The Fence Post

The Desert Tortoise: Endangered

You may not realize it, but the Desert Tortoise is struggling to survive after millions of years of life on earth. The desert tortoise in the Mojave Desert (north and west of the Colorado River) was federally listed under emergency provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as endangered on August 4, 1989 and permanently listed as a threatened species on April 2, 1990. The tortoise was listed because of direct losses and threats to tortoise populations and habitat.

The desert tortoise is the largest reptile and the only wild land tortoise found in southern Nevada. It also exists in western California, southwestern Utah, western Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. A tortoise will live in the same general area of less than one square mile during its lifespan of 50-100 years. They reach 10 to 14 inches in length and are soil colored. Because of their color and shape, they can be very difficult to see.

Awareness

To help protect tortoises from getting on roads and highways, Tortoise Exclusion Fence, also referred to as Turtle Fence, is being installed throughout their habitat. Many construction projects are now even required to have an on-site biologist conduct a thorough survey of the job site and flag all burrows prior to construction. Construction crews are also required to complete a desert tortoise education program.

Tortoise exclusion fence is required and specified in many bids where highways and roads or solar fields will be constructed in tortoise habitats. It is installed to keep the tortoises out of harm's way on highways and in solar fields.     

Exclusion Fencing

Tortoise Exclusion Fence is designed specifically for preventing tortoises from gaining access to highways and roads and any other designated areas. It is made of galvanized welded wire which has a mesh opening of 1” horizontal by 2” vertical and is 36” wide. The fence is constructed of 16 gauge or heavier wire and can be GAW (Galvanized After Weld), GBW (Galvanized Before Weld) or VC (Vinyl Coated) depending upon the specifications required.

Methods

The fence material is buried a minimum of 12 inches below the natural level of the ground to prevent tortoises from burrowing underneath. This leaves 22-24 inches above the ground. In situations where burying the fence is not practical because of the rocky substrate, the fence material should be bent at a 90-degree angle to produce a lower section approximately 14 inches wide which will be placed parallel to, and in direct contact with, the ground surface. It is installed using 5 to 6-foot steel T-posts, hog rings, and smooth or barbed livestock wire. Distances between the T-posts should not exceed 10 feet unless the desert tortoise fence is being attached to an existing right-of-way fence that has larger spaces between posts. See the official US Department of Fish and Wildlife specifications for desert tortoise fencing.

Installing the proper tortoise exclusion fence will protect the desert tortoises from possible extinction while protecting you from fines and possible imprisonment.

Let’s all work together to save the tortoises!

Delaying Rust and Corrosion

Vinyl Coated (VC) welded wire mesh has been coated with a layer of PVC after the mesh has been welded. This is significant because the vinyl covers the mesh and provides protection against the elements. Rust and corrosion are delayed much longer than with an unprotected Galvanized Before (GBW) mesh.

• The good news - extended lifetime and attractive appearance
• The bad news - more expensive than non-vinyl coated material
• The reason -  addition of PVC coating provides an impervious barrier, protecting the underlying wire from the environment. The protected wire will not rust as quickly.

Looking for a product that is not only attractive but is also able to withstand environmental stresses? VC wire mesh is the perfect one to use!

Wire Gauges, Mesh Openings

It is very important to not only know what to look for, but also what is available when considering VC welded wire fencing materials. There are many choices - something ideal for any project you have in mind.

Wire Gauges: 23, 19, 16, 14, 12-1/2, 11, and 10-1/2

Mesh Sizes: 1/4" x 1/4", 1/2" x 1/2,", 1/2" x 1", 1" x 1", 1" x 2", 1-1/2" x 1-1/2", 1-1/2" x 4", 2" x 2", 2" x 3", 3" x 2", 2" x 4", 3" x 3"

Beware of Inferior Products

Higher quality vinyl coated fencing material costs more than cheaper inferior products. You get what you pay for. People are often fooled by false economy. When you consider the time, hassle and additional expense of premature replacement of your fence, it is clear that a higher initial investment can ultimately save you money.

It is safe to say that the best possible protection and longest life expectancy is offered by a product that is vinyl coated over GAW (Galvanized After Weld) wire mesh. You have rugged double protection with both the zinc and the PVC coatings. While difficult and probably impossible to find in big box retail stores, this mesh is well worth the time and effort of a search. You will not be disappointed. Many, but not all specifications are available with GAW core wires.

Understanding Levels of Quality

If you are concerned with quality, be aware that there are different levels of quality available.

