What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Homes and Retreats
hedgerowpete
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by hedgerowpete »

with my windows, i have opted for the following.

wall paper paste and old newspapers as the first layer, from the outside it looks as if the windows are covered but you cant see past that point

inside ontop of the newspapers or if you like strainght on the glass first is cheap clear sticky backed plastic fablon sheets, book cover they also call it. it adds a layer of holding broken glass together, ok so its not super anti vandle break lamination but it does not have to be, what it has to do is to hold broken glass together as a weather barrier

thats newspapers and wall paper paste and sticky clear sheets. gives the right look and gives a touch of protection against vandels

after that its a layer of tin foil, yep thats right wall paper paste and tin foil. that layer is going to get slapped onto the frames and all along the edges. its light barrier. i can be inside with the lights all on and in the middle of the night you wont see any thing from outside.

after that i would suggest adding plywood, either outside or inside as a security barrier.i would rather wait and try to nab old wardrobes and stuff like that and make it look rough and ready rather than installing pre cut and perfectly fitted window covers made from the finest plywood, as people think why is that so perfect?
ForgeCorvus
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by ForgeCorvus »

Any pre-Victorian house may of had shutters*, on the ground floor windows at least.
Some houses still have them (I know at least one where they were found behind a layer of hardboard that had been put up by a 50's DIYer).

Its quite fashionable to put them back.


* English shutters are on the inside of the glass (also may be split at the level of where the sashes meet)

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Arzosah
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by Arzosah »

ForgeCorvus, absolutely, those wooden shutters are lovely, and they give a great feeling to the room. Sadly, not many houses have them :(

Pete, the fablon, especially if clear, is a great idea. I have purlfrost film on some of my windows - keeps 90% of the light, some security against breakages, and you can't see *anything* when you look in, I've experimented with it.
I like the idea of purposely making the plywood etc rough and ready on purpose, thats a goodun.
jennyjj01
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by jennyjj01 »

The question to me.... If boarding doors or windows, which is best? Inside or out?
If you board up windows on the inside, then the glass is vulnerable and once that's smashed, the boarding could be smashed inwards easily. But visibility could be maintained with a few holes. Inside allows fitting and removing from inside the fort.
Boarding on the outside would allow the 'invader' to remove any screws or apply a crowbar, but at least they protect the glass for a while. Might be a disincentive to attack. Visibility and control is more limited.
On balance, I'm inclined to prepare to board up the inside, but maybe with nets or black paint facing outward.

Thoughts?
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

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Deeps
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by Deeps »

jennyjj01 wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:42 pm The question to me.... If boarding doors or windows, which is best? Inside or out?
If you board up windows on the inside, then the glass is vulnerable and once that's smashed, the boarding could be smashed inwards easily. But visibility could be maintained with a few holes. Inside allows fitting and removing from inside the fort.
Boarding on the outside would allow the 'invader' to remove any screws or apply a crowbar, but at least they protect the glass for a while. Might be a disincentive to attack. Visibility and control is more limited.
On balance, I'm inclined to prepare to board up the inside, but maybe with nets or black paint facing outward.

Thoughts?
Don't know if its tongue in cheek but I wouldn't think of a domestic dwelling as a fort unless its been built as one. Much as I love Casa Deeps, its hardly the Schloss Adler and I could be burned out or overwhelmed if people wanted to. Quite often on here I've read people looking to fortify their own house, it MIGHT work if all the neighbours were on the same page but houses are designed to be lived in and that means lots of access points, the 'nicer' the house, generally the more access points. We like lots of glass too to make them light and airy, unless you plan on having serious protection to safeguard your weak points then you should assume that your nice comfortable house is not a fortress and others will, with a bit of effort be able to force entry. Even if you have the means to deter them (ie firearms) then you'd still have to be wary if there was likely to be order restored and that might not be clear cut. The number of corpses on the front lawn might attract attention when the dust has settled and you're "they were coming right at us" might not stand up.

It just seems a bit of a prepper fantasy to 'bug in' in your own gaff and it to become a fortress all of a sudden. In the unlikely event of a sh1tstorm on my doorstep I'll be relying on cooperation with those about me rather than my four walls.

Sorry for going off piste if you weren't being serious, it has cropped up on here in the past.
jennyjj01
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by jennyjj01 »

Deeps wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:17 pm
Don't know if its tongue in cheek but I wouldn't think of a domestic dwelling as a fort unless its been built as one. Much as I love Casa Deeps, its hardly the Schloss Adler and I could be burned out or overwhelmed if people wanted to. Quite often on here I've read people looking to fortify their own house, it MIGHT work if all the neighbours were on the same page but houses are designed to be lived in and that means lots of access points, the 'nicer' the house, generally the more access points. We like lots of glass too to make them light and airy, unless you plan on having serious protection to safeguard your weak points then you should assume that your nice comfortable house is not a fortress and others will, with a bit of effort be able to force entry. Even if you have the means to deter them (ie firearms) then you'd still have to be wary if there was likely to be order restored and that might not be clear cut. The number of corpses on the front lawn might attract attention when the dust has settled and you're "they were coming right at us" might not stand up.

