"Polycarbonate hits that sweet spot between cost and protection."
Fair point, but don't overlook plywood. Yeah, it's old-school and not as sleek-looking, but I've boarded up with plywood for years and never had issues—even in some nasty storms. It's cheap, easy to replace, and you can find it anywhere. Polycarbonate's nice, sure, but if budget's tight or you're prepping last-minute... plywood still gets the job done.
Good points on plywood—reminds me of helping my dad board up windows before storms rolled in. Sure, polycarbonate looks slicker, but plywood's always been reliable for us. Plus, nothing beats that hardware-store-run adrenaline rush when the weather channel starts panicking...
- Plywood's solid, but don't underestimate polycarbonate—seen it hold up surprisingly well in nasty winds.
- Hardware store panic runs are classic... nothing like fighting over the last box of screws while the sky turns dark.
- Don't forget roof prep: quick check for loose shingles or flashing saves headaches later. Learned that the hard way after chasing shingles down my street.
- Also, gutters—clean 'em out beforehand. Water backing up can cause sneaky leaks you won't notice till it's too late.
- And a tarp or two handy never hurts. Had to patch a neighbor's roof mid-storm once... fun times.
Good call on the gutters—learned that lesson myself after a nasty storm left me with water stains on the ceiling. Another thing I've found helpful is checking around windows and doors for any gaps or worn-out weather stripping. Had a drafty window turn into a mini waterfall once... not fun at all.
Also, curious if anyone's tried storm shutters instead of plywood or polycarbonate? My cousin down in Florida swears by them, says they're quicker to deploy and hold up great even in hurricane-force winds. Seems like a solid investment, but I'm wondering if they're worth the extra cost compared to DIY solutions.
Storm shutters can definitely save you some headaches. I installed a set for a client who got tired of wrestling with plywood every hurricane season. Bit pricey upfront, but deployment's a breeze—takes minutes, not hours... Plus, no more splinters or last-minute hardware store runs.
