Temporary Fence

A barrier or partition set up for some specific function for a limited time is a temporary fence. It offers a temporary solution to ensure different public, pedestrian, automobile, and construction safety.

You can easily assemble and dismantle the temporary fences and move them to quickly set up in new locations. This gives you convenient flexibility in terms of variant applications scopes.

Figure 1 – A Typical Temporary Fence

You can use the temporary fences for different kinds of applications. Here are some of the common ones:

• You can increase the job site security at different kinds of manufacturing establishments.
• Temporary fences are an ideal solution to ensure construction site safety.
• At outdoor events, you can set different kinds of temporary perimeters.
• Set up different kinds of functioning areas indoors.
• Use temporary fences for different kinds of crowd control measures.
• For material protection, use the suitable type of temporary fences.
• Use custom-screened fences to promote your brand and business.
• Temporary fences are ideal alternatives to traffic barrier lanes.
• For temporary road construction works, you can use temporary fences to divert and control the traffic.
• At parking spots, you can use the temporary fences to set up secured perimeters.

There are different kinds of temporary fences. These are:

• Chain link fences are suitable for your construction sites or outdoor events.

Figure 2 – Temporary Chain Link Fence

• Picket fences are your ideal choice to set up for around the yards to keep off intruders.
• Anti-scale or anti-climb fences will provide you a higher level of security by restricting the climbing of intruders.
• Safety barricades for traffic control.
• Stage barriers for crowd control at different kinds of events.
• Expandable barriers are great for portability features.
• Water-filled barricades are used for traffic safety.
• Pedestrian barricades are used for pedestrian safety on roads and walkways.

Figure 3 – Pedestrian Barricades

• Panel fences are ideal for temporary fencing where the ground is not suitable for driving in the fence posts.
• Windscreen enables protection against winds.
• Gates can control the movement flow in the site.

People typically set up temporary fences to function for a limited duration of time. In contrast, you can use the permanent fences for an extended or permanent scope of works.

So, based on the functioning limits and scopes, manufacturers design different kinds of features. One of the prominent features is how much stronger they are.

Normally permanent fences are designed to function for heavy-duty works. They can bear a substantial amount of imposed load. Comparatively, the temporary fences are less stronger. But this feature difference is not seen in all cases. Sometimes the temporary fences are also designed to withstand heavy applications.

The permanent fences also have higher durability and can last for a very long time. On the other hand, you can get shorter service durations for the typical temporary fences.

Another difference is in terms of installation complexity. You have to install permanent fences with better support, complicating the installation procedure compared to the temporary fences.

This will also increase the time that you require to install the permanent fences. Comparatively, you can easily assemble and dismantle temporary fences within a very short time.

You can also get temporary fences at a lower price compared to permanent fences. This will reduce your initial budget for fence setups.

Figure 4 – An Example Of Permanent Fence

Temporary fences are not only suitable for construction sites, they are also one of the most common places where they are used most. To ensure the safety of the construction workers, managers, or relevant people, you often need to set up different forms of temporary barriers.

Even for temporarily sectioning areas or protecting construction materials, your ideal choice is the temporary fences.

So, the manufacturers design different kinds of temporary construction fences. To serve your variant application scopes, they also design them based on specific purpose and suitability.

There are different kinds of temporary fences. You have to use different kinds of components for each kind of fence. Sometimes, the suitable components for a specific kind of fence might not be suitable for another kind.

But most of the common forms of temporary fences follow the design and setup procedure common to the panel fences. The basic components are also similar. So, we will just mention the common and basic components of fence panels here.

• Panels / Body frame: The panels or body frame of the fence are the major part of the temporary fences. Most of the time they are rectangular shaped with specific length, width, and height.

Figure 5 – A Typical Temporary Panel Fence With Basic Components

• Pole: You do not need poles with many temporary fences. But in a few kinds of temporary fences, you need poles to attach adjacent two fence body frames to support them.
• Fence base: The pole or the body frames are connected with the fence base. The base supports their load on the ground and stabilizes them. Sometimes you can also fix them on the ground with a screwing system.
• Feet: You may find the feet with few types of temporary fence, to add additional stability and durability options for the fence and fence base.
• Clamps: You can use the clamps to secure different connections to the fence during installation.
• Wind braces: Use the wind braces to add additional stability against wind.
• Gates: Gates are important so that you can install access control measures with your temporary fences.

