Fences that stay up in windy gardens

Why fences blow down

A solid fence panel acts like a sail. In a strong gust all that force goes into the posts, and the weakest point gives way first. Usually that's a timber post rotted at ground level, a post that wasn't set deep enough, or a panel that has worked loose from its fixings.

Exposed spots get it worst: gardens on the higher ground above Keighley, Baildon and Bingley, plots facing open moor near Ilkley and Haworth, and anywhere wind is funnelled between houses.

Posts do most of the work

Concrete posts don't rot, and panels slot into them rather than being nailed on, so they can flex slightly without pulling loose. They're the usual choice for exposed gardens. Timber posts look softer and are easier to fix things to, but they need to be pressure-treated and set properly.

Depth matters as much as material. A common rule of thumb is to have about a quarter of the post's length below ground, set in concrete, so a 1.8 metre fence normally uses posts around 2.4 metres long. In soft or wet ground, a fencer may go deeper.

Panels that let the wind through

Slatted, hit-and-miss and louvred panels leave small gaps, so the wind passes through instead of pushing the whole fence. You still get privacy, especially with hit-and-miss, where boards alternate on each side.

Closeboard fencing, built on site from overlapping vertical boards on rails, is stronger than lap panels, which are the cheapest option and the most likely to blow out.

Gravel boards and the bottom of the fence

A gravel board runs along the bottom of the fence so the panel never touches the soil. That stops the base rotting, and a concrete gravel board also adds weight and stiffness low down. If your old fence rotted along the bottom, this is the fix.

Repair or replace?

If one or two posts have snapped but the rest are solid, a fencer can often replace just those posts, sometimes with concrete repair spurs bolted to the old post. If posts are going all along the run, it's usually better value to replace the lot than to keep patching.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; check with your council before you build. Updated October 2026.