Windbreaks

[wishorty]

Hello all, as the saying goes "long time listener, first time caller". I've lurked this board for years but finally need some good advice from you folks.

I am building small lot for weaning my calves and I have a bunch of used tin that I want to build a windbreak. I am looking for ideas such as height and mostly the question of is there should be spaces between the sheets of tin?? I have read that there should be but I just really wonder.... If so, how wide of a space between tin sheets and should the tin run horizontal or vertical..

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated and any pictures would be great.

 

[I Luv Herfrds]

How many calves and how much tin do you have? Just out of curiousity.

Some friends of ours have a shed that is in an "L" shape. It is open on one side. The posts are 12" round. They are placed 8'-10' apart. The open side is 7' tall. One side measures about 40' in length.
The back wall that was completely covered with tin was 6' high. They have a peaked roof on it to shed the rain and snow. It is 14'-16' wide.
Sorry I don't have a picture.

 

[wishorty]

There will be about 70 calves in the lot. The building we just buit has a 40' x 40' area for the calves to run in. The idea with the windbreak is to give added protection to the yard where the calves will be fed. We get some wicked north and west winds in the winter and I feel this will encourage the calves to stay outside and eat rather than hunker down in the shed in rougher weather.

I have lots of tin and used telephone poles so supplies are not an issue. The main question I have is whether or not to build it with gaps or build a solid wall. All I read says put in gaps,,,, but in my head I want it solid... LOL...... I live in Wisconsin and I know most on here are ranchers and I have seen some pictures of windbreaks so was hoping to see some examples..... If anyone can post any, it would be great..... Thanks to all.

Wayne

 

[Denny]

I like the 8 feet tall that way the wind is broken aways away from it to short and it won't do much.I don't know the exact reason for the gaps inbetween but ours are all 1" apart.We have a neighbor who uses semi tires weld a 4" tube to the rim and fill with cement then he bolts a few boards horizontal then attach's the wind break boards vertical.He has quite a few of these and can set them up any where needed as they are portable.

 

[wishorty]

Denny, thanks for the reply... are you pretty happy with the spacing? I assume yours is boards? If you have any pics, that would be great.

Wayne

 

[efb]

I don't know the reason for the gaps, but I have always figured that without spaces it creats a downdraft right behind the windbreak. With the gaps enough air gets through the windbreak that it would move snow drifts farther out from the windbreak. Pure speculation on my part. I would google up cattle windbreaks. Probably something there.
Good luck.

 

[Yanuck]

Gaps are needed to let some air thru so the snow doesn't all pile up and drift over top from the back, think about a snow fence when rolled out the slats have spaces to let the air thru.....clear as mud???

 

[jigs]

I just got done building one out of old irrigation ppipe. it is only 40 ft long, and the gaps were to much so I took an old hay tarp and tied it onto it, wrapped it up and over, then tied it off again. I will try to get a picture of it.

total cost...$50 for the tie straps. so I am happy with it.

 

[Kato]

A solid fence will get you a snowbank.

We build our windbreaks out of wooden slabs. They're cheap enough that you could use them instead and save your tin for something even fancier, like a shed or something. :lol:

 

[chugcreek]

Here in the windy part of Wyoming I prefer a solid fence, sure you'll get some snow drifting behind them but that will happen with a gapped fence as well. With the solid fence you get a 'calm' area from the wind that a gapped fence cannot provide you. Materials of choice, about anything will work, tin, steel, slabs are good as previously mentioned and inexpensive. I find that the gapless fence cuts down on windchill, adds warmth, and only minimally piles drifting snow. Some windbreaks in this country are almost circular in nature, some one or two sided, whatever works ! I've seen some breaks built with old utility poles and enclosed to about 15 feet in height in some really windy spots, most are 8-10 feet high though.