Below is a UK-specific, practical emergency hardware kit you can assemble in advance to protect windows and doors by securing plywood, OSB, or even detached fence panels to external walls when a severe storm (up to ~120 mph gusts) is imminent.

I’ve included:

What the kit should contain,
How to estimate fixing quantities per window,
Optional but highly recommended extras,
Guidance on using fence panels as a last-resort material.

1. Core items for the Emergency Window-Protection Hardware Kit

A. Wall plugs (for masonry fixing)

Type: UK brown (7mm drill) or blue (10mm drill) masonry plugs.
Strength: Choose high-grip, anti-rotation types.

B. Exterior screws

Type: Normal screws or ideally A2/A4 stainless steel or exterior-grade coated wood screws (to avoid snapping under load or corroding).
Length:
- For 18mm plywood/OSB → 5.0 × 70 mm screws
- For fence panels (25–45mm thick frames) → 5.0 × 100 mm screws

C. Penny washers

Large diameter: M5 or M6, 25–30 mm OD
Washer spreads load, stopping the screw head pulling through under suction loads.

D. Drill bits

7mm and 10mm masonry bits (match your wall plugs)
3–4mm pilot bit for pre-drilling the wood panel

E. Driver bits

PZ2 and PZ3 impact-rated bits.

F. Seal/anti-lift tape or foam

Used to:

Reduce panel rattle
Reduce wind getting behind the panel
Suitable materials:
High-tack exterior duct tape
EPDM window sealing foam strip (self-adhesive)

G. Marking & measuring tools

Sharpie or lumber crayon
Tape measure
Masking tape (to label panel/window locations)

H. PPE

Safety glasses
Dust mask
Gloves
Ear protection (drilling)

2. Estimate: Amount of Screws & Wall Plugs Needed (for 120 mph gusts)

Load assumption

Storm-rated boarding in hurricane regions uses 6–8" screw spacing around edges.
For the UK, 120 mph gusts are extreme, so we use hurricane-standard density:

Recommended screw spacing for plywood/OSB panels

Every 150–200 mm around the perimeter
Every 300–400 mm on internal lines (if panel is large)
Minimum 12 screws per typical window board

Typical UK window sizes

Let’s estimate for 3 common types:

Window Size	Typical board size	Screws per panel (120 mph spec)
600 × 900 mm (small)	One sheet	12 screws
900 × 1200 mm (medium)	One sheet	16–20 screws
1200 × 1500 mm (large)	One sheet	24–28 screws

Whole-house estimate

Assuming an average UK 3-bed semi with ~10 windows:

3 small windows → 3 × 12 = 36 screws
5 medium windows → 5 × 18 ≈ 90 screws
2 large windows → 2 × 26 ≈ 52 screws

Total: ~180 screws + 180 wall plugs + 180 penny washers

Add a 20% safety margin:

Pack 220–240 plugs, screws, and washers.

Screw sizes to include

150 × 5.0 × 70 mm screws (for plywood/OSB)
100 × 5.0 × 100 mm screws (for thick or warped fence panels)

3. Additional Structure-Saving Items to Include

1. Heavy-duty straps or ratchet straps

Useful for wrapping around large panels or awkward openings.
Also allows securing fence panels without relying solely on screws.

2. Timber battens (optional but helpful)

25×50mm or 38×63mm battens
Can be screwed over the top of panels to clamp them tightly to the wall
Great for fence panels which may flex or split

3. Silicone or exterior caulk

For sealing large air gaps where wind might get behind a panel.

4. Spare pilot screws

Small screws (e.g., 4.0 × 40mm) to temporarily hold panels in place before the main fixings go in.

5. Battery backup & chargers

Fully charged spare drill batteries
A manual screwdriver in case power tools fail

6. Weatherproofing

Exterior-grade tarp for emergency covering
Sandbags or water-weight bags to reduce uplift around doors

4. Using Garden Fence Panels as Emergency Boarding (when materials sell out)

Fence panels are not ideal but can work in emergencies if reinforced.

Tips:

Remove the decorative slats if possible—use the solid frame.
Pre-drill through the thicker frame sections only.
Use longer 100 mm screws.
Add battens across the back to stiffen weak areas.
Use straps if the panel is too large to safely screw in many points.

Fence panels can catch the wind like a sail—so prevent gaps on all sides.

5. Full Recommended Emergency Hardware Kit (UK)

Fixings & tools

240 × wall plugs (brown/blue heavy-duty)
150 × 5.0 × 70 mm exterior screws
100 × 5.0 × 100 mm exterior screws
240 × penny washers (M5/M6 × 25–30mm)
Masonry drill bits (7mm + 10mm)
Wood/pilot drill bits
Exterior duct tape
EPDM foam sealing strip
Ratchet straps (2–4)
25–50mm battens (6–10 pieces)
Permanent marker
Tape measure
Safety gear: gloves, glasses, dust mask
Manual screwdriver + impact driver bits
Spare drill batteries

Optional

Tarp, sandbags, caulk

Below are three printable items you can copy/paste into a document and print:

A checklist,
A per-window calculation sheet,
A simple screw-spacing diagram (ASCII printable).

