The Fence Post

Man your Cages

For the past few hundred years along the U.S. coastline, oysters have been under attack. Current efforts to restore oyster reefs are bringing renewal and protection to this humble mollusk, which in turn protects against the erosion of our coasts and waterways. In terms of farming oysters, rigorous methods and ongoing research are required in maintaining this crop and bringing it to our tables. Oysters are abundant in the minerals and nutrition they provide while offering their distinctive brand of culinary delight to their host of fans.

Methods of Farming

One of the most common methods of cultivation is cage-raised oysters. Many of our favorites, indeed a majority, are bred this way. Happily, shell-fish farms are high on the list of sustainable methods of farming--pleasing environmentalists and purveyors. Some methods of cultivation are rack and bag, tray, floating, and buoy suspension. 

Cage-raised Oysters cultivated above the bottom of a bay are:

• Kept cleaner
• Protected from predators
• Thinner-shelled 
• Resulting in better yields
• Sometimes mixed in their cultivation--cage-raised above, then transferred to the bottom of the bay toward the end of their development--creating stronger shells   

Oysters raised on the bottom of the ocean floor are:

• Similar to how oysters grow in the wild
• Stronger shelled
• Vulnerable to mother nature
  • oysters may suffocate under the bottom of the bay
  • suffer attack by predators, such as the oyster drill or the New England dog whelk, commonly found in intertidal areas of Rhode Island
  • frozen in ice and taken out to sea

Methods used to raise oysters on the bottom of the ocean are many and may depend on geography--beach versus bay, also the local regulations, predators, and weather. Louis Page will stock your enterprise with a variety of necessities, be it 12½ gauge galvanized after mesh, 14 or 16 gauge vinyl coated wire mesh in ¾" x ¾", 1" x 1", 1½" x 1½" openings or hardware cloth, which comes in ½" x ½" and ¼" x ¼" openings. The wire mesh heights typically used by the oyster industry range from 12" to 48".

Learn from a farmer in action:

An Oyster is a Cleaning Machine

One adult oyster filters 30 to 50 gallons of water every day. Pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon dioxide are filtered from coastal waters by oysters, rendering them clearer and cleaner. The presence of oysters helps to control algae as they build up ecosystems by attracting various types of sea life. A keystone species is central to keeping an ecosystem functioning and as such, oysters are relied upon by other species in maintaining biodiversity along coastlines and in estuaries.

Erosion Solutions

350 square miles of Oyster Reefs--that was the approximate number of oyster reefs occupying the waters around the city of New York in the 1600s. Oysters were plentiful and by the 1800s oyster carts were the hot dog stands of the day. At the time, half of the world's oyster population was found in that area. 85% of oyster reefs have disappeared around the world in the last 100 years, due to higher ocean acidity, over-harvesting, and disease. By the early 1900s, the oysters were gone, eaten. Wouldn't you know it, these reefs control erosion and act as buffers from high waves during storms; hence, major cities are protected by them. Oyster reefs act in a sponge-like way, drawing the energy out of passing waves, and are actually more effective and inexpensive than steel walls and wooden bulkheads, which increase sand erosion ahead of these artificial structures.

Military and environmental groups are working together to plant miles of oyster reefs along the coastline of New Jersey, which has suffered much storm damage in recent years. Other reefs are being built along the East Coast as far south as Florida. Amazingly, every coastal state in the U.S. is using oyster reefs for the buffering of storms and/or water amelioration. As they struggle to survive, it is best to leave these wild oysters and their reefs to their important work, and rely on farmed oysters for consumption. Take a look at this article to learn about recent strides that are being made.

The Rebuilding                                                                                                            

There is a project afoot to rebuild the oyster reefs around the New York Harbor in the next twenty years. The Billion Oyster Project sets its sights on building 100 acres of oyster reefs which will become home to a billion oysters by 2035.