The lowest quality products are those that have coating over plain steel, non-galvanized wire. There is no protective layer of zinc on the wire. In this case, the coating is virtually worthless. Usually, the PVC is not tightly bonded to the underlying wire. It can often be easily scraped off the wire with nothing more than a fingernail. Moisture migrates in between the vinyl and the wire and the mesh rusts from the inside out. It will look fine on the outside when you load it in your shopping cart. But when the wire disintegrates and falls apart you have a mess. Hopefully, this never happens to you.

The next best quality of vinyl coated welded wire meshes are those that have GBW (Galvanized Before Weld) wire under the PVC. The galvanizing protects the wire. But the intersecting areas of the mesh where the welds occur are not well protected. During the welding process, the zinc is burnt away. Although zinc will "flow back" in an attempt to recover the areas, they are the first areas to decay and corrode. It is important to check out how securely the vinyl is attached to the wire. It may or may not be tightly bonded. If you can peel it off with a fingernail, it probably will not last as long as fencing material with a superior coating.

As mentioned above, the best quality products are those with the following characteristics: 1) GAW wire mesh is underneath the PVC; 2) the vinyl is tightly bonded to the wire. The welded areas are thoroughly protected and the vinyl is not easily scraped off the wire. The vinyl coated welded wire fencing material with these characteristics are what you need if you want years of trouble-free service. It is worth the effort required to find them.

A Test for You to Do

The only sure way, though not always possible or recommended, is to try scraping off a small section of vinyl. If you can start it with your fingernail and slide the coating along the wire (see picture below) you know the coating is not tightly bonded. If the coating resists peeling and requires a sharp blade to scrape it off, you will know the coating is tightly bonded.

If the underlying wire is dark gray or black, this means there is plain steel beneath the coating. Make sure this is the product you really want to buy.

If the wire is bright and shiny it is galvanized. Check out the intersecting weld areas. If you see burns and blackened wire it is GBW. This is an example of non-bonded vinyl coating over GBW wire:

Clumping that You Want!

If the wire is bright and shiny and the welded areas have clumps of zinc around them, the mesh has been galvanized after. This is what GAW mesh looks like:

Check in with Louis Page

Keep in mind that you do have choices and do not have to settle for the products that are right in front of you, especially if they are (or might be) inferior. Be aware that the person working in the store probably knows less than you do about the differences in products and why a different item may be more suited to your needs. Consulting with the experts at Louis Page is a necessary first step.

Here's a very helpful video--

Watch this video and learn how to install a basic garden fence. Enjoy this straightforward approach for creating a garden safe from predators.

How would this style of fence fit into your gardening plans this year?

A Preferred Choice for Controlling Livestock

High tensile wire is regarded as the most significant improvement in farm fencing since the introduction of barbed wire in 1874. While relatively new in the US, it has been used to effectively control cattle, sheep, and other livestock on ranches in other countries for over 50 years. It has now become the preferred choice for agricultural fencing in the USA.

Low vs. High Carbon Content

Low carbon wire is made from steel rod with a carbon content of approximately 0.10%. This type of wire is easy to work with and fairly forgiving. However, it is prone to elongation, falling victim to stretching and sagging. And its strength is low when compared to high tensile wire.

High tensile wire is made of higher carbon steel. The carbon content of this wire is approximately 0.28%. This increased carbon content significantly increases the wire’s strength and reduces elongation. This allows the use of a smaller diameter high tensile wire versus a thicker low carbon wire.

High tensile wire fence: Advantages

• Lower overall costs due to smaller diameter wire and fewer posts used
• High tensile wire can be installed using fewer fence posts than low carbon fence
• High tensile: post spacing up to 16.5 feet vs low carbon: post spacing 8 to 10 feet
• Stronger – about twice the strength as low carbon wire for effectively controlling any type of livestock: horses, hogs, cattle, deer, sheep, goat, etc.
• Lighter weight means easier handling during installation

• Very low maintenance
• Longer life – 40 plus years if properly maintained
• Can be easily electrified
• More secure
• Looks neater
• Much safer for livestock than barbed wire
• Class 3 galvanizing is standard

With high tensile wire, build a long-lasting, low maintenance fence for nearly half the price of a conventional low carbon fence. Make sure you know that the wire you're getting is high tensile--call Louis Page for details.

A Helpful How-to on Splicing

Do you have a woven wire fence that needs repair? Has this ever happened to you?

• You have two rolls of fence you need to splice together.
• You need to cut out a damaged section of your fence and splice in a new section to replace it.
• Some strands of your fencing material have broken and are in need of repair.
• You're unsure of how to repair these problems so that your fence can function as intended.

 Watch this video and learn a couple of different ways you can splice a woven wire fence.

Have you discovered other helpful techniques for mending and splicing woven wire fences you'd like to share?