When it comes to Overhead Rolling Doors and Grilles, we are the experts in innovative door solutions!
Get updates on new blog posts to your inbox!
Luckily, rolling doors make safeguarding your retail space and inventory easier. This article dives into how plywood panels could hurt your optics, before, during, and after an event, and why you would want the added protection of a StoreDefender™ door instead.
Since 2020, shuttered businesses have become a common sight. Adorned with plywood panels, these closed storefronts negatively alter their surroundings, whether in tranquil neighborhoods or along bustling city streets. The message plywood-boarded storefronts send aligns with the “broken windows theory”—that visible signs of crime can potentially increase crime. Whether this theory holds true or not, plywood simply looks bad, and there are friendlier, more aesthetically pleasing ways to protect your retail space.
For budget-minded business owners, plywood may look like the cheaper solution to safeguard windows and doors. However, considering both material cost and labor expenses, the savings are less than you think. Between 2020 and 2021 the price of plywood and lumber skyrocketed and has yet to show signs of dropping.
Depending on if you do the job yourself, hire a contractor, or an emergency board-up service, the average cost to board up a window with plywood can range from $50-$400 per window. This cost varies based on labor, the number of windows that you have, or if you need emergency after-hours service. A company will charge additional fees for removal. Also, if your plywood doesn’t hold, you can factor in the cost of replacing windows, inventory, and repairing damage.
After an event, it could take a few days to unboard your store. With boarded-up windows, your storefront will look rough and lack its usual welcoming vibe. Customers won’t know when or if you’ll reopen. This temporary shutdown could easily look permanent.
Able to withstand 2,500 lbs. of pushing force, the StoreDefender door is secured by an 18-gauge steel curtain, a 16-inch bottom bar, and tamper-proof fasteners. To prevent lifting attempts, the top slats can be attached to the barrel using an included screw kit. This feature ensures that your door can withstand a moderate-risk attack involving three or more attackers equipped with a limited number of hand tools.
You maintain a sense of normalcy when you rely on the StoreDefender door to secure your retail space. There won't be unsightly boarded-up windows or signs of abandonment, showing customers that your business will “keep calm and carry on”, in the face of chaotic times.