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Property Protection
Boarding up: Improving Your Vacant Property Security
Boarding up: Improving Your Vacant Property Security
admin
May 11, 2026

When you own or manage a property that is going to be vacant for a longer period, one of your first concerns is likely to be how to secure the building’s openings, such as the windows and doors.

When it comes to boarding up your vacant property, Steel is the favored material because of its strength, durability, non-combustibility, and general security qualities. Yet, as we will cover, the quality of steel varies if you don’t carefully select your security provider.

In this blog, you’ll find out how you can maximise vacant property security with steel to keep squatters out.

CONCLUSION

Boarding up with steel is best to increase security for properties that are vacant for a long time.

To summaries steel security screening is:

  • Solid and impenetrable.
  • Non-degrading
  • Non-Combustible
  • Secured with anti-tamper fixings, which cannot be removed by anyone with a screwdriver – once they’re on, they stay on.
  • Steel screens that are specially cut to fit the apertures’ dimensions are the best option for security.
IMPACTS OF BOARDING UP YOUR VACANT PROPERTY WITH LOW-QUALITY STEEL OR TIMBER
ANTI-TAMPER FIXTURES FOR STEAM BOARDING UP

01

BOARDING UP WITH STEEL
Steel screening uses anti-tamper fixtures, this means that the removal of these window screens will require the use of restricted access specialist tools. These are tools that are not available to the general public and therefore not readily available to petty criminals that may try to break into vacant properties.

02

VACANT PROPERTY SECURITY: STEEL VS WOOD
You have the option of using either wood or steel to ‘board up’ your vacant property. Temporary glazing companies frequently use timber or wooden boarding since its more widely available, simple to install, and acceptable as a short-term solution. Wood, however, is a short-term solution and is not advised for long-term boarding.

03

ANTI-TAMPER FIXTURES FOR STEAM BOARDING UP
You have the option of using either wood or steel to ‘board up’ your vacant property. Temporary glazing companies frequently use timber or wooden boarding since its more widely available, simple to install, and acceptable as a short-term solution. Wood, however, is a short-term solution and is not advised for long-term boarding.

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