Helpful Tips For Making Temporary Fence Panels More Secure

So you've got a project in your home and need to put up a temporary fence. You've been sure to choose the right material for your temporary fence and probably think you're good to go — until a gust of wind blows from nowhere, sending your fence into your neighbor's yard. Considering that temporary fences are made with lightweight materials so they can be easy to transport, install, and remove, you shouldn't be surprised if they aren't sturdy. But you can keep your temporary fence panels more secure with security options like sandbags, T-posts, concrete blocks, wind braces, spikes, specialized anchoring systems, and even nearby permanent structures.

Let's start with the one you don't have to spend money on. If you have strong fixtures like a permanent fence or trees close to the temporary fence, you could simply use a rope to tie the short-term fence to them. Ensure not to tie your fence to electric poles, streetlights, or anything that could lead to electrical accidents. Another common and relatively inexpensive option is sandbags. These are usually easy to move and safe for when you have underground utilities near the location of your temporary fence because they don't require any digging. Just prop them against your fence and you're good. However, they can be trip hazards, messy, and tear easily so you might need to replace them often. Also, they are not ideal if you live in a windy area as they might not keep your fence from falling in very windy conditions.

T-posts are a much sturdier choice for windy areas because you have to knock them into the ground before attaching your temporary mesh or netting. Just ensure you call 811 before doing any digging around your home to prevent any damage to underground utilities. T-posts could be difficult to install on hard soil, so you might need to water the ground first before pushing them into the ground with a post driver. Heating the end of the T-posts can also make it easier to get into frozen soil. And when you need to take out the fence, you can use this TikTok hack to remove T-posts quickly. A similar way to secure your fence is with spikes. You drive them into the soil then insert the fence posts into their receiving ends, and yes, you still need to call 811 before installing them.

Concrete blocks are another common option you can go for. The blocks should be a minimum of 20kg in weight and placed at even intervals at the base of the panels. For particularly windy areas or fences with privacy screens, wind braces are your best bet. They hold the fence posts in place and act as an extra leg that is bolted to the ground to stabilize the fence. However, the strength of the soil determines the efficiency of your braces as soft soil might be unable to hold them well. You can weigh the bolts of the braces down with sandbags or concrete blocks.