The Fence Post

 Apocalypse--when?

According to Wikipedia, the Mayan calendar predicted that cataclysmic or transformative events were to occur on December 21, 2012. This date was regarded as the end date of a 5,125 year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae have been proposed as pertaining to this date, though none has been accepted by mainstream scholarship.

A New Age interpretation of this transition is that the date marked the start of time in which Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation. December 21st was to mark the beginning of a new era. Others suggest that the date marked the end of the world or a similar catastrophe.

Some scenarios suggested for the end of the world:

• the arrival of the next solar maximum
• an interaction between Earth and the black hole at the center of the galaxy
• Earth's collision with a planet called Nibiru.

Wait a minute!

Since you're reading this blog you have obviously disregarded the dire warnings and predictions about the world's demise and continue making plans for the days, weeks, months, and years to come. And you have survived whatever may have happened on December 21st, realizing yet again that another predicted catastrophic ending of the world never materialized.

In either case, you are free to think about what type of fencing materials you will need.

Okay, so what's your fence for?

• Define your property or boundary line?
• Keep deer and other wildlife away from your trees?
• Keep pets from running all over the neighborhood?
• Protect children as they play securely in your yard?
• Prevent gophers from destroying your lawn and plantings?
• Prevent "critters" from entering your garden to eat your plants?
• Protect your home and property from nuisance wildlife damage?

And the particulars for this fence?

• What height is required?
• Do you need a large or a smaller mesh?
• Is your land flat or does the terrain vary?
• Are you trying to keep something in or out?
• How many feet will you need to do the job right?
• Do you want to install the fencing materials yourself?
• Would it be better to have it installed by a reputable fence company?

Varieties, Styles...

Make sure you are looking for the right kind of fencing to do the job correctly. Many varieties and styles of fence are available for your consideration and needs.

Finish - galvanized before, galvanized after, vinyl coated, stainless steel

Construction - woven, welded mesh

Mesh sizes - fencing materials are available in a variety of mesh opening sizes:

   Welded: 3" x 3", 2" x 4", 2" x 3", 2" x 2" 1½" x 4", 1" x 2 " and 1" x 1"

   Woven: ½", 1", 1½" hex, 2" x 2", 2" x 4" and the varying openings of field fence

Wire gauges - from lightweight 20 gauge up to heavyweight 10.5 gauge

So, cataclysms aside, feel free to check out our helpful Fence and Mesh Guide to help you decide:

A Lesson Learned

I had a project installing a few hundred feet of fencing and only had four days before the weather got worse. I’d done my homework and purchased quality fencing for the install. Suddenly on the last day, the rain fell in buckets. I needed to work in the rain so I went to the home improvement store and bought a rain suit that cost less than the “Made in America” brand. Happy with my purchase, I rushed home to finish my project. After changing I walked outside in my suit, bent over to retrieve a post and the bottoms ripped out. The seams gave way and I was exposed to the elements while finishing the remaining fence line. I learned that cheap is not always a good thing and that quality is worth the extra outlay. Lesson learned--true story.

Standards of Quality

The definition of quality is the general standard or grade of something. Excellence, class, value, and worth also refer to quality. What does quality mean to you? Quality means fulfilling the requirements and expectations one has at all times. Quality standards are set to meet minimum legal requirements. However, an individual’s requirements are usually higher than the legal ones set by authorities. There is a variance in quality or the perceived quality of materials such as wire and cable.

Quality Verification

UL (Underwriters Laboratory) is a company that evaluates wire and cable products under more than 70 different product categories, using more than 30 Standards for Safety. Their Verification programs cover safety, performance, quality assurance, unannounced factory follow-up inspection, and follow-up testing at UL. Their program helps consumers, distributors, and manufacturers identify wire and cabling products that meet nationally recognized safety requirements as well as industry specifications for performance and quality. Users rely on the safety of products that carry the UL Mark. 

How low will I go?

Some wire mesh made in China is less expensive than mesh manufactured in the United States. This can be due to fewer restrictions, regulations, and government oversight that are a reality in the U.S. However Chinese products are not necessarily inferior but are produced under different standards. Wire mesh made in China is usually less expensive and is suitable for applications where an elevated standard of quality is not essential.

The question to ask yourself before purchasing wire mesh is “What requirements do I need to be fulfilled and what are my expectations of the product?" This is a good starting point. Next, educate yourself about wire gauges because this is necessary to select the right thickness of wire. Is the thickness of wire measured by the actual gauge of the wire or including the coating as well?

Remember that all wire mesh is not the same and there are different standards of quality. Lesson learned.

Which is more important to you - quality or price?

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?