Never Underestimate Your Canine Friends
What is it about some dogs? They're smart. They're determined. And they can climb! Can your dog climb a tall fence like this?
A Protected Garden makes for a Happy Gardener
There are many different wire meshes that make excellent garden fencing. Fences that will protect your gardens from the ravages of animals both large and small. Meshes that will help your garden grow.
Welded wire garden fences come in different combinations of mesh size and wire gauge. They are available in three finishes:
- Galvanized Before Weld (GBW) meshes are the least expensive and will not last as long as the other two. When the galvanized wire is welded, the rust resisting zinc is burned off where the wires intersect. Moisture will collect at these vulnerable points. Rust begins and the fence gradually weakens.
- Galvanized After Weld (GAW) meshes are more costly initially, but their long lifetime can eliminate the expense and hassle of replacement. Following the welding process, the fence is drawn through a bath of molten zinc. The wire and the weld joints are thoroughly coated.
- Vinyl Coated (VC) meshes feature both long life and a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Once the fence is welded, the PVC vinyl is tightly bonded to the wire as it passes through a heat process. Black is becoming the preferred color choice. It blends with the background, becoming virtually invisible. Your enclosed area can be clearly seen.
A variety of meshes and gauges available:
1/4" x 1/4" - 23 gauge - GAW and VC
1/2" x 1/2" - 19 and 16 gauges - GBW, GAW and VC
1/2" x 1" - 16 and 14 gauges - GBW, GAW and VC
1" x 1" - 16, 14 and 12-1/2 gauges - GBW, GAW and VC
1" x 2" - 14 gauge - GBW, GAW and VC
1-1/2" x 1-1/2" -12-1/2 and 10-1/2 gauges - GAW and VC
3" x 2" - 16 gauge - VC
1-1/2" x 4" -14 gauge - VC
2" x 4" - 14 and 12-1/2 gauges - GBW and VC
Woven wire garden fences are also available in the same three finishes. The characteristics of the GBW, GAW and VC finishes are identical to the welded meshes.Meshes and gauges available:
1" hex netting chicken wire - 20 and 18 gauges - GBW, GAW and VC
1-1/2" hexagonal poultry wire - 17 gauge - Apron Fence - GBW and VC
2" hex netting - 20 gauge - GBW
2" x 2" - 16 gauge - GBW
2" x 4" - 12-1/2 gauge - GBW
Garden/Deer & Orchard (graduated openings - 1" x 6 to 4" x 6") - 14-1/2 gauge - GBW
Deer & Wildlife Fence (graduated openings) - 12-1/2 and 14 gauges - GBW
This is a general look at what is available for welded and woven wire meshes to fence in your garden. The type you choose depends on the needs of your particular project. And there is a product for every use.
Topics: welded wire mesh, woven wire, garden fence, vinyl coated wire, galvanized
Apron Fence: Discouraging Diggers
A unique woven wire mesh that can be used in many applications. Use apron fence when you need to prevent animals from digging into or out of your fenced area.
This is a woven mesh fence. Heavy 17 gauge galvanized wire is woven into a 1½" hexagonal mesh. 17 gauge wire is much heavier than the 20 gauge wire used in ordinary galvanized poultry hex netting. Being heavier, it has a longer life expectancy than 20 gauge mesh. The 1½" mesh is small enough to keep most small animals from passing through.
Just Bend or Fold it
The unique feature of this woven fence is its apron. 12" up from the bottom edge of the roll, a continuous line wire is woven into the mesh. This line wire, which runs the length of the roll, acts as a guide for bending or folding the bottom 12" of the roll to make an apron. When bent at a 90-degree angle, this part of the fence can lay on the ground. Vegetation will grow up through the apron, securely fastening the hexagonal mesh to the ground. This eliminates the need for and extra labor of digging a trench and burying wire in the ground.
The Mesh Stops 'em
If you want to keep animals from digging into an area, such as a garden, place the apron to the outside. When they come up the edge of the vertical fence and start to dig, the wire mesh will stop them. If you are trying to keep animals enclosed within an area, place the apron to the inside. The apron will prevent digging under the fence.
Rolls are available in two sizes:
- 60" (48" high with 12" apron) x 150'
- 72" (60" high with 12" apron) x 150'
Apron Fence is available in galvanized and black vinyl coated finish.
The vinyl coated rolls are custom coated with a thick and durable vinyl coating that is tightly bonded to the wire. It resists scraping and will not crack or split when the wire is bent. The coating is flexible across all temperature ranges. Although considerably more expensive initially, the vinyl coated wire will last far longer than the galvanized mesh. Black wire makes an attractive, virtually invisible fence. The view of your fenced-in area is not diminished by the brightness of the galvanized wire.
So many uses, including:
- Securely fence in your beagle training pens and runs.
- Build a perimeter fence for your game birds and poultry that can keep predators out.
- Enjoy a garden fence that prevents the invasion of hungry wildlife looking for a free meal.
- Build an inexpensive tennis court fence by doubling up two 60" rolls without using the apron feature.
Topics: woven wire, apron fence, game bird
A Few Guidelines for Installing your Wire Fence
First: Decisions
- Determine the kind of fence you will need, based on the requirements of the application - the purposes and needs of your particular situation.
- You can choose from a wide variety of fences and meshes.
- Different heights, size, and spacing of mesh openings, finishes, and gauges of wire fence are available to fit every use.
- Establish where the corners and ends of the fence are to be located.
- Calculate the amount of fence and posts (end, corner and line posts) needed for the job. Don't forget to add any gates that are required to complete the project.
- Wood or studded T posts can be used to hang the fence.
- Figure line post spacing at 8 to 10 feet apart.
Next: Installation
- Fence posts
- Make sure end, corner and gate posts are placed deeper in the ground than line posts for more holding power. Corners and ends may need bracing, depending on the type of fence used.
- Be sure to tamp and level wood posts before moving on to the next step.
- T posts can be driven into the ground using a manual post driver with handles. The driver eliminates the potentially dangerous use of an unwieldy sledgehammer.
- Attaching fence to posts
- Wood posts - galvanized slice-cut staples can be used.
These are available in 3/4", 1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 1-3/4" and 2" sizes. - Studded T posts - metal clips are provided with each post to securely hold the fence.
- Stretching the fence - the appropriate amount of tension depends on which mesh is used. Woven wire fencing, especially high-tension field and deer fences, requires a lot more tension than welded wire fences.
Topics: wire mesh, fence staples, galvanized, acreage guide, posts
An Excellent Overview
Another excellent instructional video from the folks at Bekaert. Learn how to install barbed wire to make a safe and secure fence. A general overview of the process of getting that fence in place. High tensile wire means no stretching.
Topics: fencing materials, high tensile wire, barbed wire
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