Wellington fence builder Boundaries Build is urging homeowners who want a sheltered deck or garden this summer to choose a windbreak fence with gaps rather than a solid one. Owner Camillo Campli says the right fence depends on the site, and the timber paling, aluminium, Colorbond steel and chain link fences the company installs each suit a different job when the wind gets up. Boundaries Build is offering free quotes on windbreak fences, gates and outdoor areas across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua.
Wellington has earned its reputation. NIWA describes it as the windiest city in the country, with Kelburn averaging 198 days a year with gusts above 61 km/h. Spring is typically the windiest season, and October has the highest average wind speed of any month at Kelburn.
“The most common thing we hear is, ‘We put up a big solid fence and the deck is still freezing,'” says Campli. “The wind goes over the top and drops straight back down on you. A fence with gaps slows the wind instead of fighting it, and you get a much calmer spot behind it.”
Why a solid fence doesn’t stop the wind
Windbreak research keeps finding the same thing. A solid barrier forces air up and over the top, where it tumbles back down as turbulence, so the sheltered zone behind it is short and gusty. A fence that is roughly 30 to 50 per cent open lets some air through at a slower speed and shelters a much larger area. Gaps of around 50 to 65 mm work well, while gaps much wider than 150 mm do little to slow the wind.
Which fence suits which job
Timber paling fences: a popular choice in Wellington, timber paling gives privacy and can be painted or stained to suit the house. Butted tight, palings make a solid fence, so for shelter Boundaries Build builds custom layouts with even gaps, or hit-and-miss designs where palings alternate on each side of the rails to keep privacy while letting air through.
Aluminium fences: lightweight and rust-free, aluminium suits coastal and exposed sites, and slatted aluminium designs let the gap size be set for shelter.
Colorbond steel fences: low maintenance and built for harsh weather, steel fences give full privacy and security. Because they are solid, they suit sheltered boundaries best, and on exposed sites they need stronger posts to carry the extra wind load.
Chain link fences: one of the most affordable options, chain link lets nearly all the wind through, so it puts little load on the posts but gives almost no shelter. It suits exposed back boundaries where security matters more than a calm spot.
Gates: Boundaries Build installs swing and sliding gates in timber, steel and aluminium. A swing gate acts like a small sail on hinges, so on windy sites it needs solid hinge posts and a latch that holds in a gale. Sliding gates suit wide driveway openings because they run along the fence line instead of swinging, so the wind can’t slam them.
Planning a sheltered outdoor area
North-westerlies dominate Wellington in spring and summer and southerlies in winter, so a summer deck usually needs shelter on its north-west side. Because Boundaries Build also builds decks, paving and retaining walls, the fence, the seating area and the ground beneath it can be planned as one job, with the shelter falling where people actually sit. On sloping sections, a fence built on top of a retaining wall can add load to the wall and may bring extra consent requirements, so the two need to be designed together. Fences up to 2.5 metres don’t need a building consent, but the district plan can require a resource consent above about 2 metres.
“Before you build anything, work out which wind actually ruins your summer evenings,” Campli says. “In a lot of Wellington that’s the north-westerly, but the hills bend it around, so we always look at the section first. Sometimes a short slatted screen in the right spot does more than a long solid fence in the wrong one.”
Windbreak fences across Wellington, Hutt Valley and Porirua
Boundaries Build designs and builds timber paling, aluminium, Colorbond steel and chain link fences and swing and sliding gates, along with the decks and paving that go behind them, for homes across Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua. Homeowners can get a free fence quote at https://boundariesbuild.co.nz/fences/ or by calling 021 055 1995.
About Boundaries Build
Boundaries Build is a Wellington fencing and landscaping construction company led by owner Camillo Campli. With more than 10 years’ experience, the team designs, builds and repairs fences, gates, retaining walls, decks and paving for homes across Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua, including sites on steep and complex terrain.
Media Release on 1 October 2026
Media Contact
Camillo Campli, Boundaries Build
Phone: 0210 551 995
Website: https://boundariesbuild.co.nz