Securing shelter from the strong wind

[spader]

Now I have set up my shelter in the garden, I am trying to further secure it so it can withstand the strong wind, which can happen any time, but definely during the winter time. The shelter is made up with the aluminium pipe frames which clicks into the shape, and the pvc canopy attached on the top with the elastic bands all around between the frame and the peg holes. The size is 3m x 6m, quite large sized carport canopy originally, but now set up as a general shelter for working around in the garden, and wood bruning stove. The shelter has no walls at all. Just the PVC roof on the frame.

It looks secure the now with some old outriggers I used to have for the scafolding attached to the legs of the shelter, but I can see that it might get damage from any strong wind more than 40-50 miles per hour. During the winter, we get 70-80miles wind some days.

I am wondering if shelters like this can withstand the strong winter winds here if good securing measures were in place, or does it have to be taken down during the storm.
Have you done anything to secure for your semi-permanent shelters like this in your garden or sites? What are some of your experiences coping with the strong winds against the semi-permanent or temporary shelters?

 

[Pattree]

I have not had exactly the same experience but.
A contractor used to set up marquees at Festival at the Edge. Mostly traditional but ine of these was tube framed. The Festival committee decided to buy one of their own. It didn’t last one night.
The difference was the diameter of the tubing. The professional tent had tubing not much smaller than your scaffold poles (but lighter). The failed one had tubing that was, I dunno, 20 maybe 25mm dia. It buckled.

What are you anchoring the shelter with? I’d recommend augers or two foot hoops of re-bar but I doubt your shelter will survive 70mph wind for long whatever you do.

 

[spader]

I have not had exactly the same experience but.
A contractor used to set up marquees at Festival at the Edge. Mostly traditional but ine of these was tube framed. The Festival committee decided to buy one of their own. It didn’t last one night.
The difference was the diameter of the tubing. The professional tent had tubing not much smaller than your scaffold poles (but lighter). The failed one had tubing that was, I dunno, 20 maybe 25mm dia. It buckled.

What are you anchoring the shelter with? I’d recommend augers or two foot hoops of re-bar but I doubt your shelter will survive 70mph wind for long whatever you do.

It is secured with the scaffolding outriggers 4x on each leg of the shelter. It feels quite secure right now, but the strong wind might do some damage during the winter months.

Here is a video for the shelter. It keeps rain and sun lights off giving good shelter right now.

 

[Mesquite]

Trouble with something like that is it'll act like a giant sail in the winds you're describing and if it doesn't rip off it could damage the frame.

Personally I'd take it off rather than risk it but failing that could you throw a load of ratchet straps over the whole thing to provide extra reinforcement?

 

[Pattree]

I get your outriggers but what is actually anchoring the shelter to the ground.
As @Mesquite points out, in a strong wind the shelter could set sail carrying the frame with it.

 

[spader]

Trouble with something like that is it'll act like a giant sail in the winds you're describing and if it doesn't rip off it could damage the frame.

Personally I'd take it off rather than risk it but failing that could you throw a load of ratchet straps over the whole thing to provide extra reinforcement?

I get your outriggers but what is actually anchoring the shelter to the ground.
As @Mesquite points out, in a strong wind the shelter could set sail carrying the frame with it.

Yes, that was the premeditated worry. Taking the PVC roof off from the frame during the winter season seems best answer suppose.

I have seen some heavy and solid all metal structures getting badly damaged or suffering total collapses by strong winds in the videos. This mobile carport canopy would have no chance in the situation.

Having said that, wondered if there would be a brilliant idea which can cope with the problem.

 

[spader]

I get your outriggers but what is actually anchoring the shelter to the ground.
As @Mesquite points out, in a strong wind the shelter could set sail carrying the frame with it.

The canopy shelter is not anchored to the ground yet. The 4x outriggers seem to be holding it very securely. But I will get some guy wire and tie them into the tree stumps and the drainage pipes as well as get some pegs and push them down into the soil trying to further secure it down.

 

[Pattree]

Augers would be much better than pegs. Get half a dozen of those big corkscrew things for anchoring your dog. Poundland do them cheaper than a pet shop.
Whatever you do don’t tie the shelter to a downspout. It will get torn off your wall if you get the sort of wind that you are describing.

Pegs??????? If you know anyone in construction then get some four foot off cuts of re-bar, bend a foot and a half into a hoop and hammer it in deep -
erm……. Do you know where your underground house services run?