Oyster larvae, known as spat, naturally attach to oyster shells and after many generations (with some assistance) build up the reef. Restaurants are returning oyster shells so that after being cured for a year, they are put back onto the reefs that are being restored. There are similar programs existing in the Chesapeake Bay.

Nutrition

A single medium-sized raw oyster contains roughly 5 grams of high quality and complete protein, as well as these life-saving and life-enhancing vitamins and nutrients:

Zinc--the humble oyster is brimming with the stuff. Zinc is important for cell division and is responsible for the function of red and white blood cells in our bodies. It is indispensable for physical performance, energy levels, body composition, and maintaining ideal hormone levels. Zinc is also an antioxidant--busy stabilizing stress levels and fighting aging. Low levels of zinc are known to cause reduced libido and infertility.

Potassium--occurs in high levels in oysters: it helps lower blood pressure, relax blood vessels, and provide good cholesterol.

Vitamin D--essential for absorbing calcium and promoting bone growth. Low vitamin D is associated with breast, colon, and prostate cancers, heart disease, depression, and weight gain.

Vitamin E--aids in making cellular membranes strong and flexible.

Vitamin B12--oysters are an excellent source. B12 regulates the metabolism and formation of red blood cells while maintaining the central nervous system, brain health, and development.

Iron--the main component of hemoglobin, which is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood. Iron is crucial to red blood cell production and therefore to vitality. In its fight against anemia, iron stimulates the nervous system, supporting muscles and energy levels, cognitive function, and stomach health.

Copper--regulates iron, ensures appropriate enzymatic reactions, enhances the health of connective tissues, hair, and eyes. It regulates heart rhythm, balances thyroid levels, enhances red blood cell production, and reduces cholesterol. Amino acids and vitamins are metabolized by copper. The body does not manufacture it and therefore must be added through diet--consult an oyster.

Manganese--a powerful antioxidant. Creates essential enzymes for building bone, maintaining bone structure, and bone metabolism. Assists in the formation of connective tissues and absorption of calcium while regulating sex hormones, healthy blood sugar levels, and the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats.

Selenium--an antioxidant, a catalyst for active thyroid hormone production, necessary for sperm motility, may prevent miscarriage and is thought to be a mood stabilizer. Healthy levels are linked to reduced cancer and heart disease risk.

Yet as always, consume oysters in moderation as they are so vitamin-rich, they can result in mineral overdose, and always buy them from reputable sources. Consume oysters as a preventative and not as a medical treatment, especially in the case of established heart disease. And the martini you might add to the mix? Well...life has its trade-offs. 

Louis E.Page Inc. is committed to sourcing and delivering the finest fence and mesh supplies available to do the important and rigorous work of cultivating oysters. You can be assured that the products we sell are the best-engineered on the market today. 

Important Considerations

Buying fencing without seeing it can be difficult but we are here to help you. We have pulled together our top 4 key considerations to help you choose the best fence for your needs.

1.  The Type of Wire Determines a Fence's Durability and Use

For example, vinyl-coated and stainless steel fences offer maximum durability, making them ideal choices for harsh environments and applications where longevity is a must.

We provide four unique types of welded wire to address any durability and budget needs:

Galvanized Before Weld (GBW)

GBW mesh is made from strands of galvanized wire welded together. During the welding process, the rust preventing galvanizing is burned off at the weld points where the wires intersect. These meshes are economical but have a limited lifetime. A general purpose mesh, ideal for low-cost fencing, kennels, cages, and a variety of other uses.

Galvanized After Weld (GAW)

GAW mesh is made by dipping previously welded mesh into a bath of molten zinc. The entire mesh, including the welded areas, is thoroughly sealed and protected against rust. This wire is particularly useful for animal enclosures or other applications where rust prevention and long life is desired. Ideally suited for use as ground wire for bird enclosures and animal enclosures. (ZA (zinc aluminum for agricultural fences (one step between GAW & Vinyl Coated).

