth taking. Just make sure you are ready for them. And it helps to funnel them into one area. Make em think its weak, and then surprise em... After all, we are talking about protecting your family and friends, as well as the things you have worked to hard to get.

[bayez]

Might use blinds instead of curtains,drapes...Depends on if your home is multi story or one level...If you have your barricades on hand at grnd level,each rm,you could secure that level pretty quick...

[Illini Warrior]

fifty houses wide open to loot and burn .... your's boarded up, with half a dozen rifles taking aiming thru firing loops .....

guess which one gets by-passed?

[sigmund]

Unless you spent alot of money, your house isnt bulletproof. Standing behind a boarded up window would be the worse place to be.

[snowie]

Originally Posted by cladano

I'm new here and have been doing a lot of reading lately.
I've heard a lot of you guys talking about boarding up your windows.

Can you guys debate why you would want to board up your windows or why you wouldn't want to?

My initial thought would be that it's a good idea for extra layer of protection but then I thought it would kill your lighting and would be hard to see out and view intruders or what not.

Also would it make your house a target? If you're the only one in that area with boards would you stand out too much? If someone was attacking your house would boards stop them any more than windows?

Thoughts?

i have rolls of chain link fencing, heavy long bolts with washers and 2x4s ready to bolt through the walls over the windows when tshtf. it will look ugly as hell but definitely slow down the zombies. plus Molotov cocktails will just bounce off.

[cladano]

What if it's not looters that are door knocking. What if it's our military/foreign military/UN ?? Similar to gun confiscation during Katrina?

I wonder if you would be singled out as a domestic terrorist pretty quickly.

My SHTF plan will to have some candles and solar lights but I don't want to trapped in a dark box and having to use artificial light most of the time.

And the house I'm planning on building will be a ranch so no 2 story option.

I'm just thinking this through in my head...

[cladano]

Originally Posted by Allamakee County

You see that a lot? Here? On this website?

I hardly ever do.

Last night I read a couple topics on "If you had 72 hours before the SHTF" and another was "What would you do if you had 7 days before the SHTF".

Several people said they would board up their windows almost immediately.

Which might not be a bad thing. Just wondering exactly how beneficial it would be.

[tiger13]

The walls of your average wood framed house are not going to stop a bullet, it is going to pass right on thru, but anything that will act as a deterrent to slow down entry into your house to an intruder, allows you time to repel them. Also, you can cut firing loops in them so you can fire out so you can engage your attacker from a distance, no, they will not stop a bullet, but if you are shooting at your attackers from a distance, and holding them away, their aim is not as good either. Also, they provide concealment to what goes on inside to house. Better to have your attacked try to get thru one inch of plywood than a quarter inch of window glass.

[10 Bears]

Originally Posted by cladano

I'm new here and have been doing a lot of reading lately.
I've heard a lot of you guys talking about boarding up your windows.

Can you guys debate why you would want to board up your windows or why you wouldn't want to?

My initial thought would be that it's a good idea for extra layer of protection but then I thought it would kill your lighting and would be hard to see out and view intruders or what not.

Also would it make your house a target? If you're the only one in that area with boards would you stand out too much? If someone was attacking your house would boards stop them any more than windows?

Thoughts?

http://www.armorco.com/shop/custom.aspx?recid=3

[Grinnan Barrett]

Boards just help keep the honest people honest. If you want to put more security into your home you need a plan that includes obstacles like decorative boulders in your landscape to keep vehicles from driving into your home. Gun ports in the wood also are a must if you plan to have a defense. I know some guys who are adding chain link to their windows as well.

All you can do is slow them down if you plan to stay in your house. Also remember that plywood covers on your windows also keep you inside if they set your house on fire. Have an exit planned. GB

[cladano]

Wouldn't boarded up windows also cut your air flow through the house? ie.. no air cooling going through it?

I've only thought about this for a very short time, but I could see how some sort of bars or fencing may be a better option than boarding them with plywood.

Perhaps even putting some sort of fencing on the inside of the windows, so that you have your blinds inside the window well and your fencing mounted flush with the wall??

You would still be able to open close the windows/ blinds for light and airflow yet still be protected.

What are the pros/cons of putting fencing on the inside as opposed to the outside of your house?

[Ricekila]

Unless your the only white family living on the block ---- nothing screams "I have stuff" than plywood on the windows

Unless you drop the blinds -- and board them from the inside

From the outside it would look normal -- then when the windows are broken - its like an alarm went off

If you board up on the outside - short of cutting a "balistraria" -- a door peep hole thing-ie could be installed

[BBQ_Pork]

I'm planning on using expanded metal. Strong, but allows airflow and light through.

[EODblake]

I posted this as a suggestion in another thread, but I thought it applied here. Granted unless I moved to a different location or saw drastic changes in world events I probably wouldn’t do this, but if I lived in a bad neighborhood I think it’s a great idea and wouldn’t be surprised if someone has already thought of it.

The problem is creating a safe room on the ground floor of a home. Any door or window is framed by 2x4's and here is my suggestion.

1. Sink eye lag bolts at the four corners or as needed for larger windows or doors with eyes big enough that rebar can slide through.

2. Cut a piece of chain-link fence big enough to cover the door or window with overhang.

3. Cut the rebar to length and drill a hole on each end for cotter pins.

4. Slide the rebar in the top eyebolt weaving it through the chain-link.

5. Once the rebar is in place put a washer on each end of rebar and secure with heavy duty cotter pins.

6. With wider windows you would need to do the top and bottoms.

An intruder's only option would be cutting through as chain-link is too spring like to be kicked or smashed.

If this was a spare room used as a safe room you would just keep the curtains closed tucked between the "fence" and window; then when company comes take it down and use the eyelets to tie the curtains back.

One could have all the lag bolts installed and painted to match décor with the chain-link and rebar stored in each rooms respective closet. Securing a house would take a matter of minutes and nothing would look different from the outside. This is just a basic design and could be made much more secure/permanent.

[Shadowboxin20]

clear shutters would fix your problem i think, they are impact hurricane shutters that can handle a 2x4 at 150mph. I prefer the accordian ones that you can open and close. This allows the breeze in and out and you can seal the whole house in under 3 minutes