People often spend hours choosing the style of their rigid panels or the colour of their mesh fencing. Yet the real question that will determine whether your fence is still standing after the first autumn storm comes much earlier: should you choose posts to set in concrete, or posts screwed onto a base plate?
This technical choice determines the strength of your installation, its lifespan, and how much time you will spend sweating during installation. Here is how to make the right choice for your garden.
Setting in concrete: the strength option
This is the traditional, hands-on method, and by far the most robust. The principle is simple: you dig, place the post directly into the ground, and lock everything in place by pouring setting concrete.
This technique offers unmatched resistance to wind. It becomes essential if you plan to install privacy slats or a privacy screen on your panels. Indeed, wind load generates enormous pulling forces that only a proper concrete foundation can withstand over the long term.
Admittedly, the job takes effort: you need to dig holes 30 to 50 cm deep and observe a mandatory drying time before fixing the panels. But once the concrete is dry, your fence will not move by a millimetre.
Base-plate installation: fast, clean and removable
A post screwed onto a base plate is the ideal solution if you already have a solid, level surface, such as a concrete wall, a terrace, or a slab. The metal base plate is simply fixed using anchor bolts or chemical anchoring.
Here, there is no need to get out a mini excavator or a spade. You save valuable time during assembly. This is the option to favour for low fences or simple boundaries that will not be subjected to high wind loads. Another practical advantage: the posts remain removable. If you need to replace a damaged panel or change your outdoor layout in a few years, you will not need to smash everything up with a sledgehammer.
It all depends on what is under your feet
The nature of your ground often dictates the installation method:
- On soil or lawn: setting directly into the ground remains the only viable option. Do not try to cut corners by pouring small individual concrete pads to screw base plates onto: at the first gust of wind, the loose ground will shift and your fence will end up leaning.
- On a masonry support: a base plate is perfect. However, pay attention to the condition of your wall. If it is old, crumbly, or too narrow, the concrete may crack when tightening the anchor bolts.
The privacy-screen trap
It is often forgotten, but adding a privacy screen (PVC, wood or fabric slats) turns your fence into a real boat sail. If there are no longer any gaps to let air through, the pressure on the structure becomes immense during storms.
- For a privacy fence: setting in concrete is mandatory as soon as the height exceeds 1.20 m. Otherwise, you risk seeing your posts bend or your base plates tear out of the wall.
- For an open fence: if you are installing simple mesh fencing or bare rigid panels that let the wind through, posts on base plates work very well, even for standard heights of 1.50 m.
A few site tips for successful installation
If you choose setting in concrete, apply the one-third rule: one third of the post’s total length must be buried to ensure a secure hold. When pouring the concrete, form a slight dome at the surface, flush with the post. This will prevent rainwater from pooling at its base, thereby limiting the risk of premature corrosion.
If you opt for base-plate installation, do not compromise on anchoring quality. Use stainless-steel anchor bolts to avoid unsightly rust streaks on your concrete. Finally, always keep a spirit level to hand: a 1 mm discrepancy at the base plate translates into several centimetres of misalignment at the top of the post.
Expert in fencing, gates, and outdoor landscaping since 2019.
Holds a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing – SEO, UX/UI.
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