The Fence Post

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?

Very Proudly American Made 

From scrap to wire rod to finished woven and welded wire mesh fence materials - Oklahoma Steel and Wire does it all. Barbed and barbless wire, welded wire fence and panels, field and farm fence, high tensile deer and wildlife fence, sheep and goat fence, and 2" x 4" and V-mesh horse fence.  

Blocking those Bunnies

This video shows you how to protect your garden by installing a wire fence. This is a good example of a garden fence that will keep rabbits at bay, with your plants safe and secure for a long time.

Did you find this video helpful?  Here's another gardening blog that will help you protect your plantings.

Do You Know What Kind of Mesh to Use?

There are galvanized before weld (GBW) wire fencing materials that will keep your pets and children in the yard. For a longer-lasting and more durable product, you can use either galvanized after weld (GAW) or stainless steel fence. Vinyl-coated welded wire fences make an attractive and long-lasting garden fence. Choose from an extensive variety of wire gauges and mesh sizes. Smaller meshes are ideal for animal cages and wildlife exclusion barriers. Welded wire fences are both versatile and practical.

The Characteristics of Your Fence 

A fence made from woven wire can be strong and heavy enough to contain wildlife and livestock. There are different styles, heights, and mesh opening sizes designed for specific types of animals - from tall deer and wildlife fences to short hog wire fences. Flexibility and strength are two important characteristics of woven wire fences. Chicken wire or hexagonal mesh is woven from lighter gauge wire. Black PVC coating ensures both durability and an attractive appearance, providing protection for your poultry and fowl as well as your garden.

Often there's a poor selection at the big box stores. Best to look further.   

Which type of wire fence is best for you? Think about its intended use, its appearance, and how long you want it to last before you make a decision. And remember there are many more possible choices than what's on display at your local big box store...most often their limited selection is just expedient and relying on the typical foreign suppliers.

Protecting Your Yields

What can you do if deer are ravaging your vineyard? Deer can be very damaging to your vines, particularly if your vineyard is near a forest. Newly planted vines, tendrils, shoots, and blossoms are appealing to hungry deer and of course, the new shoots on older vines. The interruption caused by munching deer can substantially lessen your harvest or delay a new vineyard's harvest by a year.

Strength and Flexibility 

High-tensile woven wire fencing is perhaps the most effective fence material to use as a vineyard perimeter barrier. Woven from 12½ gauge high tensile wire using "fixed knot" construction, these fences are very strong. The one-piece vertical stay wires give added strength. They are bound to the horizontal wires by a knot formed by a third wire. The fence will not unwind under pressure. The characteristics of woven mesh give the fence flexibility, enabling it to more easily conform to uneven ground.

Little Maintenance and Years of Service

In addition to their strength, these fence materials will last for years. Woven wire fencing requires little maintenance throughout its lifetime. The strong high tensile wire used has a heavily galvanized Class 3 coating, guaranteeing superior resistance to rust and corrosion.

Some sizes of woven wire fencing for vineyards are available with a black painted finish over a zinc/aluminum coating.  Although not exactly a Class 3 coating, these will last four to six times as long as standard Class 1 fences. The black color fence material is more attractive than the bright galvanized. From a distance, a black fence becomes virtually invisible against the background.

With Graduated Spacing

There is a wide selection of heights available, from 48" (4') up to 120" (10'). You can make a tall fence without having to double up two shorter rolls. The spacing between horizontal wires is graduated - smaller at the bottom, larger at the top. Rolls are usually 330' in length.

Woven wire fencing for vineyards is the ideal material to use. What's your choice?