Shopfront Boarding in Epsom
Shopfront boarding in Epsom closes off a broken display window or damaged shop door with sheet boarding fixed securely to the frame. It keeps the premises secure, keeps glass away from the pavement and lets you lock up until the glazier or shopfitter can do the permanent repair. We board shops, offices, restaurants and warehouses. A person answers the phone 24 hours a day, so you can arrange commercial boarding up in Epsom at any hour.
When shopfront boarding is the right call
It fits when a commercial frontage has lost its integrity and can’t be left as it is. Common reasons include:
- A shop window cracked or smashed, whether the glass is still in the frame or has fallen
- A glazed entrance door forced, shattered or left unable to lock
- A display window damaged by impact, such as a vehicle, a dropped load or debris in high winds
- A break-in that has left the front open overnight
- A unit that is closing or changing hands and needs its frontage closed off
If the damage happened tonight and you need someone out now, our 24-hour emergency boarding up page covers what to do first. This page explains how the boarding itself is done.
What makes a shopfront different from a house window
Shop windows are usually much bigger than domestic ones, and they often run close to the pavement. A single display pane can be wider than one sheet of board. On those we cover the full opening with several sheets and fix each one back to sound parts of the frame, so there are no gaps or loose edges anyone could lever at.
Entrance doors bring their own problem. A forced shop door often has a split frame, a damaged lock keep or a door leaf that no longer closes properly. We may need to secure that first before boarding over the glazing. If the door is the main issue, our door boarding service explains that part in more detail.
Many frontages also have smaller glazed panels: fanlights above the door, side lights, or windows to the flat or office above the shop. We include these if they’re damaged, and we’ll ask about them on the call so the quote reflects the whole frontage.
Materials and fixings
Most shopfront openings are boarded with exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm. It’s strong across a wide span and stands up to weather and attempts to prise it off. OSB can suit smaller openings such as a side panel or a fanlight. We’ll talk you through what suits your openings.
We use security or anti-tamper fixings, so the boards can’t easily be removed from outside. Where the frame allows, we fix non-destructively. That means less making good when the boards come down and the new glass goes in. This matters on older frontages.
Period and listed shopfronts in Epsom
Much of Epsom town centre sits within a conservation area, covering the High Street and parts of West Street, South Street, Waterloo Road, Ashley Avenue and Upper High Street, and many buildings along those streets are listed. There are Victorian and Edwardian shop terraces, Regency and Victorian town houses now used as offices on West Street, and restaurants in older buildings on South Street. If your premises is listed or has an original timber shopfront, tell us on the call. We’ll aim for the least intrusive fixing the frame will allow and explain the options before we start.
When the frame is too badly damaged
Boarding is only as secure as what it’s fixed to. If the frame is split, rotten or pushed out of line, the usual fixing points may not hold. In that case we stop and explain the options before going further, such as fixing to the surrounding structure or securing the frame first. You decide which way to go, and nothing outside the agreed quote goes ahead without your say.
What happens on the visit
- Making the area safe. Broken glass near a shop entrance is a risk to staff, customers and passers-by. We clear loose glass and debris where that’s part of the agreed work.
- Securing what needs it first. That might be a damaged door, frame or lock.
- Measuring and cutting. The van carries boarding stock and fixings, so we cut the boards to fit on site.
- Fixing the boards. We fit them tight to the opening using security fixings.
- Checking the job with you. We go over it together so you know which openings are covered and how the premises can be locked and accessed.
Keep staff and the public clear of the damaged glazing until we arrive. If it’s safe, take a few photographs from a distance before anything is moved.
What you receive
- Openings that are secure and weather-resistant, with the hazard cleared from the frontage
- The work agreed on the phone, done as quoted
- An itemised invoice
- Time-stamped before and after photographs
- A written statement of the work done
That paperwork is useful for your insurer. The insurer decides what’s covered, and our guide to insurance claims sets out how the documents help. If the damage came from a break-in, report it to the police, keep the crime reference number and contact your insurer. Our page on burglary repairs covers those steps.
Once the frontage is boarded, you have a secure base while the permanent glazing or shopfitting is arranged.
What affects the quote
We give a free, clear quote on the call before any work starts. No prices appear here because every frontage is different. The main factors are:
- How many openings there are and how big they are
- Height and access, including fascia-level glazing and windows above the shop
- The materials and board thickness the openings need
- The fixing method, including security or anti-tamper fixings
- Whether a damaged door or frame has to be secured first
- How much glass and debris needs making safe
Who we board for
We work for shop owners and managers, restaurant and café operators, office tenants, landlords and managing agents, and warehouse operators. The work covers shopping streets, parades and standalone commercial units. We’re an independent local boarding-up service with over 10 years’ experience. We’re fully insured, with the certificate available on request, and DBS-checked.
Get your shopfront boarded
Tell us the postcode, which openings are damaged and roughly how big they are, and whether there’s a door or frame that won’t secure. If you can safely send photographs taken from a distance, they help us plan access and confirm the quote. We’ll work out the arrival time on the call from your postcode.