Wind protection for the terrace: glass, plexiglass, wood or metal?

A windbreak for the terrace should be stable and decorative, if necessary even serve as an additional privacy screen. Over the years, some materials have established themselves as excellent wind protection. The following points are important when choosing the material:

• effect
• durability
• Weight
• maintenance
• costs

In addition, you should be clear about the point of a permanent installation. Nowadays, wind protection solutions are offered as a mobile variant that does not require installation and can also be adapted to the wind direction. These are particularly suitable for tenants, as the element can simply be dismantled and taken with you without major repairs when moving out. However, it can be problematic with these mobile elements in areas with high winds, such as on the coasts. Since these are not permanently installed, gusts of wind can knock them over or move them, especially if it is very light. For this reason, many mobile windbreak elements made of heavy glass are offered, which significantly increases the stability. If wood appeals to you more, you should opt for a combination of windbreak and flower box.

wood

A wooden windbreak is the classic par excellence. Different types of wood, sizes and thicknesses are available, which are often combined with the typical privacy screen. For a wooden windbreak, however, a few points should be observed so that the element does not become an obstacle to the wind. The ideal height should be 180 to 200 centimeters and the wood should have small air inlets. Why are you wondering? If the wind hit a completely closed area, it would be directed upwards and part of it over the barrier. The wind emerging on the other side creates a vortex. In addition, in particularly strong winds, the windbreak can be torn out of the ground if it hits the closed surface with full force. For this reason, openings are also incorporated into the design of glass and metal elements. The following types of wood are suitable for wind protection:

• Fichte
• larch
• Douglasie

A big advantage of wooden elements is the simple construction. You can opt for mobile elements or a permanent installation. Since the individual elements are very light compared to metal and glass elements, a 180 x 200 x 3 centimeter windbreak weighs an average of 15 kilograms, they can be easily installed by themselves. The costs are also kept within a more favorable framework. For an element with the dimensions 180 x 200 x 3 centimeters, depending on the type of wood, design and surface treatment, between 30 and 200 euros are charged. But there are also whole sets for less than 200 euros with three to five elements. The only major shortcoming of wooden elements is their susceptibility to dirt and, above all, moisture. Therefore, they have a higher maintenance effort.

metal

A metal windbreak is rarely available as a mobile element or in a hardware store. In most cases, you will have to pay higher costs with such a windbreak, as these either have to be made by companies or architects, or you can order them from specialist dealers who sell them. Aluminum is usually used as the material because it has the following advantages:

• easy-care
• stable in value
• stable
• very wind resistant

In terms of design, aluminum windscreens only fit into a modern environment. Depending on the design, the elements can be either dark or light and combined with glass. Of course, other designs are possible with an architect, but they are significantly more expensive. In many cases, the maximum height is only 180 centimeters, as otherwise the elements would be much too heavy, between 35 and 60 kilos. Although they are still robust, they need a permanent installation so that they do not tip over when the first gust of wind occurs. On average, they are quite expensive, and a large terrace costs a lot. On average, an element with the dimensions 90 x 180 centimeters starts at 350 euros and there are hardly any limits up to the top.

Glass and plexiglass

Glass and Plexiglas have a decisive advantage: They are dirt-resistant and plants cannot adhere to the material. In addition, both materials work effectively against wind, whereby Plexiglas has a decisive advantage over all other materials in a direct comparison: It can defy strong winds even without air passages, as it moves together with the wind and does not remain rigid. In addition, it is impact-resistant, which means that neither scratches nor a flying stone can harm the polymethyl methacrylate plastic. The advantages of glass over Plexiglas are its stability as a single element and easy installation. While Plexiglas has to be fixed in several places, fewer elements are required for glass. However, heavy-duty dowels must be used for both, to be able to withstand the wind. There are two major differences when it comes to cleaning:

• Glass can be cleaned with almost all cleaning agents
• Plexiglass is very susceptible to alcohol

Plexiglass should never be treated with alcohol-based detergents. This reduces the resistance of the material and also ensures that designs on the glass are damaged. A windbreak made of glass is much more durable here. The prices of the individual elements vary greatly, although the design is very important here. Since classic glass is offered in numerous designs, these vary between 90 and 500 euros for an element measuring 90 x 180 x 0.8 centimeters, while Plexiglas in the same dimensions costs between 250 and 350 euros. So here it depends a lot on the intended use. The cost of the accessories is the most expensive for glass, plexiglass and metal compared to wood.

Conclusion
Regardless of which material you choose as a windbreak, you can use it to effectively protect your terrace from cool breezes and incorporate it decoratively. While glass, metal and plexiglass look modern, wood is available in numerous variants. When choosing the material, be sure to pay attention to the costs involved.