There are many reasons why you might want to know how to board up an abandoned home. Abandoned homes present their own set of challenges for neighbors in the community. While it may indicate that an area is struggling economically, sometimes an abandoned home simply represents a property with upside potential in the event of an economic downturn.
However, an abandoned house—as we have discovered countless times in Central Florida—is often susceptible to decay, rodents, vandalism, arson, and more. If you want to preserve the potential of the homes (some of which may even be historic) for renovation, board up to make sure they stay intact until someone gives them some much-needed love.
To prevent this undesirable outcome, we sometimes plywood the windows and doors of houses on behalf of the local city. It's not a perfect solution as it's unsightly and the building will no doubt be abandoned, but it's a good alternative that preserves any remaining value of the building while deterring crime. So unless plywood is no longer allowed in your neighborhood, here's how to board up those abandoned homes.
The quickest way to board an abandoned home is to nail plywood directly to the siding, provided it is not masonry. It can also be nailed into wooden window frames, as long as you are careful not to shatter the glass when doing so.
Of course, the house may be scheduled for demolition at some point, so that probably won't matter much. Regardless, it's the perfect job for a cordless nailer like the DeWalt framing nailer. You don't have to run compressors, air hoses or wires. Often, this helps a lot since abandoned homes may not have electrical service.
How to Board an Abandoned House: Method 2
Sometimes the house is built with some kind of masonry, or you want to make sure the planks can't be pried or otherwise removed from the outside. In this case, braces and bolts—sometimes called the tension method—is the technique to use.
Cut one or even two pieces of 2×4 to the horizontal width of the plywood, then drill a hole so all the pieces line up. Insert a carriage bolt longer than the depth of the window frame through the first 2×4, then through the plywood, then through the second 2×4, then put the nut on the bolt but do not tighten yet.
Remove the window from the inside, then place the first 2×4 and plywood on the outside of the window frame. You can thread the plywood through the window frame from the inside of the house and pull it back into the window frame.
Turn the second 2×4 horizontally so it supports the left and right sides of the window frame and tighten the nuts. You've just propped and bolted a window in a way that's more secure than nails or screws from the outside.
the bottom line
To prevent an abandoned home from falling victim to vandalism, arson, or other bad behavior, board it up using traditional nails or the bracket and bolt method. You might just prevent a bad situation from getting worse and save a building that can shine again in better times. We hope this article on how to board up an abandoned house was helpful. If you're a pro and have tips about homestays, please add them in the comments below.