Positioning a field shelter

[chaps89]

All being well I am having a field shelter delivered tomorrow.
(All being well as it's bought unseen secondhand from preloved. Though I'm paying on delivery, I am still half expecting it to be 12" rather than 12', a la Spinal Tap or something equally disastrous...)
But which way do I put it in the field? Want to try and give shelter from the wind as well as the sun if I can.
I stood facing the different options the other day and took these compass screenshots - the direction I was facing would be as if I was facing towards the opening of the field shelter from outside/ in the field iyswim.

 

[Tiddlypom]

My north facing field shelter works well, which is quite ironic as originally I’d wanted it in a different place facing south, but the planners didn’t like that.

Good protection from the prevailing S and W winds, and it really comes into its own in the summer as it provides so much shade. My south facing field shelter gets a lot warmer in the summer.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

My 2 fixed ones are north facing, therefore cooler in summer. If we get such bad weather from the north in winter, then mine are stabled.
The portable shelter is generally westerly/wsw facing, means it's usually in the shade all winter in the doorway, mine are allowed all the way round this one.

 

[chaps89]

Reaaaally stupid question.
When you say north facing. Is that as in, you are in the field shelter looking out and the direction you are facing is northerly?
Or is it like I've done my directions and as you face into the shelter?
So of my options above it would seem the NW one might be best to go for, if I'm doing 'north facing' correctly?

 

[tda]

You really need to walk round your land and see which way the worst winds blow!

Ours are set roughly with their backs to the regular wind direction

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Reaaaally stupid question.
When you say north facing. Is that as in, you are in the field shelter looking out and the direction you are facing is northerly?
Or is it like I've done my directions and as you face into the shelter?
So of my options above it would seem the NW one might be best to go for, if I'm doing 'north facing' correctly?

Not stupid at all. The open door(s) side faces north, so yes, when stood in the shelter looking out, north is the direction I'd be facing in my bigger fixed shelter and the one in my front paddock x

To add, where I am, we tend to get snow from the west and bitter winds from the east. (Not always, but more often than not)

 

[chaps89]

Not stupid at all. The open door(s) side faces north, so yes, when stood in the shelter looking out, north is the direction I'd be facing in my bigger fixed shelter and the one in my front paddock x

To add, where I am, we tend to get snow from the west and bitter winds from the east. (Not always, but more often than not)

Ok, so it's the opposite way to how I've done it. So where I have stood facing into the shelter South, that is actually north facing. Which is handy as that is the best place for putting the shelter I think.

You really need to walk round your land and see which way the worst winds blow!

Ours are set roughly with their backs to the regular wind direction

Ha, I'm still struggling to get my head around which way is which, without adding in wind direction! But that is a valid point, no point having the wind blowing in.

 

[J&S]

Mine faces NE, prevailing wind is SW. Only problem is when it snows,but there are stables inside on either side of the shelter area with doors facing into the shelter so they are well protected in these. I keep the stable doors open all the time so in summer they use the shelter area or stand just in a stable in the shade. In winter they tend to stand under the thick hedge!

 

[Cocorules]

Back to prevailing wind. It is also good to position it away from the fence so they can also use the back as a windbreak when the wind is going the opposite way.

Also keep it away from trees so you don't get loads of leaves in the gutter or branches falling on it. I bought fields with existing shelters and the previous owners did this and it definitely means I sleep during storms without worrying about trees coming down on them.

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

Yes you definitely want the back to the prevailing winds, where I am it's south westerlies but the north easterlies are the cold ones. Like TFF, I'd face mine to the north and mine are stabled in the winter.

 

[Tiddlypom]

This is my north facing field shelter, they use it a lot, it’s their ‘safe space’. I’m in the Cheshire Gap, which gets a special mention sometimes on the weather forecast when high winds are forecast.

Handily, there is also good protection from cold E winds from the stable block alongside, and if it’s a northerly they stand behind the shelter. If it‘s blizzarding from the north I’ll stable them, but this gives good protection for most of the year.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I foolishly built my stables facing mainly south, possibly slightly south west. Big mistake, prevailing wind was from SW. My other single stable was built facing mainly east and was far more successful.

 

[CavaloBranco]

My field shelter is north facing but it's not against a hedge, rather 3/4 up the field in the most sheltered spot. We get heavy wind from the Downs but also the field slopes and the bottom gets quite wet. They use it a lot after much "scary dragons" nonsense.

 

[chaps89]

All a bit of a moot point unfortunately as I've been totally had, my own fault, if something is too good to be true then it usually is.
Paid too much money for some expensive firewood, allowed myself to be rushed and not check it properly and have been completely scammed. Some people are scum and I'm the moron for falling for it.
However if I manage to save up again and do it properly next time, at least I know which way to put it.

