Fitting a Weathervane to your gable end: Everything you need to know.

The gable bracket is the most commonly chosen weathervane fixing because it's a straightforward DIY project that many home owners can tackle with a few tools.  A weathervane can add charm and character, as well as a traditional touch to your property, and they make a great personalised gift for a loved one too! This blog gives a few tips on fitting your weathervane securely to the gable end of a house or garage.

Why is a gable end a good place to mount a weathervane?

The gable end is often a very good place to mount a weather vane, because it is often the highest point of a building, and therefore should get clear, uninterrupted air flow. It’s also quite a prominent position, so you’re likely to get a great view of your weathervane. And, gable ends usually have fairly easy access, when compared to the middle of a roof’s ridge for example.

What height should my weathervane be?

This varies depending on the building and location, but the letter bars should be raised enough above the ridge line that you get an uninterrupted view of the whole weathervane from the ground. If not, you either need to mount the weathervane higher on the building, or get a longer pole.

Do I need planning permission to mount a weathervane?

You won't need planning permission, but if your building is listed or in a conservation area, you may need listed building consent, so please contact the relevant local authority.

Before you start

One very important point before you begin trying to mount a weathervane to the gable end of your house or garage: check the condition of the building. If it’s brick, does the mortar look to be in good solid condition? If it’s wood, ensure the wood is not rotten, and if mounting to metal, ensure there is no rust. If things are not looking as good as they should, you will need to have brickwork re pointed / old wood and metal replaced before you attempt to fit your weather vane.

You Will Need

• Ladder
• Drill
• Appropriate drill bit for the material being drilled into.
• STAINLESS STEEL Screws, suitable for masonry / wood etc.
• Wall plugs if fixing to masonry.
• Spirit Level
• Screwdriver
• Compass or smartphone app.
• Spanner

Fitting a weathervane to your gable: a step by step guide:

1.  The gable bracket should be mounted as close to the apex as possible to allow the weathervane to sit above the ridge. Hold the bracket centrally and mark the holes, bearing in mind: 

• Ensure you mount into brick centres; a brick is likely to crack if you drill too close to its edge.
  
• The top screw is the most critical, make sure this lines up with something solid; the bottom fixing only needs shear strength, so will not pull out.
  
• Use a spirit level or plumb line to ensure the bracket is completely vertical, as this will affect the functionality of your weathervane.
  

2.  Drill holes to suit your screws. The standard hole size in a gable bracket is 7mm diameter, so we’d recommend choosing 6mm stainless steel screws. The length required will vary depending what you’re mounting to as well as it’s condition, but as a guide, a minimum of 50 mm length is usually fine into normal, well maintained brick work or solid wood.

• Drill holes to the length of your screws, you can mark on your drill bit with a piece of tape to get the correct depth.
  
• Wood screws normally have a recommended size of pilot hole to drill; check your packaging. If you’re using 6mm diameter stainless steel wood screws, this would normally be 3mm for soft wood, or 4.5-5mm for hard wood.
  
• Wall plugs usually state what size of hole is required – again, check your packaging.
  If drilling into masonry, ensure you clear holes out before putting the wall plug in.

3.  Now your bracket is fitted, follow the instructions for assembling your Black Fox Metalcraft weathervane. You can use a compass or smartphone app to set the cardinal points to the correct direction.

Common Problems When Fitting a Weathervane (and How to Fix Them)

1.  My pole is not long enough and the weathervane does not get past the ridge line.

Call Black Fox Metalcraft on 01450 880 380 – we’re happy to swap your standard length pole for a longer one.

2.  My roof overhangs further than the gable bracket, so I can’t fit the pole.

Email Black Fox Metalcraft, we’re happy to swap your standard gable bracket for one with a longer overhang.

3.  I am mounting my weather vane to barge boards, but the two boards meet in the middle, meaning I cannot mount the weathervane centrally.

Get in touch with Black Fox Metalcraft – we’re happy to make a version of the gable bracket with a square backplate and a hole in each corner. This means your weathervane can be mounted centrally, while avoiding the join in your barge boards.

4.  The wood I was hoping to mount my weathervane to is quite thin, will it be strong enough?

A possible solution might be to put a piece of wood on the inside of the building so you have something thicker to screw into.

5.  My wall is very uneven, how do I fix a bracket to it?

If  your wall is uneven, drill the top hole, fit loosely then use the bracket to mark the lower hole.

6.  My barge boards are not wide enough, and there is nowhere suitable on the wall to fix a wind vane.

Black Fox Metalcraft can produce an ‘inverted V’ shaped fixing to match the pitch of your roof, as shown in the image below. Email Black Fox Metalcraft to discuss your requirements – there is no additional charge for custom weathervane fixings.