Our Blog - The Fence Post | Fencing Tips (2)

How to Repair Your Broken Fence

April 13, 2016 | by Debbie Page

Do You Have a fence that's begging for attention?

Spring is a great time to prepare your fence for the warmer months. Winter can be tough on fences. Trees fall down. Branches take out fence sections. The land freezes and defrosts, making your fence unstable. By the time spring rolls around, your fence can end up rusty, misshapen or even on the ground. In fact, spring, summer, and fall are all good times to work on a fence.

Things to Watch Out For

Now is the time to inspect your fence. To begin an inspection, walk the perimeter of the fence and inspect it from bottom to top. You will want to pay special attention to where the fence meets the ground. Have any animals burrowed underneath your fence?

Plus you will want to make sure there is no rust. Fences that are constantly touching the ground tend to rust at a higher rate. Over time, you may notice that an entire section has rusted away at ground level.

An inspection should also involve shaking the fence. Is it securely in the ground? Have any of the fence posts become damaged or loose in the ground. If your fence is coated in vinyl, check to see if the vinyl is peeling.

In addition to making any notes for yourself about damage, rust or peeling, you will want to pull off any vegetation that may have grown on your fence. Although some people find ivy and other plants appealing when it is growing on fences, vegetation speeds up the decay of your fence.

Signs of damage, and some fixes--

Rust

Rust is the number one enemy of metal fences. Once rust sets in, you can never restore your fence 100% but you can maintain it for a long life. To repair your fence from rusting:

Brush off rust with a steel brush
Spray area with your favorite metal protective spray paint/coating
Monitor fence area for any additional rust

Peeling Vinyl Coated Mesh

tiger behind peeling green vinyl coated fence

Vinyl coating helps to prolong the life of your fence but over time the vinyl starts to peel. To maintain a vinyl coated fence:

Trim away excessive peeling vinyl
Use 60 grit sandpaper to sand away the small piece and create a smooth finish
Spray area with your favorite metal protective spray paint/coating
Monitor fence area for any additional peeling and rust

Fence Section Smashed by a Fallen Tree or Tree Branch

Winter can be tough on trees and anything around your fence that can fall on it and damage the fence. To address a section of fence that has been destroyed we recommend:

Replacing the section with a panel of the same or a similar type of fencing
Using strand wire to thread together the broken sections
Replacing or upgrading the fence

A Maintenance Supply List

We also recommend creating a fence maintenance supply list when you are first building a fence and annually give your fence a check-up. For the supply list, we recommend:

Strand wire, fence staples, and hog rings
Purchasing an extra 20% of fence so you can some on hand for repairs
Reviewing warranties
Including all your fencing needs in one order

To quickly summarize, check your fence for:

Lack of sturdiness
Fence post stability
Weld strength
Rust
Vinyl peeling
Vegetation
Holes under the fence

You will want to fix or address any and all of the items on this list in preparation for warmer months ahead.

Louis E. Page is your single source for all your wire mesh requirements. We have strand wire, fence staples, hog rings and more in our catalog. It is up to you as to how many supplies you want to keep on hand to maintain a strong, sturdy fence. Some of our suppliers offer warranties, for example, Cavatorta, has an excellent product warranty.

At Louis E. Page, we pride ourselves on our customer service and being able to meet your needs. Including all your fencing needs in one order can save you time and ensure you have everything you need when you need it. For example, you might already know that you need welded wire mesh for your animals but what about the crops you plan on planting?

Your plants need support and we have Hortonova - Crop Support Netting. This netting is rot and rust proof, resistant to UV rays and chemical agents. It is ideal for vertical and horizontal growing techniques. You can keep your animals where you want them, plus easily cultivate plants when you combine your ordering needs.

Place an order today by calling 1-800-225-0508 or emailing sales@louispage.com.

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Topics: fence, hog rings, repair, Fencing Tips

Why A Snow Fence Works So Effectively

August 6, 2013 | by Duncan Page

Snow Fences: For Increased Safety

Watch this Federal Highway Administration video to learn about snow fences and their benefits.

There are two parts to this video:

Part 1 -- Benefits, focuses on the cost and effectiveness of snow fences. Collector-type snow fences are described. There are significant cost savings and reduction in accidents when snow fences are used along highways.

Part 2 -- Key Elements, describes design elements in simple terms. Guidelines are presented for estimating wind transport of snow and the effective fence capacity required. Other topics discussed: construction methods, design, installation, and placement.

Much of this information about snow fencing material is applicable to homeowners as well as larger town and state highway DOT uses. Rolls of wood snow fence and plastic snow fence are available. These are easier to use and handle than a permanent structure.

Would a snow fence be a good fit for your needs?

Topics: snow fence, Fencing Tips

Deer Fence, Blueberries, and Increased Yield - Video

January 21, 2011 | by Duncan Page

Increasing Blueberry Yield

The 8' fence, angled to the outside of the blueberry patch, is easy to build and easy to move. Simple in design, this deer fence uses seven strands of wire.

And it cost him ¢.40 per foot to build!

Prior to building the fence, the patch typically yielded 3,500 pounds of berries. The season after he built the fence, the yield was up to 14,000 pounds! Joe Wave of Wave's U-Pick Blueberries in Kaleva, Michigan talks about his innovative deer fence:

What do you think of this solution? Would it be something you'd want to use?

Have you seen other deer fences that differ from the 8' tall barriers that are most common?

Topics: high tensile wire, Fencing Tips, deer and wildlife fence

Wire Fence Roll Size--Pay Attention!

January 18, 2011 | by Duncan Page

How are these rolls of fence wire different?

Which of these rolls of wire fence would you buy? Do they have the same footage? If they are the same, why do they look so different? Not all rolls are created equal.

The final diameter of a roll of welded or woven wire fence is determined by four things:

mesh opening size
the gauge of the wire used
the size of the spindle upon which it is wound
how tightly it is rolled at the end of the assembly line

In the example above, all three rolls of heavy woven wire fence are identical in mesh size, gauge, height, length, and weight. They even have the same core openings. And yet they appear to be completely different. The roll on the left is wound very tightly. It is almost half the diameter of the right-hand roll which is wound under less tension. If you were to buy one of these rolls, which would you choose? Would you prefer the smaller roll because it is more compact and easier to handle? Or would you choose the larger roll because it looks as if it has extra footage?

Checking the Weight

Different wire mills may have different size spindles. And they may roll their product under different tensions. So if you see wire fence products in the store that are labeled with the same gauge, mesh size, width, and length, they may look very different. A quick way to tell is to check the weight of each roll.

Imported wire fence is usually very tightly wound. Rolls have a small diameter hollow core. This saves space, allowing more rolls to fit on a pallet. Higher density per cubic foot enables more pieces to be loaded in a container, cutting the shipping cost per piece.

Have you ever encountered this when buying wire fence? Which one did you buy and why?

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