Fence posts in windy area
bobjb
Posts: 2
Good evening.
Approximately 5 years ago I bought a house with an acre of land and to say I was blind to the size of what I had taken on was an understatement!
I had an area which required ‘fencing off’ and after trawling the internet and speaking to landscapers that I know, I decided on using 9’ concrete posts, concreted in with standard 6’ x 1’ concrete gravel boards and 6x6 fence panels. around March 2016 I installed 14 posts, well concreted in with a nice gap for the panels to expand and finished the job with the gravel boards and panels. It looked Terrific and lasted around two months before strong winds snapped six of the posts between one inch and 6 inches above the base. Obviously they didn’t just fall over, the posts were leaning around 35degs and were supported by the internal steel rods but it was obvious i’d be doing the job again.
I spoke to those in the know and was told they didn’t know what had happened and that the panels would go before the posts, it was something they hadn’t heard of before. I assumed that maybe the posts had been damaged in transit and I was unlucky so kango’d out the bases and concreted in a new lot which I made sure hadn’t been damaged. It survived hurricane Doris and a few other blustery nights yet the winds had last week have snapped two of my posts in the same way. I’m gutted to say the least.
While I sit here typing this, I was wondering if I had to fit those steel clips to stop the panels moving? Maybe the hammering effect of the panels slamming around inside the posts were the cause? Or, when you live in the middle of a field, which I pretty much do, a Fence in the traditional sense is an absolute no-no and I need to try something else. The fence is for privacy, I live near a road and needs to be a good 7’ high and my only option is to remove all the concrete posts by cutting them flush with the base, use bolt down steel post holders (substantial masonary bolts) and use 100mm x 100mm wooden posts / horizontal wooden boards (100mm x 25mm) to create a hit-and-miss style fence? i honestly don’t know what to do, I certainly can’t keep digging out and re concreting fence posts every year. Any thoughts or advice would be most welcome!
Thanks,
Rob.
Posts
I live in the middle of a field as well, and. Dry high up, you can’t have a solid fence, you have to have a trellis type fence where the wind can blow through.
Dont know what you can do about the posts, but if you replace then, use a fence with gaps in.
It’s not unusual, if you have a solid fence, I’m on another forum and a lady has had the same thing happen.
You need to filter the wind, not stop it in its tracks.
Exactly. Porous fence is the answer. Something like hurdles if you want natural or a metal mesh if you just want enclosing.
I had a similar windy situation in my last garden and used mesh fencing then attached windbreak fabric fabric to filter the wind so the shrubs inside could grow and make a natural windbreak. Unfortunately that wasn't porous enough and I ended up with 2m high wooden fence posts with another 50cms buried in concrete boots all leaning over at 45° and needing buttressing.
I would not ues the bolt down post holders. A neighbour has used them & the panel fence is very wobbly and we are no where as exposed as you seem to be. Agree with others you need to filter the wind not try to stop it. A post & rail fence & grow a hedge for privacy.
Thanks so much for the replies, I will replace The broken posts (not something i’m Looking forward as I used so much concrete!) and replace the fence panels with a trellace style fence. I planted a row of red robbins around three years ago so the should eventually fill the gaps.
Thanks again,
rob.