Commercial Boarding Up in Crawley (RH10 & RH11)

When a shopfront is smashed, an office entry door is forced, or a unit is left vulnerable after a break-in, you need the premises made safe quickly and properly. We specialise in commercial boarding up across Crawley and the RH10 and RH11 postcode districts—retail units, offices, restaurants, industrial units, and managed estates. We’re available 24/7 for emergency call-outs and planned securing work, and we’ll talk you through realistic ETAs based on time of day and workload.

With 10+ years trading, fully insured cover, and DBS-checked technicians, we understand the operational, safety, and insurance pressures that come with commercial incidents. From impact-damaged glazing on a retail parade to a void unit at Manor Royal that needs temporary steel security, we board up, make safe, and help you keep trading or protect assets while permanent repairs are arranged.

If you need urgent help now, call 01293 699 986. We attend across Crawley, including RH10 and RH11.

When Commercial Boarding Up Is Needed

Commercial premises in Crawley face a mix of risks tied to footfall, traffic, and industrial operations. Common triggers include:

• Smash-and-grab incidents on shopfront glazing, often out of hours
• Forced entry at rear service doors, roller shutters, or fire exits
• Accidental impacts from deliveries, trolleys, or vehicles to glazed doors and panels
• Storm damage to curtain walling, signage falling onto glazing, or skylights
• Vandalism: cracked display windows, kicked panels, or attempted prying at frames
• Fire incidents where glazing or door sets are compromised and the site must be secured
• Vacant or between-tenancy units needing medium-term protection against trespass

For each scenario, our priority is to make safe, secure property boundaries, and protect stock, data, and equipment. We also work to minimise trading disruption—co-ordinating out of hours where possible and providing documentation your insurer typically expects.

How We Secure Commercial Premises

Commercial sites vary—from full-height laminated shopfronts to aluminium systems and steel fire doors—so our methods are adapted to suit:

• Survey and risk assessment
  • Identify broken and loose glazing, unstable frames, and immediate hazards
  • Decide on non-destructive fixing wherever the frame allows
• Material selection
  • 18mm exterior-grade plywood for most doors and shopfronts
  • 12mm OSB for small internal openings or service windows
  • Temporary steel doors where access control is required (coded lock or padlock hasp)
  • Steel security screens for void units that need longer-term protection
• Fixing and sealing
  • Anti-tamper fixings or through-bolting to resist removal from outside—important for unattended sites
  • Packers and bracing to avoid racking pressure on delicate frames
  • Weatherproofing edges where exposure or water ingress is likely
• Access and compliance
  • Maintain emergency egress routes where required by your fire strategy (temporary steel door solutions)
  • Consider sightlines and safe pedestrian flow on busy frontages
  • RAMS available on request for managed estates or contractor portals

Why these methods? Commercial frames and large panes often flex more than domestic units; the right thickness and fixing pattern reduces vibration and tampering risk. Anti-tamper fittings deter opportunistic removal, particularly critical for retail and industrial units left unstaffed overnight.

What You Get From Us

• Clear phone triage and a realistic ETA
• On-site safety-first approach: glass made safe, hazards contained
• Correct materials for the opening and expected duration
• Time-stamped photos before and after, plus a work statement
• Itemised invoice suitable for insurance claims
• Honest advice: if a frame is too damaged for non-destructive boarding, we’ll explain options before proceeding
• Option to upgrade to temporary steel doors or steel security screens for medium-term security

Typical Commercial Scenarios We Handle

• Retail shopfronts: laminated or toughened panes smashed, mullions intact; we fit sized plywood panels with anti-tamper fixings, leaving signage and roller shutters operable where possible
• Offices: forced access via glazed entrance sets; we board the leaf and, if needed, install a temporary steel door to maintain controlled entry for staff
• Industrial units: side windows or loading bay personnel doors compromised; we secure openings while keeping roller shutter operations unaffected
• Hospitality: restaurant or bar frontage damaged after hours; we “make safe” quickly to protect interiors and enable reopening the next trading session if feasible
• Managed properties: void units at Manor Royal or retail parades in RH10 require steel screens and coded doors to control contractor access

If your situation differs, call us. We’ll talk through the setup and propose a safe, compliant plan.

Our Process: From Call to Secure

1. Call us on 01293 699 986 with your RH10 or RH11 location, opening sizes if known, and incident details.
2. We confirm urgency, discuss access/parking, and provide a realistic ETA based on workload.
3. On arrival, we conduct a safety assessment, remove loose glass, and measure accurately.
4. We cut boards to fit—tight to the reveal, with proper bracing and anti-tamper fixings.
5. Where access is needed, we can fit a temporary steel door or create a managed entry point.
6. We photograph the work and issue an itemised invoice and work statement for insurers.
7. We can return for adjustments or to remove boards when permanent glazing is ready.

