The Fence Post

The Advantages of High Tensile Wire

• Are you thinking about using field fence to enclose your animals and property?
• Agricultural fencing is available in two types of wires: low carbon and high tensile. What's the difference?
• Is there an advantage to using one over the other?

Low Carbon Wire - easy to work with, but...

For years, traditional field and farm fence have been made using low carbon wire. Low carbon wire used in fencing is usually made from steel rod with a carbon content of approximately 0.10%. It is easy to work with but is prone to stretching and sagging. It requires regular maintenance and is weaker than high tensile wire.

High Tensile Wire - inherently Stronger

This wire has become very popular due to its advantages. It is made from steel rod with a carbon content of approximately 0.28%. Higher carbon content makes high tensile wire stronger. Its higher psi rating gives it a higher breaking strength. To get the same strength, you can use a lighter gauge high tensile wire in place of a heavier low carbon wire. You can complete your project at a lower cost.

• Lighter weight also means easier handling and installation. Fewer posts are required so you can increase the spacing between posts. If installed properly, high tensile fences require little maintenance. Re-tensioning is not necessary.

• During installation high tensile fencing requires less tension to make it tight. The wire is stiffer and will not stretch and sag. This characteristic gives it flexibility - it will give and bounce back when animals lean against it.

This video shows quite dramatically the differences between these two types of wire:

Top Netting used at the Birmingham Zoo 

Notice how this netting is attached to a 12.5 gauge woven 2" x 4" mesh fence

You have a collection of valuable birds you want to contain within a certain area. You want the birds to be safe from predatory birds from above. You want to cover a large area. You want a high ceiling or open roof. Installation needs to be as easy, safe, and as fast as possible. The material you use must be soft and flexible, enough so that the birds will not hurt themselves when they come in contact with the netting while they are in flight.

What can satisfy all these requirements?

Flight Pen Top Netting - long life and easy to use

Used by zoos, commercial game bird farms, animal rehabilitation, and backyard hobbyists. The multiple strands of woven black polypropylene provide protection for your birds. Here's a list of the benefits:

• Rolls are lightweight and easy to handle
• Support structure can be less robust, less expensive
• Large size rolls make it easier to cover large areas
• No need to make a patchwork of smaller rolls
• Flexibility makes top net softer - less chance of injuring yourself and your birds
• Available in a wide variety of roll sizes, weight, and mesh sizes
• UV resistant for long life
• Top net will not rust
• Mesh is resistant to mildew and rot

Do you have any birds that need safety and protection?

  

Secure Animals: Containment and Exclusion

There are many different styles of woven wire fence that can be successfully used in zoo displays. These wire fencing products can also be put to use around the home, farm, and public areas such as parks and recreational areas. Think of these fences when you have any situation where animals need to be contained or excluded.

Double Wattled Cassowary & 2" x 4" woven wire mesh - Birmingham Zoo

 12.5 gauge, 2" x 4" mesh

Woven 2" x 4" mesh is made with heavier 10 gauge selvage wires running along the top and bottom edge of the fence. This gives the fencing greater strength. Strong 12.5 gauge wire makes up the balance. A third piece of 12.5 gauge wire forms a smooth stiff knot around the horizontal and one-piece vertical wires securely holding them together. Knotted construction gives the fence some flexibility, making it easier to install on uneven ground. Woven 2" x 4" mesh is available in three different finishes: Class 1 galvanized, Class 3 galvanized, and Class 3 black. It can be used effectively with very large birds, other animals such as dogs, horses, zebras, and any other animal that requires a strong fence. 

Woven 2" x 2" wire mesh fence on sides of display - Franklin Park Zoo

16 gauge, 2" x 2" mesh

Made with the same knotted construction as the 2" x 4' fencing, this lighter-weight woven wire fence is made using 14 gauge wires on top and bottom and 16 gauge wires for the filler. As with its heavier brother, the fencing has inherent flexibility. 2" x 2" mesh can be used with birds and other small animals - situations where a lighter fence will be effective.

Deer and Wildlife Fence

Woven Deer and Wildlife Fence - Franklin Park Zoo

Woven from 12.5 gauge high tensile wire, this strong heavily galvanized fencing can be used with many different kinds of animals. All feature spacing between horizontal wires that graduate from small at the bottom to large at the top. Heights range from 4' through 10'. Horizontal and vertical wires are held together with fixed knot construction. Deer and wildlife fencing is available with a Class 3 galvanized finish. Some heights have a Class 3 black finish. The strength and height make this an ideal fence to use with a wide range of animals.

Deer fence gateway - Birmingham Zoo

 Do you have any unusual animals that you want to keep in - or out? Check out our Emu blog.

Chain Link as a Work of Art?

Having grown up in a neighborhood where the lawns flowed into one another, when some new folks moved in and put up a stark chain link fence around the perimeter of their property, the neighbors were collectively horrified. Mercifully, they grew ivy on it. However, a new type of fencing has been introduced by the Demakersvan design studio in Holland. Called Lace Fence, it is a combination of chain link fabric and the art of lace-making.

The design possibilities - from floral themes to contemporary patterns and designs - are infinite. And you can submit your own designs. With this opportunity to customize each job, every lace fence is unique. Chain link fencing, a basic functional fence, can become a decorative and attractive work of art.

Imagining the Possibilities

Lace Fence can be woven from both 11 and 12½ gauge wires, either galvanized or vinyl coated. The wire mesh is securely clamped to a tubular frame.
There are many different types of locations - both interior and exterior - where Lace Fence is currently in use, including but not limited to:

• Barrier fences in parks and other public areas
• Interior partitions in banks, restaurants, hotels, and gyms
• Railing safety mesh on stairways, decks, and balconies
• Decorative panels on the facades of commercial buildings
• Safety fences on apartment buildings
• Museum displays

What do you think about Lace Fencing? Do you think it's attractive?

Is it more appropriate for use in a public or commercial setting rather than around a residence?

Photograph of Lace Fence at The Design Center at Philadelphia University is used with permission. For more examples, look at https://redfort.nl/  and you can check out the Demakersvan website here:https://www.demakersvan.com

Specialized Mesh

There are many different specifications of wire cloth available with heavier gauges and different mesh sizes. They are often called industrial wire cloth and can be difficult to find and purchase. In addition to regular steel, these specialized meshes can be made with any kind of metal that can be drawn into wire including stainless steel, brass, bronze, aluminum, and copper. Great for factories, farming, and around the house. 

Tough Stuff

Square mesh industrial wire cloth specifications are usually expressed as openings per inch. For example, 4 mesh means that there are four openings per inch - the mesh measures 1/4" x 1/4". The mesh sizes available range from 1 mesh (1") down to 100 mesh (100 openings per inch). Wire diameters used in these products range from .331 inch ( gauge) down to .003 inch ( gauge).

Finer meshes from 120 down to 500 openings per inch are also available. The wire diameters used are .0037 ( gauge) to .001 ( gauge). These specifications are often called filter cloth or fine mesh wire cloth.

Use Industrial Wire Cloth for:

• screens
• guarding equipment
• cages
• fences
• pallets
• racks and shelves
• aviaries
• linings for silos
• strainers
• protective barriers

Contact Louis Page for Ordering

Due to the variety of choices of gauge, wire type, and mesh opening size, some specifications require a minimum quantity and must be made to order.

Industrial wire cloth meshes are usually woven. The woven styles are the same as those described in our blog article about standard hardware cloth galvanized wire mesh.

Have any projects requiring industrial wire cloth? Call us and describe the particulars of what you need.  (866) 328-5018