Corrugated steel sheet
Profiled galvanised or painted steel on steel posts — the standard perimeter. Graphics go on as printed vinyl or a fixed banner.
Construction site hoarding
Construction site hoarding — heights, gaps and panel systems in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Site hoarding is the temporary fence that closes a construction site off from the street. In Dubai, DM Circular 12-4-1 requires metal or PVC hoarding at least 2 m high with gaps between panels of no more than 5 cm, maintained for the whole project. In Abu Dhabi the hoarding needs a temporary fence licence from Abu Dhabi City Municipality; the municipality’s published specification asks for at least 2.5 m, gaps of no more than 5 cm and entrances no wider than 5 m. The face of the hoarding is where the project’s branding and safety messages go.
A run of construction site hoarding with a printed graphic band, panel joints and safety signs
- 2.0 m
- Minimum height in Dubai — DM Circular 12-4-1
- 2.5 m
- Abu Dhabi municipality specification
- ≤ 5 cm
- Maximum gap between panels, both emirates
- Licensed
- Temporary fence licence in Abu Dhabi
Hoarding systems used on UAE sites
The system decides what the graphics are printed on and how they are fixed. These are the ones in use.
ACP hoarding
Aluminium composite panels on a steel frame, printed or wrapped — the flat, premium face used on developer frontages.
PVC panel hoarding
Interlocking PVC panels, named alongside metal in the Dubai circular. Light, reusable, printable.
Plywood hoarding
Painted or printed plywood on timber or steel studs, mostly for fit-outs and short programmes.
Mesh on fence
Printed PVC mesh on a fence line where wind is the problem — screens the site and lets air through.
Gates and access points
Vehicle and pedestrian gates in the same finish, with the OSH board and QR board beside them.
Heights and panel modules
Height and gaps are set by the authority; the panel module is set by the system and the frame. The graphic is designed to the module so the joints fall between elements.
| Item | Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum height | 2.0 m (DM Circular 12-4-1; DDA Circular 331) | 2.5 m (municipality specification) |
| Gap between panels | Max 5 cm | Max 5 cm |
| Gap to ground | — | Max 20 cm |
| Entrance width | — | Max 5 m |
| Common heights built | 2.0, 2.4 and 3.0 m | 2.5 and 3.0 m |
| ACP sheet module | 1220 × 2440 mm | 1220 × 2440 mm |
Abu Dhabi’s 2.5 m, 20 cm and 5 m figures are the municipality’s latest published specification. The temporary fence licence for the plot is what governs — check it before the run is ordered.
Hoarding graphics
| Item | Typical specification |
|---|---|
| On corrugated steel | Printed self-adhesive vinyl, or a banner fixed through eyelets to the frame |
| On ACP | Direct UV print or printed vinyl with UV overlaminate |
| On a fence line | Printed PVC mesh, hemmed, eyelets at regular centres |
| Layout | Designed to the panel module; joints between logos and text, not through them |
| Colours (Dubai) | Matching the surroundings — DM Circular 12-4-1 |
| Maintenance | Kept intact and clean for the whole project |
What the authorities say
DM Circular 12-4-1 (2021)
Metal or PVC fences for new building permits; at least 2 m high; gaps at most 5 cm; colours matching the surroundings; maintained throughout the project.
DM Code of Construction Safety Practice §20-2-1
A perimeter fence at least 2 m high around the whole site along the plot limits; road right-of-way or neighbouring land only with a permit.
DDA Circular 331 (2019)
In Dubai Development Authority zones: corrugated steel, white, at least 2 m high.
Abu Dhabi City Municipality
A temporary fence licence is required; nothing is placed on the fence without a permit; fences are inspected for soundness and maintenance.
What to include in a request
A hoarding is quoted as a run, not a banner.
- Run length in linear metres and the height
- The hoarding system, or a photo of the existing frame
- Graphic: artwork, brand guideline, or text and logo only
- Gates and where the OSH and QR boards go
- Emirate and authority zone (municipality, DDA, free zone)
- Programme length — how long it has to stay up
Questions about site hoarding
How high must construction hoarding be in Dubai?
At least 2 m, with gaps between panels of no more than 5 cm — DM Circular 12-4-1 and the Dubai Municipality construction safety code. In DDA zones, Circular 331 also asks for white corrugated steel.
And in Abu Dhabi?
A temporary fence licence from Abu Dhabi City Municipality is required. The municipality’s published specification is at least 2.5 m, gaps of no more than 5 cm, no more than 20 cm off the ground and entrances no wider than 5 m. The licence conditions for the plot govern.
What materials are allowed?
Dubai’s circular names metal or PVC. Corrugated steel, ACP on a steel frame and PVC panels are the systems in use; plywood for fit-outs.
Can the hoarding carry branding?
The face is where project and developer branding go. In Abu Dhabi nothing may be placed on the fence without a permit, so confirm what the licence allows before advertising content is printed.
When should mesh be used instead?
On an exposed line where a solid face would act as a sail. Mesh lets wind through; its own pages cover the specification.
More site signage
Site OSH notice boardADOSH-SF CoP 53.1Project QR code boardDMT, since October 2024Safety signsISO 7010 · ADOSH-SF CoP 17.0Scaffold & facade meshDM Circular 12-4-1 · DM Code Ch. 8Work-zone traffic signs & barricadesWork-zone traffic management manuals · DM Code Ch. 6Oil & gas site signsCoP 17.0 §3.8 · project specificationsPhotoluminescent exit signsUAE Fire & Life Safety CodeDubai project signboardDM Circular 11-1-1
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