Many users proceed to buy temporary fences, while few go for renting options to serve their very short-term fencing purposes. You should decide whether you should buy or rent temporary fences considering some factors:

• Consider the time you need the fencing for your project. If you need it for a longer time period, buying may be the better option for you.
• Assess the frequency of applications. Determine how often you need to use the temporary fences.
• Conduct a cost comparison and choose the solution that offers the best cost-effective solution for you.
• Owning your own fences will give you availability at all times and flexibility of usage. But if your project does not need such advantages, you may opt for the rentals.
• Consider the initial budget of your project. Buying the fences will offer a long-term benefit while renting will offer benefits at initial investments.
• Review the storage space whether you can comply or not. You need a secured storage space to accommodate the temporary fences when not in use.
• If you buy temporary fences, you need fencing tools and adequate labor to install them. While renting, the company will offer you assembly and dismantling services.

Consider all these factors and decide which option is best for you between renting and buying temporary fences.

The site conditions influence the fencing conditions because all kinds of fences are not suitable for all kinds of sites. In different sites, there may be differences in the type of terrain. Review the types of fences mentioned earlier and their suitability with installation in the specific terrain type.

You should also consider the functionality of your fencing and analyze whether the selected fence can function properly with the site conditions and surroundings.

Yes, there are different legal code requirements specified by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and other regulatory committees regarding temporary fencing at construction sites.

You have to follow their guidelines to fully comply with their requirements when you want to set up temporary fences at your construction sites.

Different materials used to manufacture temporary fences are:

• Aluminum
• Polypropylene plastic

Figure 6 – Temporary Plastic Fence

• Hot rolled mild steel with different types of finishing
• Hot-dipped galvanized
• Powder coating
• Metal or plastic wire-mesh

Most temporary fences are built complying with different kinds of standards. So, the manufacturers follow some specific size patterns for the height, weight, thickness, and aperture.

But manufacturers are willing to manufacture custom-sized temporary fences if your order quantity is large enough.

Construction hoarding is nothing but temporary fences. The temporary fences that you use in the construction sites are called construction hoardings.

You need bright-colored temporary fences in areas where you want to express a clear visual warning. It highlights the fencing and warnings of the fences.

Moreover, the bright colors are easily visible from very far. So, using these temporary fences, you can ensure higher safety through clear visibility from very far.

Most of the companies who offer rented fences also offer installation services in a combined package. They will safely and professionally assemble the temporary fences at your site when you need them.

Again, once you are done, they will disassemble the fences with their own service.

Both temporary fences are built with steel material encased in a protective layer of zinc. It makes the material resistant to corrosion. So, your materials become more durable.

In the galvanizing process, the steel is immersed in molten zinc to give the surface layer protection. But in the powder coating process, the exterior surface layer of the steel is covered with a protective layer of zinc powder through the electrostatic application.

Although both the metals achieve similar durability, you can expect slightly higher durability from the powder-coated fences. Another important difference that you can observe is in terms of aesthetics.

You can observe a dull silver color in the galvanized fence. But the powder-coated fence will offer a painted outlook with much more beautiful finishing.

So, although the cost of powder-coated fences is slightly higher, you might prefer them over the galvanized fences for a better aesthetic. You can also order a special colored surface.

Compared to permanent fencing, you can enjoy few benefits in temporary fencing. These are:

• Easy to install
• It takes less time to assemble and dismantle
• Lighter components
• Requires less labor and equipment to handle
• Cost-effective solution
• More portability

Yes, you can use temporary windscreen fences with driven posts to control the wind and dust in your construction site.

Typically, the windscreen fence has an opaque layer made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It blocks the incoming wind and dust. Moreover, it also adds a privacy screen to ensure more safety for your materials.

Figure 7 – Windscreen Temporary Fence

Typically, the height of a construction fence is specified to be at least 6 feet according to OSHA standards. Few other authorities also specify higher heights until 7 feet.

The built-in horizontal bases are sufficient to stabilize the typical temporary fences. But if you want to further increase the stability, you can use additional components like base feet or fence stabilizers.

You should be looking for class A hoarding if you want to provide protection from the sideways or need to facilitate access control. They offer a better finishing quality. So, they are ideal solutions in different kinds of commercial and residential construction sites where you need higher levels of privacy, safety, and security.

On the other hand, type B hoarding provides overhead protection from falling debris. The typical overhead and gantry hoardings are type B hoardings. You need them to keep the pedestrian pathway or a part of building secured during construction.

Figure 8 – Class A And Class B Hoarding