Guides and inspiration

How To Ground-Secure Your Field Shelters

How should you secure your mobile field shelter to ensure it doesn't blow over.

How To Ground-Secure Your Field Shelters

This time of year can be quite daunting for field shelter owners. The weather can be harsh, and you need to be particularly weary of strong winds that can lift your shelter off the ground and throw it, quite dangerously, across your field. It is not uncommon for shelters to get thrown over 30 feet, posing risk to your property, field shelter investment and the safety of your animals and other people. In this short article we explain two popular methods for negating this risk.

1. Ground bolts

One of the benefits of a mobile field shelter is that you don’t need to apply for planning permission. For this to be the case, you need to prove that the structure is mobile and not fixed. So how can you secure your field shelter during this time of the year, without taking away it’s mobility?

One solution is to use flexible ground anchor bolts and brackets. Fit a metal bracket with a hole through the middle of it to the four corners of your shelter, either on the inside or outside of the structure. These brackets can be screwed or bolted on, depending on how temporary you would like them to be, you can always remove them once the season is over. When you have your field shelter in a position that is suitable, hammer an anchor peg through the hole/slot in the brackets and into the ground. Do this on each of the four brackets to secure the field shelter and prevent unwanted rotation.

Some ground anchor suppliers offer screw-type bolts that can be easy wound in and out of the ground when they are no longer needed. The beauty of a system like this is that the pegs and brackets can be used over and over. The system is not permanent, requiring no concrete, so to un-secure and move the field shelter again, simply unscrew the bolts and away you go. It’s perfect for mobile field shelters as you can still enjoy the benefit and convenience of field rotation.

2. Create A Wind Break With Hay Bales

If you don’t have the money for ground bolts , or the weather is getting blustery at short notice and you’re worried, there is another temporary solution that is effective. Simply gather a collection of wrapped round hay bales and line them around the edges of the shelter. This method creates a wind break for the shelter, fixing it in place and making it difficult for the wind to lift or move the structure as you’ve created a solid foundation.

To be safe, stack the bales two high around the back and sides of the shelter. Make sure they are wrapped tight and covered with a form of plastic or sheeting – this way the animals can’t get to them and they won’t break up. While bales and ragged plastic can be a bit of an eye sore, this is a very cost effective, fast and safe temporary solution for getting you through this dangerous season. Better safe than sorry.

If you have any tips on how to secure a mobile field shelter during windy weather please let us know and we’ll share it on our blog.