What is the best hardware for hanging windscreens (Ty-Raps, Plastic Snaps, or Rope)?

windscreen-hardware-options

Windscreen Hardware Options – Available at 10-S.com

After many of our customer experienced high winds in the wake of Hurricane Matthew last week, we have had a rush of orders for replacement hardware for windscreens.  In preparation for high winds, we always recommend taking down and rolling up your windscreens to avoid damage to your fence.  Leaving up windscreens can cause them to act as a sail – catching wind and pulling fencing over.  Once the screens are down and the storm has passed, that means it’s time to re-install them.  At that time you may be wondering “what is the best hardware for hanging my windscreens?”  So we hope this article helps!

We recommend the use of 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps (a.k.a., zip ties) for most windscreen installations. High winds can cause damage to windscreens and fences. 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps are designed to break with high winds. This releases the windscreen from the fence, preventing structural damage to the fence.

Some facilities use plastic snaps along the top of the windscreen and 50 lb. ty-raps around the sides and bottom of the windscreen. This arrangement allows the ties to break on the sides and bottom in high winds, releasing some of the pressure on the fence.

Rope is generally not recommended as an exclusive fastening agent for a windscreen for the reasons listed above. If rope is used to attach windscreens to the fence and high winds are experienced, the windscreen may act as a sail and bring the entire fence down.

It is permissible to use rope along the middle of a 9′ windscreen to attach the anti-billow tab to the fence, provided 50 lb. breaking strength ty-raps are used along the top, bottom and sides of the windscreen.

See our instructional video on windscreen installation in the Instructional Videos page of our website.