FC wrote:

Similar question, once the shutters/plywoods on then the house became
very dark & gloomy. Are there any transparent/translucent material
that's strong enough to do the job?

FC

Polycarbonate (Lexan) is the stuff to use. Obviously, the thicker the
better. But regarding storm shutters that are actually functional and
don't look like Hell, I think you'd do best to get a welder to put
together something from sheet steel that looks like a panelled or a
louvered set, with a dead bolt bar on the back of each, and paint it all
up real nice. Hmmm -- I'm an engineer . . . I'll bet after this
hurricane season there'll be a ripe market for such stuff down there in
the Sunshine State. Gee, I could put together a welding shop myself
pretty easily. Hmmmm. And buy a powder-coat setup, too. Hmmmmmmmm.
Problem is, I would NOT want to live in Florida.

Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton
Watermark Design, LLC
Charlotte, NC
www.h2omarkdesign.com