Thread: boarded-up window options

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So, the other day my wife says, "Hey, I think it would be really cool if we could board up those extra windows on the house that are too small to really put props in! That would look awesome for Halloween!) and of course, I agreed. So I started looking around and I haven't found too much in the way of tutorials on how people do this. I found one about making boards out of foam, but I'm worried about the Kansas winds tearing those down really easily.

I also read about making them out of fence pickets, and making a frame for it and hanging the frame in front of the actual window, but I assume that would get really heavy.

So I know a lot of you out there do this...so what are your methods for attaching the boards to the windows? Do you make frames to just cover the windows? Do you just screw pallet wood to the window frames and actually board them up? Just looking for some creative options out there from people who've done this.

Thanks!

I just built panels out of 1 x 2's, and 1/4" plywood, and painted them to look like boarded up windows (see attached pic). I had a lady pull up, and ask "Does somebody actually live here?" LOL

Hi eanderso13, I think it's a great idea and it really adds a good look to the house for Halloween. I use old fence pickets for my windows. What I did was use 2 furniture furring strips (1") and spaced them as wide as my windows, then beat up the pickets for a little extra character. I made the furring strips long enough so that I could lean them against the window and used adhesive velcro to keep them from tipping over if it got windy.

You can also 'age' wood quickly if you want to use new cedar/pine from the local hardware store. Take vinegar and add a couple of pieces of steel wool and wait a day or two. Then brush the liquid onto the wood and it will turn gray almost immediately. The longer the steel wool soaks the more potent the graying. You can use more while brushing on to get a grayer look also.

Here's my boarded windows:

These are mine, made of 1- 1/2 insulation foam and velcroed to the window.

Here are mine. Made out of 1/2" styrofoam. Could be glued onto a 1x2 wood frame if more strength is needed.

My lower windows are boarded with faux foam boards. We attach them with Velcro and they stand up to north Texas straight line winds.



The new boards I have for the upper windows are made of old fence pickets mainly because they were free. (just replaced a fence)

I used pallet boards for my windows. I just disassembled the pallets then cut up a wire hanger into 5" pieces bending them into an "s" shape, then stuck one end into an old nail hole on the pallet and hooked the other end into my shutter slates. I only needed a few boards on each window as there were props in them but this year I'll do most of my porch window that way.

I use cedar fence pickets. Cedar really isn't all that heavy.

Great ideas all. I'm thinking of boarding up our windows also.

Holy cow Spanky!!!!!! I can't believe those aren't real 2x4's...awesome paint job!