Hurricane plywood installation is a two-person job, particularly with large panels. For safety’s sake, get them up before the wind picks up and turns these sheets into sails. Here’s how to board up windows of wood-framed houses. (For masonry houses, see “Tips” below.)
Boarding Up Windows For Hurricane
Tip 1: If you live where hurricanes are a frequent threat, take time during the off season to screw stainless-steel hanger bolts into the framing every 16 inches, and drill matching holes in the plywood. Then, when a storm threatens, you can mount the panels quickly and secure them with nuts and washers. Because these panels are reusable, prime and paint all surfaces and edges to protect them from decay.
Hurricane Prep: Storm Safety Checklist
Tip 2: On masonry houses, fit the plywood inside the window opening and hold it in place with 4-inch barrel bolts spaced no more than 16 inches apart. Each bolt’s sliding shaft fits into a hole drilled in the masonry, (not the grout joint).