 

[spader]

Augers would be much better than pegs. Get half a dozen of those big corkscrew things for anchoring your dog. Poundland do them cheaper than a pet shop.
Whatever you do don’t tie the shelter to a downspout. It will get torn off your wall if you get the sort of wind that you are describing.

Pegs??????? If you know anyone in construction then get some four foot off cuts of re-bar, bend a foot and a half into a hoop and hammer it in deep -
erm……. Do you know where your underground house services run?

I have never used augers for anchoring the dogs. The only augers I have seen were for drilling the woods.

I thought our waste pipes running down the house wall outside were made very strong with some heavy metalic stuff, and well secured into the wall and the ground too. But as you said, it might not be a good idea for tying anything around it due to possible damage.

We don't know anyone in construction, hence re-bar must be bought from eBay or somewhere Amazon maybe. Maybe re-bar pegs could be overkill for the light duty shelter with the aluminium frames?

The shelter came with a set of the factory supplied tent pegs and guywires, but they look too flimsy. I had a few tent pegs from long time ago, and they are thick heavy duty ones. But they are all lost, and maybe I will be able to locate 1 or 2 in the shed.

No idea where this house service runs. It would be somewhere along the back of the house under the patio, I am guessing.

 

[spader]

 

[Mesquite]

On the house side you could fit some eye bolts screwed into the wall and hook the ratchet straps to those and looped over the peak to ground pegs on the other side.

As for re-bar go down your local scrap metal dealer, they'll have plenty. It's better to have overkill on the pegs than wishing you had them as you watch your frame and tarp sail away in a gale...

 

[matarius777]

If it did fly off in a gale, you may well also have the issue of paying for any damage it does to your neighbour’s property, depending on your insurance (who’ll do anything to wriggle out of paying out).

 

[Pattree]

This

or at least

These

I don’t mean to be alarmist but you raised concern about 70mph winds. Imagine a small yacht in such conditions.

 

[Pattree]

Just been back to the OP to check.

I can see that it might get damage from any strong wind more than 40-50 miles per hour. During the winter, we get 70-80miles wind some days.

I am wondering if shelters like this can withstand the strong winter winds here if good securing measures were in place, or does it have to be taken down during the storm.

My apologies @spader .
My reply should have been: “Yes indeed, take it down if that sort of wind is forecast.”

 

[Grebby]

I don't like the big corkscrew type.
I prefer this type. Please forgive random amazon link here.
I suppose it depends on the ground type.

 

[spader]

Just been back to the OP to check.






My apologies @spader .
My reply should have been: “Yes indeed, take it down if that sort of wind is forecast.”

No probs Pattree. Yeah taking down the PVC roof is one of the options, although it could be a boring tedious task. With the roof off, the frames should be ok, as there is no much surface that takes the wind force.

 

[spader]

I don't like the big corkscrew type.
I prefer this type. Please forgive random amazon link here.
I suppose it depends on the ground type.

They look great pegs, but rather expensive.

 

[TLM]

Now lets see, 70 mph is about 110km/h is about 31 m/s. 1 m² at that wind speed can cause a max force of about 61kg or 600N. That is enough to cause some grey hair to the shelter owner. Even with proper anchoring I have some doubt about the canopy being able to take it.

 

[Grebby]

They can be had cheaper. It was just a link show the sort of thing I was on about.
Ebay link
They just seem to hold better when constantly jiggled about than other sorts.

That said in the sort of windspeeds you are on about even if the frame was absolutely solidly mounted the cover would disintegrate.

 

[spader]

They can be had cheaper. It was just a link show the sort of thing I was on about.
Ebay link
They just seem to hold better when constantly jiggled about than other sorts.

That said in the sort of windspeeds you are on about even if the frame was absolutely solidly mounted the cover would disintegrate.

Yes, that sounds right. We are having a rainy and windy day today at the time of writing this post. I checked with BBC weather, and it says the wind speed is between 20-30 miles per an hour this area today.

I can already see the shelter making noises, and moving around with the wind. At one time, one corner leg was lifting a lot by the wind making the whole shelter unstable. I put a small tarp between the one side of the end legs to make a temp wall, and it was getting severe wind force trying to drag the shelter with it. I went out, and took off the tarp, and it is a little better now.

It serioulsy needs more guywires and pegs for securing further. But honestly at 70-80miles/hour wind, it would have no chance surviving it. A definite and only option seems to be taking off the cover in that situation.

I wonder this is what the temp shelter (tents, gazebos, and carpot canopy) owners do anyways under the strong windy conditions even in the gardens.