Published:
A multi-use games area is an excellent place for kids and adults to play sports in a safe and secure environment. The safety fence surrounding these game areas also keeps balls in play without requiring anyone to run and fetch it every five minutes, and it can stop vandals from ruining the pitch.
To make the most of these benefits, you’ll want to choose the correct safety fence for your MUGA. With almost 40 years of experience working with security and perimeter safety solutions, Alexandra Security has put together this guide to help you choose the right fence for your sports area.
Benefits Of Installing A Safety Fence
Installing a safety barrier fence around your MUGA pitch has loads of advantages. Here are some of the most significant:
- Ensures good visibility for spectators
- Protects the multi-use games area from vandals
- Helps keep the balls in play
- Maintains safety for the players
- Protects the equipment from being stolen or damaged
- Clearly defines the area
- Suits a range of sports
Key Features of a MUGA Safety Fence
There are a few elements that should be considered when deciding on the correct safety fencing solution for MUGA pitches. For example:
What does it look like?
Since MUGAs are generally erected by schools, sports clubs or leisure centres, the look and feel of the space must be welcoming. Security fences can look cold and intimidating – not ideal for a space used by children!
To make the fence seem more welcoming, the barrier could be designed in a colour that matches the school or sports club. All our fences are available in over 1000 RAL powder-coated finishes, meaning you can paint your fence in just about any colour you please. You can even choose colours that will help the fence blend in with the surrounding environment.
The quality of the fencing
Needless to say, the quality of your sport’s barrier is pretty important. Our Protek 868 Rebound Sports Fencing features a twin-wire mesh construction, where the vertical wires are overlapped by horizontal wires. Protek 868 Rebound fence lines are, therefore, extremely strong and resistant to objects hitting the panels. All fences eventually require some maintenance, but a quality fence will last a long time and require minimal maintenance over the years. Our barrier mesh fencing is hot-dip galvanised to prevent rusting, and significantly increase its longevity.
The properties of the fencing
Not just any fence can be used around a multi-use game area. Multiple sports are played in these spaces, so they need a fence with rebounding properties and adequate rigidity to reduce vibrations across the fence line.
A sports fence also needs tighter spacing at the bottom to stop balls from escaping, and wider spacing at the top of the fence to allow good visibility for spectators.
Standard twin-wire mesh panels can also be used outside of standard netting for cricket practice nets. As the ball does not directly hit the metal fencing, the tighter spacing of the lower panels is no longer required.
Its height
MUGA fencing needs to be high enough to stop most balls from leaving the games area, as rogue balls could cause spectators injuries, as well as just being a pain for the players who have to fetch them! That said, sports fences should generally not be higher than 6m, as this looks intimidating and unfriendly.
Sports That Can Be Played Within the Right Fencing
The right MUGA fencing allows for a variety of sports to be played in one area, making it versatile and efficient for schools and clubs. With robust rebound features, sports like football, basketball, tennis, hockey, netball, cricket, and even rugby can all take place safely within the same enclosed space. Proper fencing ensures the ball stays in play, players are protected, and spectators enjoy clear visibility—all while withstanding the wear and tear of different sports.
Choosing the right safety barrier can be tricky, but fortunately, we have many years of experience working with sports fencing and gates and would be happy to assist you. Here at Alexandra Security, we can design, supply and install a complete sports fencing system for your specific application. If you need more help or information, get in touch with us today or call us on 01892 833 001.
