Hurricane proof fence... ?

[Jims5543]

I have replaced and repaired these 4 sections of fence 3 times now after 3 hurricanes.

So I decided to try to make it hurricane proof. These 4 sections are at the top of the hill in my back yard and really take a beating. I watched Wilma take it apart last year.

So here is the plan, a post every 4 feet instead of 8. Four 2x4 cross beams instead of 3 and 2 stategically placed anchors to firm up the whole shabang. Oops! Forgot to mention that I used two 80 pound bags of concrete per post and 3 bags for the anchors.

Here is the culprit, I half stood it back up after Wilma sick of fixing it.





The frame work is in place:




Here are the two anchors, I am hoping they will help keep the fence stood up in the next storm:



The finished product, I picked up a roofing nailer at Home Depot for $100 marked down from $300. This made nailing the pickets easy work. I also used 4" screws on all the places where the 2x4 meets the fence post. Then I bought some strapping and reinforced the anchors where the 2x4 meets them and the fence post.

Oops! Finished product:




Look for an update on this after our next hurricane.

[Dantilla]

Would you consider leaving gaps between pickets to allow air to flow through?

[m325ix]

excuse my ignorance. but why don't you move out of there?
3 hurricanes are not enough? Jee...
good luck on the project !

[RoninLB]

I don't have much to offer with dealing with 120mph winds except the nails in the pickets seem like a good idea until you have 50 of them sticking into your house. Good luck.

[TimT]

Would you consider leaving gaps between pickets to allow air to flow through?

Or a series of holes drilled through the fence??

[Mr_Wizard]

you can brace the fence as much as you like, there are still weak spots, I have been through many hurricanes here in Eastern NC (Fran, Bertha, Floyd) As long as there is a wide flat solid surface for the wind to blow against it will eventually come down. I am not a physicist but this is not rocket science. The only way it will stay up possibly is with holes in the fence to allow wind to pass through and relieve the pressure.

[azasadny]

Nice fence. Good luck!

[Hugh R]

How about chain link with plastic slats? Privacy and the wind can blow through it?

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by m325ix
excuse my ignorance. but why don't you move out of there?
3 hurricanes are not enough? Jee...
good luck on the project !

Trust me, the thought crosses my mind a lot. We love it here and its hard to leave. I get to drive my Targa all year long, and just yesterday we were swimming in our pool. Friday we were at the beach eating dinner on a blanket.

Plus the house is paid for in full. I did however develop a backp plan, we bought a house in the NC mountains. Its named Category 5.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by Mr_Wizard
you can brace the fence as much as you like, there are still weak spots, I have been through many hurricanes here in Eastern NC (Fran, Bertha, Floyd) As long as there is a wide flat solid surface for the wind to blow against it will eventually come down. I am not a physicist but this is not rocket science. The only way it will stay up possibly is with holes in the fence to allow wind to pass through and relieve the pressure.

Normally I would agree with you. Except, we had a lot of time to prepare. I braced my fence on the side yard with extra landscape timbers and it held up great through the storm. Its the fence to the left in the 1st 2 pictures. That is where I got the idea to overbuild a fence with bracing already in place.

Plus no science or "rocket science" applies when it comes to hurricanes. Nothing makes sense after these storms hit. My friend lost his home in the Bahamas after Floyd in 1999. The whole house was gone but his hutch with the TV in it was standing in the spot it was in before the storm.

My neighbor put in all new shadowbox fencing at the same time I put in the fence to the left in the 1st 2 pictures. All her fence was flattened. I am positive the bracing is what makes the difference, I guess time will tell.

[cstreit]

Maybe the upper part of the slat should be on a hinge... Then when the high winds come in they'll just pivot upwards.

[livi]

Yes, perhaps a bit of automotive aerodynamic would do the trick. An adjustable spoiler on top.

Jokes aside, I think the only way to minimize force on the fence is to have (rather large) spaces between the ribs. Perhaps combined with a top spoiler..

[pbs911]

Fence looks nice.

As one who will be buying in SE Florida later this year I have been looking at a lot of homes on Ziprealty and Realty.com. Why don't I see more cinderblock fences? Are they doomed to fail?

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by cstreit
Maybe the upper part of the slat should be on a hinge... Then when the high winds come in they'll just pivot upwards.

BRILLIANT! Or another mod might be spring loaded hinges both top & bottom. They'd have to swing both ways, of course.

[David]

The horizontal 2x4's are the wrong way for wind load, but since you have 4 of them that shouldn't be a problem. You definently won't have sag problems.

[Jims5543]

Another thought was to make it so the sections could be taken down easily. Sort of hung in place. They could be taken down and strapped to the ground before a storm.

I did this with my Solar panels for my pool. I can take them apart and down in about 1/2 an hour.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro

Another thought was to make it so the sections could be taken down easily. Sort of hung in place. They could be taken down and strapped to the ground before a storm.

I have one 6x6" cedar pole between two 4'L x 5'H double slotted cedar doors. The door core is 2x4 cedar. Then each side has 2" between each 6'W pc. It's ventelated and it's very decent looking.

Anyway a decent hurricane up here for me is 18-24" of ocean around my house, porch stripped bass fishing with furniture drifting down the streets, and 60-80mph winds. It's averaged about one every 7-10yrs since around 1900. It's routine for the locals and an awakening for the newbies. If my address ever gets slamed like you southern guys do I won't even have real estate left.. i wonder if that's covered by flood insurance? Hurricanes are a pia.

Meanwhile the center post slides into a concrete shaft for easy removal.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by procon
Damn Jim, I build 5 days a week & not sure who gets more done.
Got the package, I'll pick up & send your camera out tomorrow.
Sorry for the delay.

I am ready for a break dude seriously.

I found this pic last night. You can see the beating the vegatation took in the before and after pics. Of course the before is on the left.

[nota]

Originally posted by pbs911
Fence looks nice.

As one who will be buying in SE Florida later this year I have been looking at a lot of homes on Ziprealty and Realty.com. Why don't I see more cinderblock fences? Are they doomed to fail?

cost is a lot higher as you need to dig a trench
and pore a footer

and zoning laws limit heights on cbs fences to 4 feet or less
while allowing 6 foot wooden fences most places
and restrict front yard fences even more some places , other have out right bans

they survive hurricaines fairly well if well built unlike the wood

[Jims5543]

BTW- the fence is there for privacy. Thus the lack of huge spaces or big holes. If this falls I see a concrete wall in my future.