Fire Damage Boarding Up in East London (E Postcodes)

A fire is stressful enough without worrying about who can get into the property afterwards. Whether it’s a small kitchen fire, an electrical fault, or a larger incident affecting multiple flats or a commercial unit, fire damage often leaves windows blown out, doors forced, and parts of the building exposed to weather and opportunistic entry.

Boarding Up East London provides emergency boarding up across E postcodes (E1–E77) to help you make safe and secure property after a fire. We’ve been trading for 10+ years, we’re fully insured, and our technicians are DBS-checked.

If you need urgent help—day or night—use our emergency page or call now: Call 020 4634 6384.
For non-urgent enquiries, you can also email us.

When fire damage boarding up is needed (and why it can’t wait)

After a fire, the immediate priority is people’s safety and the fire service’s work. Once the incident is under control, the next problem is often the building itself: openings that shouldn’t be open, and security that can’t be relied on.

You may need post-fire boarding if:

• Windows are cracked or missing due to heat, pressure, or firefighting activity (a “smashed window” after heat stress is common).
• Doors are damaged or forced for entry (you may need to board up a door or fit a temporary steel door).
• The fire has affected a shopfront or commercial glazing, leaving the unit vulnerable overnight.
• There’s roof or skylight damage from heat, impact, or firefighting access.
• The property will be unoccupied (even short-term), increasing the risk of theft, squatting, or further damage.

Even if you’re planning repairs quickly, temporary boarding is often the sensible first step—especially when the glazing company can’t attend immediately or replacement materials are on lead time.

If you’re unsure whether boarding up is appropriate, call us and explain what’s happened. If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive fixing, we’ll talk you through the options before proceeding.

What we do after a fire: securing and “making safe” (step-by-step)

Fire damage can be unpredictable. Heat distorts timber and uPVC, metal can warp, and plaster can become fragile. Our job is to secure the vulnerable points without creating unnecessary additional damage.

A typical fire damage boarding up call-out in East London looks like this:

1. Initial questions on the phone

   • Which E postcode you’re in and whether it’s residential or commercial
   • What openings are affected (window, door, shopfront, rooflight)
   • Whether the fire service is still in attendance / if access is permitted
   • Any hazards you’ve been warned about (loose glass, unstable frames, shared communal areas)

2. Site assessment on arrival

   • We check the damaged openings, surrounding frame condition, and safe fixing points.
   • If access is restricted (common in blocks of flats or commercial sites), we work with whoever has authority on site.

3. Boarding up to prevent entry and weather ingress

   • For windows, we typically use 18mm exterior-grade plywood for robust security.
   • For smaller or low-risk openings, 12mm OSB may be appropriate—chosen based on the opening size and fixing options.
   • Fixings are selected to suit the substrate (brick, timber frame, metal frame) and the risk level.

4. Anti-tamper methods where appropriate

   • If the property will be unattended, anti-tamper fixings matter. They’re designed to reduce the chance of boards being removed from outside—particularly important overnight or in exposed locations.

5. Documentation for your insurer / records

   • We can provide itemised invoices, a clear work statement, and time-stamped photos of the secured openings—useful when you’re making an insurance claim or updating a landlord/managing agent.

For urgent attendance at any hour, visit emergency boarding up or Call 020 4634 6384.

Fire damage is different: what we can and can’t do

It’s important to be clear about scope after a fire.

What we can do

• Secure the property: board up broken windows, doors, and damaged shopfront glazing
• Help you make safe exposed openings to reduce risk of theft and weather damage
• Provide temporary security solutions for vacant or heavily damaged premises (where appropriate)
• Supply documentation insurers typically request (photos, invoices, description of works)

What we don’t do

• We are not a fire restoration or smoke/odour remediation company.
• We don’t certify structural safety or sign off electrics/gas. If there are concerns, we’ll advise you to follow the fire service guidance and involve qualified specialists.

If you need the property secured first so other trades can work safely, boarding up is often the right first step.

How we secure different openings after a fire

Fire incidents rarely damage just one neat pane. Here’s how we approach the most common entry points.

Boarding up broken or heat-damaged windows

If you need to board up a broken window after fire damage, we focus on two things: secure fixing and preventing additional cracking/fragmenting around the frame.

• We measure and cut boards to cover the opening properly (not just a patch).
• We choose exterior-grade boards suited to the risk and opening size.
• We fix in a way that’s resistant to removal from outside where possible.

