Fencing advice for Great Yarmouth homes
The best fence for a windy coast
Great Yarmouth is not a gentle place to be a fence. The town sits on a spit with the North Sea in front and open water behind, and the wind has a clear run at it.
You cannot change the weather. You can change how the fence is built. These are the six things that decide if it is still standing in March.
How much wind are we talking about?
On the night of the Great Storm in October 1987, the highest wind speed recorded anywhere in the UK was at Gorleston: 122 miles an hour. That was a freak. An ordinary winter still brings its share of gales off the sea, and salt comes with them.
A solid fence six feet high and thirty feet long has 180 square feet of face for the wind to push on. All of that force ends up at the foot of the posts.
1. Posts that go deep
The usual rule for a six foot fence is an eight foot post with two feet in the ground. On an exposed boundary, or in loose sandy ground, deeper is better. Each post should be concreted, with the top of the concrete sloped so rain runs away from the post.
2. Posts that do not rot
Timber posts fail at ground level. Concrete posts do not. If you want timber for its looks, ask about post sleeves, or concrete spurs with the timber bolted on above the soil. There is more on our page about concrete fence posts.
3. A heavier fence
Thin overlap panels flex until they fall apart. Closeboard, built from thick feather edge boards on three rails, stands up far better. It costs more, and on this coast it tends to repay the difference. See closeboard fencing.
4. Gaps that let the wind through
A fence does not have to be solid to give privacy. Hit and miss boards, slatted panels and a trellis top all let some air through. Less load on the face means less strain on the posts.
A solid fence also makes the wind tumble over the top and swirl in the garden behind it. A fence with gaps slows the wind instead, which is kinder to plants and to anyone sitting out.
5. Shorter bays
Standard panels are six feet wide. Closeboard bays can be set closer together, so more posts share the load. On the worst corner of a garden, one extra post is money well spent.
6. Fixings for salt air
Salt speeds up rust. Ask for galvanised or stainless nails, screws, brackets, hinges and latches. On slotted concrete posts, ask how the panels will be held down so they cannot lift out in a gust.
What about hedges and windbreaks?
Planting on the windward side takes the edge off a gale before it reaches the fence. It takes years to grow and needs shelter of its own meanwhile, so think of it as a partner to the fence and not a stand-in for one.
A quick check you can do today
- Push each post at head height. Any that rock need attention.
- Look at the foot of timber posts for dark, soft wood.
- Check that panels sit fully in their slots or brackets.
- Look for rusted clips, nails and hinges.
- Note which stretch faces the open. That one fails first.
If the fence fails two or more of those, have it looked at before winter. Fence repairs in Great Yarmouth covers what can be saved.
Common questions
What is the best time of year to install a fence?
Any time the ground can be dug. Many people only think of it after the first autumn gale, which is when fencers are busiest. Asking in spring or summer gives you a wider choice of dates and a fence that is ready before the weather turns.
Will a fence with gaps keep my dog in?
Yes, if the gaps are narrower than the dog. What matters more is the bottom edge. A gravel board set into the soil stops digging, and a fence that follows the ground leaves no space to squeeze under.
Build for the worst night of the winter
A fence does not have to cope with an average day. It has to cope with the one night the wind really means it. A fence that was not built for that night comes down then, and takes the plants and the neighbour's goodwill with it.
Say what you have now and where in Great Yarmouth you are. A free quote follows.