This guide walks through how storm panels are installed — the H-header and studded angle tracks, aluminum, steel and/or clear polycarbonate panels, and the fasteners that hold them to the building. They follow the manufacturer's installation and specification guide, which you can download as a printable PDF.
Before anything else: these instructions cover openings where a standard H-header, studded angle or F-track mount flush to the wall. If raised stucco bands, sills, or other obstructions prevent flush mounting, make sure you use the H-Header and F-Track with the appropriate buildout to get past those obstructions. Installation requirements vary by jurisdiction: your local building code and the applicable Florida Product Approval govern your installation, so verify requirements with your local building department. Not sure which anchors your wall needs? See our hurricane hardware guide or call us before you order.
Safety first
- This storm panel system will not offer hurricane protection unless all reinforcing bolts and clear panel washers are properly installed.
- Always wear gloves and safety goggles when cutting, drilling, or handling panels — edges are sharp, and panels left in the sun get hot enough to burn.
- Clear panels must overlap on top of aluminum panels, and they are intended only for the duration of a hurricane warning period — prolonged sun exposure degrades them.
- While panels are up, the openings they cover cannot be used as escape exits. Plan which openings you cover with egress in mind.
Tools you'll need
Pencil, tape measure, level, hammer, electric drill (hammer drill for concrete), straight screwdriver, ¼" steel drill bit, 3/16" masonry bit, a blower or turkey baster for clearing cement dust from holes, 5/16" nut driver, lead anchor setting tool, wingnut driver, extension cord, and a permanent marker.
About that wingnut driver: a storm panel install is mostly threading wingnuts — dozens of them on a large opening, hundreds on a whole house. The $8 wingnut driver chucks into your drill and spins them on and off in seconds instead of by hand. It is the single cheapest way to cut hours off putting your panels up, and it matters twice as much when you're taking them down in the heat after the storm has passed.
Plan the job before you drill
- On paper, draw a layout of your home and mark every opening you're protecting. Number each opening, starting with your front door as #1 and moving clockwise.
- Measure the width and height of each opening from the outside of the house.
- Use the charts below to figure the panels needed per opening.
Panels can also be mounted horizontally, using either the "direct mount" method, which entails mounting the panels directly to the house via anchors embedded into the wall, or by installing studded angles or F-tracks vertically on each side of the opening. Every panel we sell is cut to your specified length — measure carefully, because custom-cut panels cannot be returned.
Drill sizes and fasteners by construction type
| Construction | Drill size | Fastener | Hole depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | 3/16" | Tapcon screw anchor | 1-3/4" |
| Concrete | 3/16" | Male or Female Panelmate | 1-3/4" |
| Concrete | 3/16" | Lead anchor (machine set) | 1" |
| Wood | 1/8" | Lag screw | 1" |
| Wood | 1/8" | Male Solid Set Anchor | 1" |
| Wood | 1/8" | Female Sold Set Anchor | 1" |
When drilling into concrete, blow all cement dust out of every hole before setting the anchor — dust in the hole costs the anchor its grip. All of these fasteners are in our hurricane hardware category.
Step 1 — Mount the H-header and studded angle
- Drill ¼" holes into the H-header and studded angle no more than 6" on center, and within a maximum of 3" of each end.
- Mark the horizontal and vertical centers of your opening, and the center of your mounting tracks.
- From the center mark on each side of the opening, measure half the panel length up and half down, and mark both. The distance between your marks must equal the total panel length.
- Starting with the bottom track: using a level, draw a horizontal line below the entire opening, a minimum of 3½" below the edge of the opening.
- Place the studded angle over the line so its holes center on the line and on the opening. Mark every hole. Keep anchor centers a minimum of 3½" below the opening edge.
- Drill the marked holes with the drill bit for your construction type from the chart above. For concrete, blow the dust out of every hole.
- Attach the studded angle to the bottom of the opening.
- For the H-header: place one panel at the left side and one at the right side of the studded angle and fasten them with wingnuts. Level across the panel tops and tighten.
- Set the H-header onto the panels and fully seat it. Center the system horizontally with the opening, then gently raise the header until there is a maximum of ¼" of space at the top of the mounting holes. Drill and mount the header.
Step 2 — Mount the panels
- Wear gloves. Always work left to right, overlapping each panel onto the last.
- Slide the top of each panel into the H-header, push the bottom in over the studs, and install a wingnut at the bottom.
- When you reach a clear panel location, skip it — install the next aluminum panel first, attaching only one wingnut at its bottom right.
- Install the clear panel into the gap, making sure it rests on top of the aluminum panels at both overlaps.
- If the clear panel doesn't drop straight on, gently squeeze each riser to seat the keyholes over the studded angle. Polycarbonate holds some flatness from memory and sits wider than aluminum until installed.
- Reinforce every clear panel: drill a ¼" hole 3" from the top of the panel, below the H-header, at the midspan of each overlap, and install a 1" sidewalk bolt with a clear panel washer and wingnut. Each clear panel requires 7 clear panel washers — the system provides no hurricane protection without them.
- Finish one opening completely before starting the next, tightening all fasteners. Then number each panel with a permanent marker in the order installed, note the opening it belongs to, and record it on your layout. Next storm, every panel goes straight back where it fits.
Storage and maintenance
Store panels flat, elevated off the floor on 2x4 lumber, clean and dry, with good air circulation — never wrapped in plastic or anything that traps moisture. Gray or black moisture staining on aluminum does not affect structural strength. Clear polycarbonate panels are extremely strong but scratch easily: keep them off concrete, stucco, and sharp corners when moving them, rinse away sand before nesting them for storage, and clean only with soapy water (dish detergent) and a clean sponge. Never use ammonia, bleach, solvents, abrasive cleaners, or steel wool.
Ordering
Price your panels, cut to your exact lengths, with our storm panel instant pricing tool, and get the headers and tracks and anchors, bolts, and wingnuts to match. Comparing storm panels against accordions, roll-downs, and other options first? Start with our guide to the types of hurricane shutters.
These instructions are the manufacturer's general guide for standard flush-mount installations. They are not specific to your opening, structure, or jurisdiction. All shutters, tracks, and hardware must be installed in accordance with your local building code and the applicable Product Approval — verify requirements with your local building department before installing.