Vinyl Coated (VC)

VC mesh is made by coating either galvanized before or galvanized after welded mesh with a thick layer of black or green PVC fused to the wire by a heat process, creating an attractive, tough, long-lasting, weather and chemical-resistant mesh. Vinyl coated meshes have the longest lifetime in any application. This 12½" gauge mesh with 1½" x 1½" openings makes a particularly excellent floor for dog kennels.

Stainless Steel

SS welded wire mesh, strong and long-lasting, needs no additional finish to protect it. The wire itself is extremely resistant to rust, corrosion, and harsh chemicals. Use stainless mesh or fence in areas with prolonged exposure to salt and other corrosives.

2.  Wire Gauge: a Fence that Endures

• Wire gauge also determines durability and use. The lower the gauge number the thicker the wire, making low gauge fencing ideal for applications where strength and durability are required.
• Along with the wire type, wire gauge determines how tough and long-lasting your fence will be. Louis Page sells welded wire in 10.5, 11, 12.5, 14, 16, 19, and 23 gauge thicknesses.
• Remember, the lower the gauge number, the thicker and stronger the wire will be.
• Thicker wire is more resistant to the elements and tougher for critters to chew through. A sharp beak can make short work of a thin gauge wire. No such luck with a thicker gauge!
• For these reasons, wire gauge is an important factor in determining both how long your fence will last and the use for which it is best suited.

3.  Mesh Openings: a Wide Variety of Uses

Smaller mesh opening is important for fencing in or out smaller animals, which could slip through a larger opening. Smaller openings also make for more rigid panels, making durability a secondary consideration.

Mesh opening is a very important factor to consider based on what you’re planning to fence in or out.

4.  Fence Height - Animals Test the Boundaries

Quite simply, taller fencing is required to fence in and out larger animals, and animals that can jump high. Fence height is very important factor based on what you’re planning to fence in or out. Simply put, taller fencing is required to fence in and out larger animals, as well as animals that can jump high. For example, shorter fences are ideal for uses like chicken enclosures, rabbit cages, and puppy kennels. A taller fence is required for enclosing large farm animals like cows and goats and fencing out deer.

• A taller fence is required when safety and the security of people is the goal, such as in the case of a pool fence or at places like construction sites, zoos, or public parks.

Our experts are ready and waiting by the phone to answer your questions and help you choose the right fence for your project.

 

 

Projects with a Quick Return

If you're like us, you love a good garden and appreciate landscaping. A flourishing garden can take hours and hours of time. But some projects can be accomplished in a shorter amount of time. With some welded wire fencing you can protect plants, keep pets where you want them and even create an archway.

Check out our roundup of welded wire fence projects from across the internet that you can finish in 5 hours or less. These projects are great for the garden and in general, around the house. They may even work in your favorite public park!

Various Types of Welded Wire Mesh Fence

First, welded wire fence comes in rolls and most often looks like this:

Three Fence Finishes 

It comes in various sizes (openings) and finishes including galvanized after weld, vinyl-coated and stainless steel:

1. Galvanized After Weld

2. Vinyl Coated

3. Stainless Steel

Hardware Cloth: Easy to Work With

The type of welded wire fence featured in this blog article is also known as hardware cloth. It has many uses around the house and in public settings.

Here is a break down of our recommended uses based on the finish of the welded wire fence:

1. Uses for Galvanized After Weld Wire Hardware Cloth:

• Beekeeping

• Gutter guard

• Soffit screens

• Compost bins

• Window guards

• Small animal cages

• Groundhog barriers

• Tree trunk protection

• Plaster and stucco lath

• Nuisance wildlife control

• Ferro cement boats and structures (1/2")

Generally, hardware cloth is easy to work with because it is flexible and people like the small openings. Openings can be as small as 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch.

2. Uses for Vinyl Coated Hardware Cloth:

• Beekeeping

• Gutter guard

• Soffit screens

• Craft projects

• Window guards

• Small animal cages

• Tree trunk protection

• Nuisance wildlife control

• Gopher, groundhog barriers

We recommend black vinyl coated hardware cloth because it blends in with the environment.

