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Temporary fence feet compatibility is the detail that decides whether a fence line stands straight for the length of the project or starts leaning after the first windy week. Buyers spend hours comparing panel specifications — tube gauge, mesh, coating — and then order feet as an afterthought, as if any foot works under any panel. It does not. A foot that suits a light temporary panel on a sheltered site can leave a heavy-duty run under-braced on an exposed one.
This guide lays out a compatibility chart between the panel classes DB Fencing manufactures in Anping and the base options in the same catalogue, so you can specify the pairing rather than guess it. The company has produced temporary fencing since 2009 and runs its own plastic feet injection machines — the only supplier in Anping with in-house feet production, which is why the pairing question can be answered from the factory side rather than the dealer side.
Key Takeaways
- Stability is a chain: panel, clamps and feet work together — the foot is the anchor, and a mismatch surfaces as leaning runs, lifted feet and dragged fence lines.
- Panel classes differ in what they ask of a foot: heavy-duty 2400×2100mm panels with 40mm framing, 3300×2100mm maxi panels, 6ft×8ft and 6ft×9.5ft panels, and the lighter Econo 3mm-tube class each pair differently with base options.
- Taller and wider panels catch more wind: a 3300mm maxi panel presents more area to the wind than a 2400mm panel, so its foot pairing and bracing plan should scale accordingly.
- Match the foot to the site, not just the panel: exposed and wind-region sites need heavier counterweight options and bracing; sheltered short-term sites can run standard feet.
- Order feet with panels, not after them: the factory’s minimum order is 100 panels, and specifying feet in the same order keeps the pairing consistent across the run.
- Verify on arrival: check that delivered feet match the ordered type and that clamps couple the panel joints properly before the line goes up.
Why Foot-to-Panel Pairing Matters
An Australian-style temporary fence is a chain of three links: the panel, the coupler and the base. The panels are galvanised welded mesh in a tube frame; clamps tie panel to panel so the line acts as one structure; the feet hold that structure to the ground. Break the logic of any link and the load finds the weakest one. A run of heavy panels on underspecified bases does not fail by snapping — it fails by tipping, lifting one foot at a time until a whole section walks in the wind.
Pairing is also a cost question in both directions. Overspecify feet on every panel of a sheltered short-term site and you pay for counterweight you never use; underspecify on an exposed site and you pay again in bracing labour, reinstatement and the site manager’s time. The chart later in this guide exists to keep both errors out of your order.
The Panel Classes and What They Ask of a Foot
The catalogue divides temporary fence panels into classes by frame and duty, and the full dimensional detail is covered in our panel dimensions and tube gauge guide. For foot pairing, what matters is the character of each class:
- Heavy-duty 2400×2100mm panels: 40mm framing and heavy mesh make this the workhorse class for construction sites, and the extra structural mass asks more of its base than a light panel does.
- 3300×2100mm maxi panels: the 3300mm span means fewer posts per metre of run, but the panel presents more face to the wind, so the base and bracing plan should be scaled up rather than copied from a standard run.
- 6ft×8ft and 6ft×9.5ft panels: the imperial-sized class used in markets such as Perth — familiar handling, and the pairing logic follows the same duty-based rules.
- Econo class: 3mm tube framing keeps weight and cost down for lighter duties; it is the class where standard feet are usually sufficient and overspending on ballast is the more common mistake.
The Base Options in Plain Terms
The base side of the catalogue offers three families. Plastic feet are the default on Australian sites: moulded bases that slide over the panel tube and stand on a flat sole, with a recyclable rubber-based option in the same family. Ballast blocks add controlled counterweight where the site demands it. Reusable ballast systems pair with panels for runs that move repeatedly between sites, where lifting and repositioning speed matters as much as holding power. The material trade-offs between plastic and recycled rubber bases are covered in our feet and bases comparison; this article sticks to the pairing question.
The Temporary Fence Feet Compatibility Chart
Read the chart as a starting pairing, then adjust for site exposure — the wind-region rules in the next section move every row up or down one notch.
| Panel class | Base pairing | Site notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy-duty 2400×2100mm (40mm frame) | Standard plastic feet as minimum; ballast or bracing on exposed runs | Construction sites, long hoarding runs |
| Maxi 3300×2100mm | Heavier counterweight option plus bracing at changes of direction | Large perimeters where fewer, longer panels pay off |
| 6ft×8ft / 6ft×9.5ft | Standard plastic feet; ballast where the run is unsheltered | Imperial-spec markets, general site duty |
| Econo (3mm frame) | Standard plastic feet are usually sufficient | Sheltered, short-term, light-duty perimeters |
| Any class on a relocating run | Reusable ballast systems sized to the panel class | Event and multi-site operators who move fence regularly |
Two universal rows apply regardless of class: clamps couple every panel joint so the line shares load instead of each panel standing alone, and a run that changes direction or carries signage carries extra wind load at exactly those points, which is where bracing earns its keep.
Reading the Chart on a Real Site
Site exposure moves the pairing. Australia’s wind regions run from the calmer A and B zones through the cyclone-prone C and D zones of the north and north-west, and the bracing logic for those regions is set out in our cyclone-rated temporary fencing guide. The foot-pairing translation is simple: the further your site sits toward the severe end of that scale, the further up the counterweight column your order should sit, whatever the panel class.
Temporary fencing in Australia falls under AS 4687, and buyers specifying for AU sites should expect their supplier to work to the current AS 4687-2022 edition. The standard frames how temporary fencing systems perform as installed systems — which is the whole argument of this article: panel, clamp and base are specified together or the system is not really specified at all.
When you place the order, put the pairing in writing: panel class and quantity, foot type and the ratio of feet to panels, clamps, and bracing or ballast where the site warrants it. The factory minimum order is 100 panels, and a single consistent order keeps every foot in the run matched to the class above it. On arrival, spot-check that the delivered bases are the type you specified — mixed deliveries are quiet compatibility killers — and couple a trial section before the crew lays out the full perimeter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do heavier panels always need heavier feet?
Heavier and taller panels ask more of their base, so the pairing should step up with the panel class — but site exposure matters as much as panel weight. A light panel on an exposed site can need more counterweight than a heavy panel in a sheltered yard.
Can I reuse feet from an old fence with new panels?
Yes, if the foot type suits the new panel class and the feet are intact — inspect for cracking and UV degradation before reuse. Mismatched or worn bases are a common cause of leaning runs on otherwise sound panels.
How many feet does a panel run need?
Follow the supplier’s ratio for the panel class, and state the feet-to-panel ratio in the order so it is not left to assumption. Runs that carry signage or change direction carry extra load at those points and warrant additional support.
Should clamps and feet come from the same supplier as the panels?
It is the safer specification. Clamps and feet are dimensioned to their own panel system, and a single-supplier order keeps the whole chain consistent — which is also easier to hold to account if a run underperforms.
Conclusion
Temporary fence feet compatibility comes down to specifying the system, not the parts: match the base family to the panel class, scale the pairing with site exposure, and put the whole chain — panels, clamps, feet, bracing — in one written order. The heavy-duty, maxi, imperial and Econo classes each pair differently, and the chart above is the starting point for that conversation.
When you are ready to price a run, review the temporary fence feet range alongside your panel specification, and confirm the pairing with the factory before the deposit rather than after the first windy week.