 

[jnb]

Just as an alternative thought....Face it so they get the most shade in summer (if you haven't got natural shade). IMO they use the shelter more in summer than winter. Nothing worse than a shelter that's smack in the afternoon sun and therefore completely useless.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

All a bit of a moot point unfortunately as I've been totally had, my own fault, if something is too good to be true then it usually is.
Paid too much money for some expensive firewood, allowed myself to be rushed and not check it properly and have been completely scammed. Some people are scum and I'm the moron for falling for it.
However if I manage to save up again and do it properly next time, at least I know which way to put it.

Omg!

 

[Keith_Beef]

All a bit of a moot point unfortunately as I've been totally had, my own fault, if something is too good to be true then it usually is.
Paid too much money for some expensive firewood, allowed myself to be rushed and not check it properly and have been completely scammed. Some people are scum and I'm the moron for falling for it.
However if I manage to save up again and do it properly next time, at least I know which way to put it.

That's terrible... I hope it wasn't an enormous sum of money.

And a suggestion: install Stellarium. It's free-of-charge, open-source planetarium software. I use it mostly for checking where the moon is going to be so that if the skies are clear I can take photos of it. But you could use it to follow the position of the sun around the location where you plan to place your field shelter.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Oh, boo, chaps .

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

All a bit of a moot point unfortunately as I've been totally had, my own fault, if something is too good to be true then it usually is.
Paid too much money for some expensive firewood, allowed myself to be rushed and not check it properly and have been completely scammed. Some people are scum and I'm the moron for falling for it.
However if I manage to save up again and do it properly next time, at least I know which way to put it.

Oh no I am sorry, how upsetting for you

 

[chaps89]

Thanks.
As soon as they had left and we picked up a piece to move it I could see it was not good. Pieces missing, not a straight edge in sight and nails sticking out all over the place, not to mention the bit that broke when we lifted it.
It suddenly made sense why they didn't want a hand unloading, were careful which way up the panels faced and were so quick to leave/wouldn't hang around as they 'had to get to the next job'.
Its basically scraps of fence panels that have been pinned (not even proper nails) together with different lengths of wood, so the supporting frame doesn't even match the panel. It's frighteningly shoddy.

My OH pointed out that they looked like the type to get nasty if I'd said something, so maybe it's fortunate I didn't. Tbh I'd have even paid their fuel money if they would have taken it back with them, better to be out fuel money than the whole amount I paid, but somehow I suspect they wouldn't have gone with that anyway.

Hoping I can put something together with pallets and fence posts and canvas roofing. Could have done that anyway but I thought a purpose made, supposedly good quality second-hand one would be better.
I'm gutted, I feel like an idiot and really cross they have got away with it. Not to mention having to swallow the bitter pill of being a fair chunk of money out and now needing to pay more as I still effectively have no shelter.
Lesson learnt.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Worth speaking to Trading Stsndards?

 

[chaps89]

It was supposedly a private individual and
all I have is a name and phone number, not sure if TS can help with that?

I thought it was a genuine seller (selling up as husband unwell, 3 shelters of different sizes to be sold, pictures of them in-situ, friends of hers would deliver for fuel money to help her get them cleared, hence why cash on delivery was possible) but I suspect the lady and poorly husband quite possibly don't even exist tbh. It wasn't laid on as a sob story, 'she' didn't go into detail and it seemed perfectly plausible if I'm honest. It was in line with market price for a second hand shelter, cheap if you consider they delivered it, but I figured that was because they wanted rid and not so cheap as to seem suspicious.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

TS probably cant help then, but I'd be plastering details all over local faceache pages, I do feel for you x

It was supposedly a private individual and
all I have is a name and phone number, not sure if TS can help with that?

I thought it was a genuine seller (selling up as husband unwell, 3 shelters of different sizes to be sold, pictures of them in-situ, friends of hers would deliver for fuel money to help her get them cleared, hence why cash on delivery was possible) but I suspect the lady and poorly husband quite possibly don't even exist tbh. It wasn't laid on as a sob story, 'she' didn't go into detail and it seemed perfectly plausible if I'm honest. It was in line with market price for a second hand shelter, cheap if you consider they delivered it, but I figured that was because they wanted rid and not so cheap as to seem suspicious.

 

[Bradsmum]

I'm near the west coast of Wales and our prevailing wind comes up the valley from N/NW so mine has been positioned so it's back is to the wind and therefore the opening faces south.

Sorry just editing as read your update. I'm so sorry and yes they are certainly scumbags.