3. Uses for Stainless Steel Hardware Cloth:

• Greenhouse benches

• Bird cages and feeders

• Industrial machine guards

• Nuisance animal exclusion

• Animal cages and enclosures

• Decorative architectural panels

• Railing safety mesh in-fill panels

• Long lasting home and garden fence

• Swimming pool fence near salt water

• Ground wire for bird and animal enclosures

• Anti-bird exclusion mesh in commercial buildings and structures

Specifically, stainless steel performs well over a long period and in harsh environments like those involving salt water.

Hardware Cloth: Project Round-Up

Gutter Gard

Bean Trellis

Animal Gate

Creating an Archway

(and for general landscaping, good design Ravenscourt!)

Protecting Your Plants...

Welded wire fencing is very useful around the garden and house. We like all of these projects and have even implemented some of them! We know figuring out the right type (galvanized after weld, vinyl coated or stainless steel) can be a difficult decision. Feel free to call us with your project ideas and we will be happy to help you order the product that is right for you. We will even give you a free quote.

Post and Wire

When you build a wire fence, the type of wire you use is very important. Using an inferior wire will lead the fence to rust quickly and need to be replaced. Instead, you should use vinyl coated, stainless steel, zinc aluminum with black paint (if available), or Class 3 galvanized (if available), which will stand up to the elements and last much longer. However, just as important as the type of wire you use are the type of posts that hold the wire up. These are often overlooked when it comes to fence building, but if you use the wrong type, it can weaken the structural integrity of your fence even faster than the wrong wire. That’s why it’s important, when building a Class 3 galvanized wire fence, to use galvanized posts as well.

• Galvanized: To galvanize something is to coat it in a protective layer of zinc. Zinc will stand up against water and the elements better than other types of metals, protecting against rust and making your metal last longer. Galvanization takes place either before (GBW) or after (GAW) the welding. GAW is the longest lasting of those two. Class 3 galvanized wire (if available). Class 1 galvanization uses only a very thin layer of zinc, which lasts 2 - 11 years before it rusts. In a coastal area, where salt water is a factor, it can last 2 years or less. Class 3 galvanization, on the other hand, is thicker and can last anywhere from 13 to 30 years. It’s a little more expensive, but it doesn’t have to be replaced nearly as often, saving you more money in the long run.

• Stainless Steel: Stainless steel welded wire mesh is strong and long-lasting. By its very nature, stainless steel wire needs no additional finish, such as galvanizing or PVC, to protect it. The wire itself is extremely resistant to rust, corrosion, and harsh chemicals. If you need a welded mesh or fence in an area with prolonged exposure to corrosives, stainless steel products will meet the demands. Type 316 is recommended for saltwater environments since it has a higher resistance to corrosion than Type 304.

• Vinyl Coated - VC: Welded wire fencing and meshes are both long lasting and attractive. Galvanized welded mesh is coated with a thick layer of PVC which is tightly bonded to the wire by a heat process. The coating is flexible and will not crack when the wire is bent. It is stable over a wide temperature range, maintaining its qualities in extremes of both hot and cold temperatures. UV inhibitors are in the vinyl to retard degradation from sunlight. The coating is also very resistant to scraping and abrasion. Vinyl coated welded wire mesh and fence sometimes referred to as plastic coated wire products, are very strong and durable. They are long lasting and rust resistant. They have double protection. Not only does the vinyl coating seal the wire from water and other corrosive elements, but the underlying mesh is also protected by a zinc coating.

• Zinc Aluminum - ZA: A new, zinc-coated aluminum hybrid coating. It lasts more than twice as long as Class 1 but uses less coating then Class 3, which saves you money.

• ZA with Black paint: Lasts more than twice as long as Class 3 and is painted black. It will last 13 to 30 until rust in non-coastal environments.

