Board-up · Winnipeg
Broken window? Secure it now, fix it properly next
A rock through the window at night, a break-in, a branch in a summer storm. Take a breath. The first job is to make the room safe and close the opening, and much of that you can do yourself. When you need help, we look for an independent local pro who's available to board up, then measure for the permanent glass.
- Safe, photographed, covered, replaced
- Honest about who's available tonight
- Board-up to new glass, not board-up all winter
Quick check
Is it an emergency? A quick checklist
Deal with it tonight if any of the first three are true. Otherwise it can usually wait for a daytime quote.
Open to the weather
Wind, snow or rain can get in, or heat is pouring out on a cold night.
The house can't be secured
A ground-floor pane or a door's glass is broken and someone could reach through.
Glass is hanging loose
Pieces could fall on someone over a walkway, stairs or a shop entrance.
It can wait until morning
A tight crack, or a sealed unit with one intact pane. Book cracked glass replacement in daylight.
Make it safe
Make it safe: glass cleanup and covering the opening
Keep kids and pets out. Wear shoes and heavy gloves, box the large pieces, then vacuum. Leave glass stuck in the frame; pulling it out by hand is how people get cut.
Take photos before you cover anything. Then close the opening: plywood screwed into the outside trim is sturdiest, and heavy plastic taped inside will do for a night.
Winter nights
Winter nights: cover it, keep the heat on, watch the pipes
In a cold snap, a broken window is a heat problem as much as a glass problem.
Close the room
Shut the door and lay a towel along the bottom to keep the rest of the house warm.
Seal the cover
Tape plastic or foam board tight around the frame so less frost builds behind it.
Keep the heat on
Don't turn the heat down in that room, even if it feels pointless.
Protect nearby pipes
If plumbing runs in that wall or under a nearby sink, open the cabinet doors and check again in the morning.
Board or glass
Board-up vs temporary glass
Two ways to close the opening while the permanent glass is made:
Board-up
Plywood fastened over the opening. Strong and quick, but dark. Best for a break-in or a ground floor.
Temporary glazing
Plexiglass or polycarbonate fitted to the frame. It lets light in but is less secure. Easier to live with upstairs or during a long wait for a large sealed unit.
Photos and records
Break-ins, storms and accidents: what to document
After a break-in, report it to the police and note the report number; insurers often ask for it. After a storm, photograph the window, the debris and that side of the house; see our hail and storm damage page. After an accident, a few photos and a note are usually enough.
What affects the quote
What shapes the cost of a board-up and the new glass
No two calls are the same. The pro looks at:
- Time of day, and whether the call is after hours
- Plywood board-up or temporary glazing
- The permanent glass: single pane, sealed unit, tempered or laminated
- Travel, including to towns past the Perimeter
Ask whether the board-up and the permanent glass are quoted together or separately.
Next steps
From board-up to permanent glass
A board-up is a stopgap. A single pane may be cut quickly; a sealed unit is made to order, so ask when it will be ordered, not just installed. Don't let the board sit all winter: the room stays dark and cold, and moisture collects behind it. The permanent side is on our broken window glass page.
Homes and businesses
Homes and businesses
The steps are the same for a shop. Storefront glass is large and made to order, so a board-up keeps the shop secure meanwhile; see storefront glass repair. Renters should tell the landlord right away, and property managers can send requests to us directly.
Questions
Broken window and board-up questions
Explore your options
What comes after the board-up
We look for available pros across the city and in nearby towns, including Winnipeg, Osborne Village, Transcona, St. Boniface and Selkirk.
Describe the break and where you are
Tell us which window, roughly how big, and whether it's open to the weather. We'll look for an available local pro. If we can't find anyone tonight, we'll tell you.