To help with clarity, I’ve also added small image groups for visual reference near the diagram section — these won’t interfere with printing if you copy only the text.

1. PRINTABLE EMERGENCY HARDWARE KIT CHECKLIST (UK)

(Black & white friendly – no images inside the text)

=====================================
 EMERGENCY WINDOW STORM-PROTECTION KIT
=====================================

TOOLS
[ ] Cordless drill + charger
[ ] Spare drill battery
[ ] Manual screwdriver (PZ2/PZ3)
[ ] Tape measure
[ ] Permanent marker or pencil
[ ] Utility knife / scissors
[ ] Safety glasses
[ ] Gloves
[ ] Dust mask / ear protection

FIXINGS (for plywood, OSB, or fence panels)
[ ] 250 heavy-duty masonry wall plugs (brown or blue)
[ ] 150 exterior screws 5.0 × 70 mm (plywood/OSB)
[ ] 100 exterior screws 5.0 × 100 mm (thick/fence panels)
[ ] 250 penny washers (25–30 mm outer diameter)

DRILL BITS
[ ] 7 mm masonry bit (brown plugs)
[ ] 10 mm masonry bit (blue plugs)
[ ] 3–4 mm wood pilot bit

SEALING / ANTI-LIFT MATERIALS
[ ] High-tack exterior duct tape
[ ] EPDM foam sealing tape (for gaps)
[ ] Silicone / exterior caulk (optional)

REINFORCEMENT
[ ] Timber battens 25×50 mm or 38×63 mm (6–10 pieces)
[ ] Ratchet straps or heavy-duty tie-down straps (2–4)

EMERGENCY MATERIALS
[ ] Spare panels (plywood/OSB if available)
[ ] Tarp or plastic sheeting
[ ] Sandbags / water-filled weights

NOTES
- Label each window panel when cutting (e.g., “Kitchen Left Window”)
- Keep all items in one waterproof storage box
- Check battery charge every 2–3 months
=====================================

2. PRINTABLE PER-WINDOW CALCULATION SHEET

(You can print multiple copies — one per window during preparation or an emergency.)

=====================================
      WINDOW BOARDING CALCULATION SHEET
=====================================

WINDOW LOCATION: ______________________________________

WINDOW SIZE (mm):
   Width: ________   Height: ________

PANEL MATERIAL USED:
[ ] Plywood (____ mm)
[ ] OSB (____ mm)
[ ] Fence panel (frame thickness: ____ mm)

PANEL DIMENSIONS CUT (mm):
   Width: ________   Height: ________

-------------------------------------
 FIXING CALCULATION
-------------------------------------

PERIMETER SCREW SPACING:
   Target: 150–200 mm spacing

Perimeter length:
   (Width × 2 + Height × 2) = ______ mm
Number of screws required around edge:
   Perimeter ÷ 180 mm ≈ __________ screws

INTERNAL FIXINGS (if panel > 1200 mm on any side):
   Add 1 internal vertical line: ______ screws
   Add 1 internal horizontal line: ______ screws

TOTAL SCREWS REQUIRED: __________

MATCHING QUANTITIES:
Wall plugs needed (same number): __________
Penny washers (same number): __________

-------------------------------------
 ANTI-LIFT / SEALING CHECK
-------------------------------------
[ ] EPDM foam applied to edges
[ ] Duct tape applied to top/side seams
[ ] Bottom edge sealed to stop wind entry
[ ] Battens used?  YES / NO

-------------------------------------
 INSTALLATION NOTES
-------------------------------------
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

=====================================

3. PRINTABLE SCREW-SPACING DIAGRAM

Below is a text-only diagram (copy/paste prints cleanly).
Shows recommended screw spacing for 120 mph gust protection.

========================================================
             SCREW SPACING DIAGRAM (PRINTABLE)
========================================================

Top Edge
150–200 mm spacing between screws
   -------------------------------------------------
   |     o      o      o      o      o      o     |
   -------------------------------------------------

Left Edge (150–200 mm)                 Right Edge (150–200 mm)
   | o                                 o |
   |                                    |
   | o                                 o |
   |                                    |
   | o                                 o |
   |                                    |
   | o                                 o |
   |                                    |
   | o                                 o |
   |                                    |
   | o                                 o |

Cabinz.Net Blog

Wednesday, 3 December 2025

1st draft of a UK-specific, practical emergency hardware kit you can assemble in advance to protect windows and doors by securing plywood, OSB, or even detached fence panels to external walls when a severe storm (up to ~120 mph gusts) is imminent.