The Benefits of Steel Posts
The wire isn’t the only part of your fence that’s subject to the elements. The posts are as well. You can have the best wire on the market, but if the posts fail first, you’ll still have to replace your fence sooner than intended. A lot of wire fences use wood posts. They’re strong and sturdy, but they can rot over time, or be eaten away by termites and other bugs. It’s much better to use metal posts. The best posts are the steel T-posts because they are galvanized. They are made with studs every 2 1/8" down the length of the post, allowing you to customize the height of your fence easily and prevent the fence from riding up and down the post.

Galvanization: An Essential

Of course, metal posts are subject to the same issues as metal wires are. If you’re not careful, they can rust. Therefore, just as it’s important to use the choices mentioned above for your fence, it’s also essential to use galvanized posts. Galvanization will guard your posts against the elements so that they don’t rust as quickly.

Your posts are what hold your fence together, so it’s important that they be strong, sturdy, and long-lasting. A high-quality wire on a cheap, low-quality post will cause problems and likely need to be replaced within a few years. But if you use strong, metal, galvanized posts, with top quality wire, then your wire fence can last you for decades.

A Strong, Long-Lasting Fence

You’re all set to install a wire fence on your property. But what kind of coating will you use on the fencing material? It’s a question a lot of beginners don’t consider, but it’s an important one. The wire coating you use on your fence determines a number of factors, including how long it will last and how it will handle itself against the elements. So what are your options? Here are the basic types of wire coating for fences.

• Class 1 Galvanized – This is the most basic type of coating, used on barbed wire and field fences. The wire is galvanized, by adding a thin, protective layer of zinc. It’s cheap and efficient, but unfortunately not as effective as other types of coating in the long term. Class 1 Galvanized wire fences start to rust quickly. They’ll last a maximum of 11 years, and sometimes as little as 2 years. In a coastal area, where there’s salt water in the air, it can last an even shorter time.
  
• Class 3 Galvanized – This is a stronger, longer-lasting zinc coating. Whereas Class 1 wire coating uses 0.28 ounces of zinc per square foot, Class 3 uses a thicker coating of 0.80 ounces per square foot. It costs slightly more than Class 1, but it will last anywhere from 13 to 30 years before it rusts, making it well worth the investment.
• ZA – A relatively new development, ZA is a Zinc-Aluminum hybrid coating. It uses less coating than Class 3, making it cheaper, but the aluminum prevents rust, so that it still lasts about the same amount of time. The result is a less expensive wire fence that will still last you up to 30 years before it rusts.
• ZA and Paint – Paint on a fence does more than simply make it look more attractive. After galvanizing the wire with the Zinc-Aluminum coating, it’s painted with black polymer paint, which offers even heavier protection against rust and corrosion. It lasts even longer than a Class 3 Galvanized fence and protects against the harshest elements. 

Vinyl – Also called PVC or UPVC coating, vinyl is the strongest wire coating of all when it comes to standing up against the elements. A thick, flexible PVC layer is added to the galvanized wire. That way, not only is it rust resistant, it also stands up to extreme temperatures, as well as UV rays and even physical abrasions against the fence. Plus, its flexibility means it won’t crack when the wire is bent. Generally available in either black or green, vinyl is the strongest, most durable, longest lasting wire coating you can buy. 

Do You Want a Temporary Fence? Or Something Stronger?

So which wire coating is best for your fence? It depends on what you need and where you’re located. If your main goal is cutting costs, and the fence only needs to be temporary, then you can probably get away with Class 1 galvanized wire. If you’re looking for something a little stronger, that will last longer and save you money in the long run, go with Class 3 or ZA. If you really want your fence to last a long time, then ZA and Paint is the way to go. And if you live in a coastal area, or one with other harsh elements, and want a reliable, long-lasting wire fence, then you’ll want to go with vinyl coating. Consider your needs and your options carefully. A well-built wire fence with the right coating can last you a lifetime.