How to Make and Install DIY Hurricane Shutters

Window shutters, which can be made from plywood and stored in your garage long before gusty winds enter the area, provide a better defense against hurricane force winds than does masking tape.

How-To Install Window Shutters Fitting Inside the Window Frame

Materials

• ¾- inch exterior grade plywood per window
• 4 heavy duty 3 or 4-inch barrel bolts per window
• screw driver
• drill and drill bit
• pencil
• measuring tape
• varnish
• paint brush

Method:

• Measure the window, marking on the plywood which edge will be placed at the top, bottom, right and left sides of the window. Do not include the window frame in your measurement, as you want the plywood to fit snugly inside the frame.

• Cut plywood panel according to the measurements obtained above and mark on it which window it will be installed to.

• Screw barrel bolts to the panel, one on each side in the middle.

• Place plywood panel up against the window, and mark on the window frame where each barrel bolt slides up against the frame.

• Next, drill the bolt holes, with a drill bit fitting the size of the bolt your using, where you previously marked them off at.

• Hang your plywood shutter and check to be sure it fits snugly inside the frame and that the barrel bolts are aligned correctly.

• Once you've the proper fit and have verified the barrel bolts are operational, waterproof the plywood with a coat of varnish. Store shutters in a dry, cool location to prevent them from warping.

A Final Word

Unfortunately, windows come in different sizes, shapes and dimensions. In some cases it's not possible for homeowners to install hurricane shutters inside the window frame as described above. What can these homeowners do? Stop by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website and download it's publication, Against the Wind. This 8-page document, which offers valuable information regarding the many things you can do to protect your home and family throughout the 2009 hurricane season, includes diagrams and instructions for installing window shutters to exterior walls.

Sources:

Hurricane Shutters Homepage, A Short Lesson on Building Effective Shutters, retrieved from http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/shutters/index2.html, 11 May 2009, 3:35 p.m.