It’s the weekend, finally! You slept until 9 AM and then lazily rolled out of bed. You’re in the kitchen, making coffee, and you think to yourself, “It’s a beautiful day, let me drink this coffee on the patio.” You get out, the warm glow of the sun is on your face, the birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, you sit down, and have that first sip.
Man… The weekend is off to an amazing start. And then WIND! Your coffee mug tips over and suddenly is not that amazing anymore.
Wind isn’t something many people take seriously or into account. Not until it becomes a problem. You can plan the layout, the furniture, the garden, the grill, but the wind can still spoil your fun if you don’t have a windbreak fence.
Wind Patterns in Residential Yards
If the wind were a cartoon character, it would be the Mad Hatter. It’s absolutely unpredictable and does whatever it wants, whenever it wants. One house might get constant annoying gusts while the neighbor’s yard stays calm. The difference is usually in geography. Hills, valleys, nearby buildings, and trees can speed up the air, completely block it, or even redirect it in ways you wouldn’t expect.
If you have a backyard, you probably already know this because you have experience with chasing down cushions across the lawn or having the wind ruin everybody’s hair at an outdoor gathering. Unfortunately, wind is a lot more than just occasionally annoying. It can also mess up your garden because it dries out the soil and wears down delicate plants.
You can’t actually control the wind, but there are ways to help your backyard stay more or less serene. The first step is noticing how the wind moves through your property. Do any of the plants lean? Do snow piles always look uneven? Are there more fallen leaves on one side? These are all little cues about strength and direction. A simple windsock can help here, too.
Once you know how the wind flows, you can get a fence that will be appropriate for your space. Look up the keyword ‘fence contractor near me’ online and do a bit of research to ensure the structure you install is actually functional. It’s best to go with a local contractor because they’ll advise you on the best material choices and what to look out for, depending on your local climate/environment.
If you try to go the DIY route, it probably won’t come out the best, unless you’re an expert.
How Windbreak Fences Protect Plants and the Outdoors
A windbreak fence that’s placed in just the right spot will completely change the environment around it.
The fence slows the air down, which creates a pocket of calmer space, almost like its own little climate, which is very important if you’ve got lots of plants in your garden.
Your patio or deck will become a lot more comfortable if you don’t have crazy winds blowing through it all the time, plus the reduced airflow makes the space quieter. This is ideal for dinners outdoors because you won’t have to yell to have a conversation with someone.
How to Choose the Right Windbreak Fence – 2 Tips
There’s more than one type of windbreak fence out there. This means you need to know how to choose one that’ll work for your house in particular. Some of them are built to let in a little bit of air, and others to block it completely.
Also, there’s the aesthetics of it, the material, how tall it is, etc.
Privacy
Semi-private fences have small gaps between boards or panels which lets a bit of air in. This design works really well because it reduces the risk of turbulence, which is what happens when wind hits a solid wall and unpredictably swirls back around. These types of fences work best in places where the wind is strong enough to be a problem but not so strong that it damages your plants or furniture.
Another (important) perk is that they make your house/lot look more natural, simply because they don’t block the view or the sunlight 100%.
Solid fences are a different story, though. They totally stop the wind in its tracks; nothing gets through. If you live somewhere where the winds get completely crazy and create pressure differences that cause gusts to whip around the sides, you need a solid windbreak fence.
Materials
In terms of material choices, you’ve got a few:
-
Wood – high versatility and, of course, it looks natural. This is the number one reason why people go for a wooden fence. Put some lacquer on it; you can even change the color/tone with the lacquer, and it’ll last you a lifetime. All you have to do is repaint the fence every so often. If you live in an area where there’s very high precipitation, you might have issues with rot/mold/mildew. If you live in an area where there are very high temperatures (and high air humidity), then you might have to deal with warping; so it’s important to talk to your local contractor about any potential issues commonly present where you live.
-
Vinyl – Very low maintenance. It can also be painted, and ultimately, it looks clean and uniform. No need for occasional staining/sealing, plus it’s resistant to pests and rot. It isn’t resistant to the weather, however, so keep in mind that in areas with strong winters and summers, it can start to become brittle and crack.
-
Aluminum/Steel – Highly durable. Unlike steel, aluminum can’t rust. It can corrode, but the corrosion is only surface level (whitish looking; it won’t spread). They come with a protective coating. The downside is that you have to pay a premium if you want a particular design. Aluminum is harder to work with than steel, so keep that in mind.
-
Composite – Looks like wood (from afar). If you come close to or touch it, you’ll know it’s fake. Regardless, composite isn’t what it was 10-15 years ago. Today, you get some REALLY convincing textures. So, if you pay a bit more, you might end up with something extraordinary. While the initial price is higher, there’s almost zero maintenance involved (apart from washing it when it gets dirty – optional).
Conclusion
Buying a new fence surely isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. But once you actually experience how it’ll change your everyday life, it’ll become exciting. The important thing is that you don’t get used to it too quickly, since in that case, you won’t even notice the benefits.
And even if you don’t care about functionality but only looks (and that it lasts you a long while, of course), there are a plethora of amazing options to make your home look AMAZING!
