The Fence Post

The Easy Way

The first video shows the welded wire being installed on T posts at a berry farm; the second video shows the mesh being installed on wooden posts. 

Now, in a Suburban Setting on Wooden Posts

Keeping Mice, Chipmunks, Rats, and Squirrels Out

Hardware cloth saves the day again. Your compost bin will be safe from all kinds of rodents when you employ these tips and techniques. 

Giving Chipmunks the Heave-ho

An excellent method of using bird netting to make sure your seedlings and young plants aren't devoured by these little rascals.

Panel Smart

If you are building a fence with a purpose around your home or business then you should consider welded wire fence panels. This type of fencing is the strongest that you can find. Because it is so strong, it is often used to enclose livestock and large animals. Also, many zoos use wire fence panels for their animal cages for display and to keep everyone safe. The wires and cross sections of the wire fence are welded together, to create a fortress that cannot be penetrated.

Stands Up to the Elements

You can get welded wire fencing in different types of thicknesses, depending on how strong you need it to be. Unlike a chain link fence, you can get welded wire fence panels designed exactly to the measurements that you need. In fact, all fence panels from Louis Page are custom-made. The welded wire fence panels are made of weather resistant material, so it will not be damaged or destroyed in even the most severe weather.

Panels or Rolls?

Fence panels are strong and highly weather resistant. But so is fencing that comes in a roll. A quick note about the difference between panels and rolls. Panels are easier to install. They come custom made to your specifications, need minimal to no cutting or cutting tools, and they can typically be installed by two people. All these attributes make panels ideal for quick installations with minimal work crews. Wire fence rolls are terrific for jobs that have larger work crews, professional installers, and materials like posts, rings, pliers, and everything else you need to make a fence. Most of our customers that buy fence rolls are using them on work sites for safety and protection reasons. That's not to say homeowners and landscapers aren't buying fence rolls, because they are! For projects like gardens that require protecting fruits and vegetables from deer, deer fencing is ideal. The gauge of the deer fence is strong enough to keep deer out and easier to manipulate because of its gauge size. But when it comes to pools (and other projects), fence panels are the answer.

Welded Wire Fence Panel Install Tips

If you are planning to install your fence on your own; here are a few tips that you should follow:

Tension

One of the most common mistakes that people make when installing their wire fence panels is low tension. If the fencing is not tight enough, it can sag or bow. This will take away from the security and durability of the fence. If you are using it to enclose large animals, the chances of them escaping are high. For tensioning the mesh, you simply need a pair of pliers.

T-Posts

It is important to understand that not all posts are built the same. You should use a steel t-post. If you are worried about the way that your fence is going to look, you should look into green metal posts. If you are going to be using the fence for livestock, you can consider an electric fence; however, you would need to install a T-post made of PVC, as it doesn't require any insulation between the electric wire and the fence.

Animals

If you are going to be using your fence to contain animals, you need to make sure that you are getting a fence large enough for the animals. Before you install the fence, you should take into consideration that your animals will grow and so may your herd. You also want to make it large enough to keep wild animals out of the enclosure.

If you need to install a strong fence on your property for safety purposes or to enclose large animals, fence panels are the best solution and/or welded wire fencing, rather than a chain link fence. Welded wire panels and fencing are strong, pleasing to the eye, and easy to install. Of course, fence panels are the easiest to install.

Ideal Alpaca Fencing

The best fence for alpacas is a type of classic horse fence. It's a woven wire mesh that is Galvanized Before Weave (GBW). This 12½ gauge mesh has openings that are 2 inches by 4 inches and 60 inches high (5ft.) and comes in a 200 foot long roll. This wire fence has 16 horizontal wires spaced 4 inches apart. Vertical wires have 2 inch spacing. Along with use for alpacas, this 2" x 4" mesh woven non-climbable horse fence is also ideal for fencing in ostrich, emu, large dogs, goats and other animals.

Making Sure Your Alpaca is Secure

This fence features strong steel wire that's Class 3 galvanized for maximum rust protection. Woven non-climbable fence mesh features an attractive appearance as well as long life. Before the wires are woven into the mesh, the entire finished product is drawn through a bath of molten zinc (830°F.) This galvanization-before-weave creates a mesh that emerges with a thick coating tightly bonded to the wire. Each strand of wire is protected and more importantly, each vulnerable woven area is thoroughly sealed, assuring that this wire will endure.

And the benefits of that Class 3 zinc coating?

• Lowest cost over the long run
• Damage resistance--the zinc patina guards the metal underneath
• Has the luster of stainless steel, but is much less expensive
• Offers consistent results
• Ensured longevity

Smooth

The woven knots are both rust-resistant--they will not hold water, and they're smooth--protecting both animals and people from injury. Stiff "square" knots, formed by a third piece of wire woven around each intersection hold horizontal and vertical wires securely, yet allow for ease of erection over uneven land. 

The square deal knot prevents the fence from buckling or sagging. It also provides extra vertical strength and rigidity while at the same time allowing flexibility. 

Notes on Alpacas

• From the Camelid family; however, like llamas, they're generally much better-natured than camels
• Their wool is prized; finer and more plentiful than a llama's
• Well-suited to small farms and homesteading
• Alpaca wool is softer than cashmere and much warmer than sheep's wool
• Alpacas are not guardians in the way that llamas are
• Their manure can be directly put on the garden
• 5 alpacas per acre depending on the fertility of the pasture
• Alpacas always need companions
• Males and females kept strictly separate unless breeding

Here's a helpful video showing the reasoning behind appropriate enclosures for alpacas. It finishes with this expert's view of the ideal alpaca fence, detailed above. 

Generally known as Horse Fence

Setting Posts--No Concrete

Mark, Line, and Set. This excellent demonstration shows how to deal with undulating terrain, obstacles, and planning for gates. Tamp it down and forget the concrete! Yes, this moves slowly, but it's thorough and makes a heck of a lot of sense.