It just seems a bit of a prepper fantasy to 'bug in' in your own gaff and it to become a fortress all of a sudden. In the unlikely event of a sh1tstorm on my doorstep I'll be relying on cooperation with those about me rather than my four walls.

Sorry for going off piste if you weren't being serious, it has cropped up on here in the past.
Thks,
It was a mostly tongue in cheek thought experiment.
First line of defence is already in place: Superior locks.
Possibly next line of defence would be canine.
and close on the tail of that would be cooperation with useful family, friends and neighbours. But at one level, those neighbours could be adversaries competing for my stash. Put them in a mob and I'd be in deep doodoo.
I'm not a bug-out type person and my best hope is probably to be a grey bugger-inner.
My house, just like any, could be over-run by a small mob in very little time. Without discussing weapons, my best defensive tactics would be a minimal deterrent. Better to hunker down if someone bangs on the door with a sledge hammer? Hoping the door slowed them down enough?
So, fortification is a pretty desperate hope. It might be possible for the few homes in my culdesac to put up some delaying tactics, but without a prompt return to order, I dunno how valuable my half tonne of food would be.

I have mused over the idea of my house being the one with a few bits of bodies scattered on the lawn :) Wonder if it would deter or inflame any potential invaders or their families and friends
.
For now, I'm staving off the risk of participation in the first stages of food riots at Aldi and Waitrose. Best I can do.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
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Deeps
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by Deeps »

jennyjj01 wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 10:19 pm
Thks,
It was a mostly tongue in cheek thought experiment.
First line of defence is already in place: Superior locks.
Possibly next line of defence would be canine.
and close on the tail of that would be cooperation with useful family, friends and neighbours. But at one level, those neighbours could be adversaries competing for my stash. Put them in a mob and I'd be in deep doodoo.
I'm not a bug-out type person and my best hope is probably to be a grey bugger-inner.
My house, just like any, could be over-run by a small mob in very little time. Without discussing weapons, my best defensive tactics would be a minimal deterrent. Better to hunker down if someone bangs on the door with a sledge hammer? Hoping the door slowed them down enough?
So, fortification is a pretty desperate hope. It might be possible for the few homes in my culdesac to put up some delaying tactics, but without a prompt return to order, I dunno how valuable my half tonne of food would be.

I have mused over the idea of my house being the one with a few bits of bodies scattered on the lawn :) Wonder if it would deter or inflame any potential invaders or their families and friends
.
For now, I'm staving off the risk of participation in the first stages of food riots at Aldi and Waitrose. Best I can do.
Its a difficult one, if you spend a lot of time and effort to build up a reserve only for someone bigger (or more numerous) to take it off you but that's been the way of the world since we climbed out the swamps. Doesn't make it any easier, its probably a big part of why we've been social creatures, mutual protection. While I'm not exactly a fan of sharing my stash in the event of some cataclysm, it's probably a big 'in' to ingratiate ourselves with either the guy who decides he's the local warlord or the neighbours to fight off the hoi polloi. Things would be shit and it would be unrealistic to assume somehow I was immune to the shittness.

I do quite fancy being the local warlord but at my age it seems like a bit of a hassle, the concubines would probably take their toll..... :lol:
jennyjj01
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by jennyjj01 »

Deeps wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 10:56 pmIts a difficult one, if you spend a lot of time and effort to build up a reserve only for someone bigger (or more numerous) to take it off you but that's been the way of the world since we climbed out the swamps. Doesn't make it any easier,
Indeed it's all pretty impossible. We could have a 10 year stash of all lifes essentials and then be the unlucky one at ground zero. I suppose prepping is all about having just a few extra options.

I wouldn't want to be the 'Warlord'/Warlady', nor concubine to any warlord, but I could see me being in an enhanced neighbourhood watch/ home guard.
On the dark side, I also have some of the skills to be a sneaky looter/burglar and I have some good tools :) If only folk knew how easy it is to open even the strongest of doors if one is so inclined !

I'm frankly concerned that SO many of my friends, family, neighbours and acquaintances would feel it were the end of the world if the Internet, Electricity and Cash machines went off for a week and if KFC and Dominoes and a few supermarkets closed their doors, Zod only knows how they'd react if it came in a crescendo. Me. I'd just bolt the doors and revisit my hardcopy cookbook, while converting the wardrobes into shutters.

Thinking about it, my attached garage would be my ultimate safe-room and the main part of the house could be a sacrificial decoy, for several situations.

I can't see me ever bugging out or being a refugee.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
Arzosah
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by Arzosah »

I imagine the concubines would be a liability rather than an asset :mrgreen:

It occurs to me that part of shtf is extreme weather events - I've just been reading about giant hailstones, frinstance, and if hurricanes start to veer northwards, or we get an extreme winter with power cuts, then boarding up the windows on the outside might be the logical thing to do, against the weather, not people. There's no predicting hailstones, of course, but hurricanes/ hurricane force winds, are a different matter.
jansman
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Re: What to do with windows in a SHTF situation

Post by jansman »

We had giant hailstones here about seven years ago. A 10 minute storm, and the damage to cars and property was unbelievable. Never seen anything like it. A customer ran from the car park to our shop, covering her head with her hands, and a hailstone broke two fingers!
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