How will your fencing stand up to the winter storm

With the days getting shorter and the weather forecast for winter has been predicated as freezing conditions for 20/21, now is a good time to check if your fencing will stand up to the upcoming winter.  In this blog we consider factors you should consider when purchasing a new fence or how your current fencing is going to stand the upcoming winter months.

Installation

Have you ever heard of the saying ‘a fence is only as good as its installation?’. Well, this is certainly the case for your fencing. If you installed your fencing securely and accurately, then it should withstand the harsh winter weather.

If you’re into DIY and enjoy such projects, then consider installing your own fence, but make sure you can fit the fence correctly. If not, look for a fence installer or a friend or family who will be able to help and advise you.

You can always view our handy installations guide to help you with all your DIY projects. View our ‘How to install a fence’ installation guide for accurate fence installation.

Use Quality Fence Posts

A key factor as to why some fences struggle with the winter season is due to the types of fence posts that have been installed. Using bad quality timber fence posts can cause your fence to lean and damage from strong winds and rain.

Fences that lean to an angle are generally down to damage caused to the fence post. The type of damage that can be caused is the fence post rotting at ground level and being weakened due to the inferior quality of the timber fence posts used, no treatment / maintenance and due to rain, the post has been soaked in the ground.

As a rule, when selecting your timber fence posts, always:

• Use high quality timber posts which are pressure treated, like the ones sold at Lawsons
• Always set your fence posts 2ft / 200mm deep in the ground to be secure
• Treat your fence posts, a little maintenance occasionally will go a long way

You can also consider concrete fence posts, which are perfect as they avoid rotting, are stronger and require less maintenance.

Use non-rust materials

While using high quality fence panels, posts and gravel boards to withstand the winter weather is important, you should also think about the tools you use. Its good practice to use good quality tools such as the best fixings i.e. nails and screws. You should ensure that your nails and screws are galvanised and made from stainless steel, because if they are not, it will cause them to rust over the years.

Rusty nails can make your fencing look very bad as it leaves a brown trail on the nail when the metal oxidises. You may also find that chosen poorer quality fixings make then them fails and the panels may come apart or fence posts my snap. Therefore, it’s important to have just as good fixings and the materials you use.

Choose the correct fencing

You should select fencing which accommodates your surroundings. For example, if you live in a place where it is known for strong winds then you should opt for fence panels which offer wind resistance. What’s more is that you don’t need to compromise on aesthetics as there are many fencing options which will cater for all your requirements.

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