Fire damage boarding up in West London (W2–W14)

Fire damage is stressful even when everyone is safe. Once the fire brigade has left and the immediate danger has passed, you’re often left with broken windows, a forced door, damaged frames, and holes where crews needed access. In West London’s mix of Victorian terraces, mansion blocks and shop units, that can quickly turn into a security risk—and a weather problem—especially if the property will be unattended overnight.

Boarding Up West London provides fire damage boarding up across the W postcodes (W2–W14) to help you secure the property after fire, reduce the risk of theft or further damage, and give insurers and contractors a stable starting point.

Need help now? Call 020 4634 8072 for immediate assistance.
Or email: [email protected]

When fire damage boarding up is needed

Even a small fire can leave a property exposed. Boarding up is usually needed when:

Windows have cracked, blown, or been removed for ventilation or access
Doors have been forced (including communal entrances or rear doors)
Frames are heat-damaged and no longer hold glazing safely
Shopfront glazing has failed from heat or impact during response
Rooflights or skylights have been compromised, letting in rain and debris
The building must be left vacant while investigations, drying, or repairs take place

In West London we often see this after:

Kitchen fires in flats (including mansion blocks around Bayswater, Maida Vale and Kensington)
Electrical faults in older conversions (common in Victorian and Edwardian streets across W3–W6)
Small commercial fires affecting shutters, shopfronts and rear access doors (retail parades and mixed-use buildings)

If you’re unsure whether boarding up is necessary, we’ll talk it through on the phone. Sometimes a temporary secure close (or a temporary steel door) is more appropriate than timber on a doorway.

What to do straight after a fire (practical steps)

If you’re dealing with the aftermath, here’s a sensible order of actions:

Wait for the fire brigade to confirm it’s safe to re-enter.
Take photos/videos if safe—especially of damaged openings, doors and windows.
Find your insurer details and (if available) any incident or reference number.
Avoid touching broken glass, warped frames, or unstable panels. Heat damage can make materials fail unexpectedly.
Call us to secure the building if it can’t be locked and protected.

We’re not loss adjusters and can’t advise on claim acceptance, but we can provide the kind of documentation insurers typically ask for (see “What you receive” below).

If you need urgent help, use our dedicated emergency page: emergency boarding up.

How we secure a property after fire damage

Every fire scene is different. Soot, water, heat-damaged timber and compromised fixings all affect how we work. Our job is to secure the openings without creating unnecessary extra damage, and to make it clear what we’ve done.

1) We assess what’s safe to fix to

Before we install boards or screens, we check:

Whether the surrounding frame is sound enough to take fixings
If there’s spalling brickwork or crumbling render around the opening
Whether internal access is possible (some buildings need boarding from outside only)
If the best outcome is boarding, a temporary steel door, or steel security screens for longer-term void protection

If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive methods, we’ll explain the practical options before proceeding.

2) We board windows using the right material for the opening

For fire-damaged glazing, we typically use:

18mm exterior-grade plywood for robust, street-facing openings
12mm OSB for smaller or less exposed openings where appropriate

We cut boards to suit the opening, then fix them securely. Where there’s a heightened risk of tampering (for example, ground-floor windows facing a public pavement), we use anti-tamper fixings so the boards can’t be easily removed from outside.

If you specifically need window work, see: window boarding in West London.

3) We secure damaged doors—often with a temporary steel door

Fire crews may force entry, or heat can warp a door so it won’t close. For doorways, we’ll discuss the best option:

Door boarding for short-term securing where the frame is suitable
Temporary steel doors where the opening needs a more practical, lockable solution (particularly for vacant properties, repeated access needs, or higher-risk locations)

If the doorway is your only secure entry point, a temporary steel door can be the difference between “boarded shut” and “secure but accessible”.

Relevant service: door boarding in West London.

4) We handle shopfronts with larger panels and cleaner lines

For retail and commercial properties, fire damage often affects:

Large glazed panes
Aluminium shopfront framing
Access doors and rear service entries

We can board shopfronts with larger-format sheets, fixed to resist opportunistic entry and reduce the risk of further glass fallout. Where a site will remain closed for a period, we can advise on more durable securing options.

Relevant service: shopfront boarding in West London.

5) If the roof is open, we provide temporary cover and boarding

Sometimes the most urgent issue after a fire is weather ingress—especially if a rooflight has failed or a section of roof covering has been opened for firefighting.

We can board and protect roof openings where safe access is available, focusing on temporary security and basic weather protection to stop rain getting in and worsening the damage.

Relevant service: roof boarding in West London.

A realistic example (what this often looks like)

A common call-out we get in West London is after a small flat fire where smoke and water damage is significant, but the main issue is security: a rear kitchen window has failed, the front door won’t lock, and the tenant has to stay elsewhere.

In that situation, we’ll typically:

Board the broken window with exterior-grade ply using anti-tamper fixings (particularly if it’s accessible from a side return)
Make the entrance secure—often recommending a temporary steel door if the existing door and frame are compromised
Provide time-stamped photos of the secured openings and an itemised invoice to support the insurance process

It’s not about “making it pretty”—it’s about making it safe, secure, and easier to manage until permanent repairs are arranged.

What you receive (useful for insurers and property managers)

After we secure the property, you’ll typically receive:

Time-stamped photos of the completed boarding/door security
An itemised invoice describing labour and materials
A brief statement of work (what was secured, and how)
Clear notes if we found frames too damaged for certain fixings or if additional work is recommended

For claim-related guidance, see: insurance claims support. (We’ll help with documentation—your insurer decides the claim.)

What we can’t do (being clear helps)

Fire scenes often need multiple trades. Our focus is securing the building.

We do not provide smoke/odour remediation or deep cleaning
We do not certify structural safety—if there’s any doubt, you may need a structural engineer or the building owner’s surveyor
We can’t guarantee fixed arrival times, as conditions and access vary (we prioritise urgent situations)

If you’re unsure what you need, call and we’ll advise sensibly.

Fire damage risks in West London: why quick securing matters

In the W postcodes, many properties sit close to public footfall—busy high streets, communal entrances, side alleyways, mews access and basement areas. Once a property is visibly damaged, it can attract:

Opportunistic entry and theft
Further vandalism
Weather damage (rain into exposed rooms, swelling timber, additional staining)
Complaints from neighbours or freeholders if hazards aren’t made safe

Boarding up is often the fastest way to stabilise the situation while the next steps are arranged.

FAQs — fire damage boarding up (West London)

How soon should I board up after a fire?

As soon as the fire brigade confirms it’s safe and you can legally access the property. If the building can’t be properly locked, it’s best to secure it before nightfall to reduce risk.

Is fire damage boarding up covered by insurance?

Often it can be, depending on your policy and circumstances. We’re not loss adjusters, but we provide photos and paperwork that insurers commonly request. More detail here: insurance claims support.

Can you board up a property that’s been soaked by firefighting water?

Yes—though waterlogged timber and damaged masonry can affect fixing options. We’ll choose methods that are secure and explain any limitations if frames won’t hold standard fixings.

Do you install temporary steel doors after a fire?

Yes. If a door or frame is damaged and the property needs secure access (especially for contractors or follow-on works), a temporary steel door is often more practical than boarding a doorway shut. Start here: door boarding in West London.

I’m a landlord or managing agent—can you provide documentation for my file?

Yes. We can provide time-stamped photos and a clear work summary to support your internal records and any insurer requirements.

Next steps: secure your property after fire damage

If your property has been left exposed after a fire—broken glazing, forced entry points, or a compromised roof—our job is to secure it properly and document the work.