Related service: window boarding in East London

Boarding up doors and forced entrances

After a fire, doors may be forced by emergency entry or damaged by heat. If the door is no longer secure, we can:

• Board up the door to stop access temporarily, or
• Discuss a stronger option if the property will be vacant.

Related service: door boarding in East London

Shopfronts and commercial glazing

A fire in a commercial unit can leave the frontage exposed, which is a security risk and a liability risk—especially if the premises is on a busy route or will be closed for days.

We can board up shopfront glazing with appropriately sized panels and fixings suited to commercial openings.

Related service: shopfront boarding in East London

Rooflights, skylights, and overhead openings

Heat, impact, or firefighting access can damage rooflights and skylights. These are high-risk because they let in water fast and can be difficult to access safely.

Related service: roof boarding in East London

Temporary steel doors and longer-term security (when boarding isn’t enough)

Some post-fire situations aren’t “board it and forget it”. If the building will be empty during investigation and repairs, you may need a more robust, manageable solution than timber boards—especially for repeated access by surveyors, adjusters, or contractors.

In those cases, we may recommend:

• A temporary steel door (for a compromised entrance where you need controlled access), or
• Security screening approaches for longer vacancies (subject to site suitability)

If you’re dealing with a vacant unit after a fire, see vacant property boarding up and call us to talk through options.

What to do right now after a fire (practical steps)

If you’re on-site in East London and dealing with the aftermath, these steps usually help:

1. Follow fire service instructions first

   • Don’t re-enter if you’ve been told not to.
   • Treat the building as unstable until professionals confirm otherwise.

2. If there’s a crime element or suspicious cause, call the police

   • Keep any reference number. Insurers often ask for it.

3. Take photos if it’s safe

   • Wide shots and close-ups of damaged windows/doors/openings can be helpful.
   • Don’t touch loose glass or disturbed frames.

4. Call your insurer early

   • You’re not expected to have all answers—just report the incident and ask what evidence they want.
   • We can provide photos and an itemised invoice for the “make safe” works.

5. Arrange emergency boarding up

   • If the property is exposed, don’t wait until morning. A broken opening can turn into weather damage and theft risk quickly.

For urgent help, go to 24/7 emergency boarding up in East London or Call 020 4634 6384.

Insurance claims after fire damage: what we can provide

We’re not loss adjusters and we can’t tell you what your policy covers, but we can support the practical side of a claim by supplying documentation insurers commonly request.

Typically, we can provide:

• Itemised invoice showing labour and materials used
• Work description (“board up broken window”, “shopfront boarded up”, etc.)
• Time-stamped site photos (before/after) where feasible
• A clear date/time record of attendance

For more guidance, see insurance claims support.

Common questions about boarding up after fire damage (East London)

Do you offer emergency fire damage boarding up out of hours?

Yes. If your property has been left open after a fire—broken glazing, a damaged door, or an exposed shopfront—call us. We provide out of hours help across E postcodes and will give you a realistic ETA on the phone based on workload and conditions.
Use emergency boarding up for urgent situations.

Can you board up a smashed window caused by heat, not impact?

Yes. Heat can crack or blow glass without an obvious impact point. If you’ve got a smashed window or severely cracked pane after a fire, we can board up a broken window to secure the property and reduce further risk.

Will boarding up damage my window frames further?

We aim to minimise additional damage, but fire can leave frames weak or distorted. We’ll assess fixing points and explain the least invasive safe method. If the frame is too compromised, we’ll talk through options before starting.

Can you secure communal entrances in blocks of flats after a fire?

Often, yes—subject to access permissions and what’s been agreed by the responsible person (managing agent, freeholder, council/HA representative, or the fire service). If the entrance can’t be secured with standard boarding due to damage, we’ll explain alternatives.

What if the shopfront is damaged and I need it boarded up tonight?

If your commercial unit has exposed glazing, we can arrange shopfront boarded up as an emergency measure to secure the premises. This is particularly important if stock, equipment, or tills are visible from the street.

Do you replace the glass as well?

We specialise in securing the opening—boarding up and temporary security. We don’t supply glazing replacement as part of the boarding service, but we can work alongside your chosen glazier by securing the site first.

Is boarding up covered by insurance after a fire?

It depends on your policy, but many insurers expect reasonable steps to prevent further loss—like securing broken windows and doors. We provide documentation that is commonly needed. See insurance claims support for practical guidance.

Need help securing a property after fire damage?

If your home, flat, shop, or unit has been left exposed, we can help you make safe and secure the property across East London’s E postcodes.

Need help now? Call 020 4634 6384 for immediate assistance.
Prefer email? Contact [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.