Materials & Specifications

• Plywood: typically 18mm exterior-grade for high-traffic or large-span shopfronts
• OSB: 12mm for small internal or secondary openings
• Anti-tamper fixings: exterior-grade, chosen to prevent removal from the street side
• Temporary steel doors: robust frames with locking options for short-to-medium term use
• Security screens: perforated steel panels for airflow and strength on void properties

Note: We don’t claim to perform structural repairs. If we believe framing or lintels are unsafe, we’ll advise you to involve your principal contractor or a structural professional. We secure the opening to reduce immediate risk.

Documentation for Insurance and FM Teams

We’re not loss adjusters, but we regularly provide what’s needed to help commercial claims move forward:

• Time-stamped before/after photos
• Work statement describing materials and methods
• Itemised invoice including quantities and labour
• Attendance times for incident logs

For more on claims, see insurance claims support. For typical cost drivers, see our pricing guidance.

Out of Hours Attendance

We attend evenings, nights, weekends, and bank holidays. We don’t promise fixed arrival times—conditions vary—but we prioritise urgent calls and will give you an honest ETA on the phone. If your premises must trade the next day, tell us; we’ll plan accordingly.

If you need help now, use emergency boarding up.

Safety and Compliance Considerations

• Fire egress: Where a designated fire exit is affected, we’ll aim to maintain compliant egress using a temporary steel door or alternative route agreed on site.
• Public interface: On busy frontages, we manage cordons during glass removal and cutting.
• Contractor requirements: We can provide RAMS and liaise with site managers for multi-tenant buildings.

Practical Tips While You Wait

• If safe, move stock or equipment away from the damaged opening.
• Keep your police reference number if a crime has occurred.
• Take a few photos before any clean-up, if it’s safe to do so.
• Do not handle large shards—leave that to us.
• Call your insurer early; we can provide the documents they typically request.

Commercial Services You May Need

• Shopfronts: See shopfront boarding in Crawley
• Windows: See window boarding in Crawley
• Doors and access: See door boarding and temporary steel doors
• Weather-related: See roof and skylight boarding
• Urgent help: Go to 24/7 emergency boarding up in Crawley

Local Coverage for Commercial Premises

We cover commercial properties across RH10 and RH11—Crawley Town Centre, retail parades, business parks, and industrial areas. We regularly attend locations in and around:

• RH10: Maidenbower, Pound Hill, Three Bridges, Manor Royal, Northgate, Tilgate
• RH11: Bewbush, Broadfield, Gossops Green, Ifield, Langley Green, West Green, Southgate West

Explore nearby area pages:

• Boarding up in Manor Royal RH10
• Boarding up in Crawley Town Centre RH10
• Boarding up in Three Bridges RH10

Commercial FAQs (Crawley)

Can you board up a large shopfront tonight in Crawley?

Yes. We handle large-format glazing out of hours. We’ll confirm a realistic ETA and bring materials to suit wide spans and tall panes.

We’re in RH10 with a damaged entrance—can staff still get in tomorrow?

Often yes. We can install a temporary steel door with controlled access, or board one leaf and keep the other operable, depending on damage.

Do you provide documentation my insurer will accept?

We provide time-stamped photos, a work statement, and an itemised invoice. See our insurance claims page for details.

Our unit at Manor Royal needs securing for several weeks—what’s best?

For medium-term security, we typically recommend temporary steel doors and, for windows, steel security screens. We’ll assess the openings and advise.

Can you coordinate with a shopping centre or facilities manager?

Yes. We can provide RAMS, liaise with security teams, and follow site access protocols. Tell us about inductions or permits when you call.

Is there a difference between boarding a domestic window and a shopfront?

Yes. Shopfronts and commercial frames are larger and more exposed, so we use thicker boards, reinforced fixing patterns, and anti-tamper hardware to deter removal.

We’re in RH11 with a smashed side window—can you make safe without damaging the frame?

Where frames allow, we use non-destructive fixing. If the frame is too compromised, we’ll explain options and only proceed with your approval.

Do you remove the boards once the glazing company is ready?

Yes. We can return to remove boarding and, if needed, re-secure between survey and fit dates.

Need Commercial Boarding Up Now?

Need to secure property, protect stock, or keep trading after damage? Call 01293 699 986. Prefer email? Contact info@boarding-up-crawley.co.uk. We attend across RH10 and RH11 and will give you a clear, honest ETA.