The Fence Post

What do your animals need?

Are you planning to get some animals that will need cages or pens?

Do you already have animals and need to upgrade, enlarge or improve their containment?

From hamsters to horses, birds to buffalo - there is a welded or woven wire mesh fencing available to do the job right.

Small Animal Enclosures

There are galvanized before, galvanized after, and vinyl-coated meshes available.

• Cages for canaries, for example, can be made using light weight galvanized after weave 1/2" hex netting
• For larger birds, welded meshes such as 1/2" x 1", 1" x 1", 1" x 2" and 1/2" x 3" can be used to make cages
• Chicken, turkeys and game birds require larger pens; galvanized after weave and vinyl coated hex netting works well for the sides and you can use welded wire meshes for ground wire; the extra galvanizing and vinyl coating extend the life of the wire
• Cages for rabbits, hamsters and the like can be made using 1/2" x 1"and 1" x 2" welded meshes; galvanized after weld products, when used, will last longest
  

Larger Animal Enclosures

Stronger meshes made from heavier gauge wire are required, and the opening size of the mesh can be larger.

• Dogs - smaller dogs can be contained with 16 gauge 2" x 2" woven or 2" x 3" welded wire mesh; for large dogs, 2" x 4" mesh works well; this is available in woven 12.5 gauge and welded 14, 12.5 and 11 gauge galvanized before, galvanized after and vinyl coated
• Horse corrals can be made with 12.5 gauge flexible woven horse fence in a 2" x 4" or diamond mesh pattern
• Secure enclosures for sheep and goats can be made using 12.5 gauge 4" x 4" woven mesh
• For ostrich & emu pens use 12.5 gauge 2" x 4" woven mesh
• Use field fence for cow pastures; there are different choices of 1047 style available
• Extra tall (up to 10') woven fences are excellent for deer and wildlife containment or exclusion

 

 

 

 

Warp Wires, Shute Wires, Crimped Mesh and more

There are two types of woven wire hardware cloth: woven and crimped. Many of these styles are made as heavy meshes for very specialized uses, such as sifting screens. In both woven and crimped wire cloth meshes, the warp wires are those running the length of the roll. The wires running across the width are called shute wires.

Woven Wire Mesh 

• Plain Weave

  

  • warp and shute wires pass over and under adjacent wires
  • most plain weave is double crimped - warp and shute wires are crimped and locked into position

• Twilled Weave 
  • warp and shute wires pass over two and under two adjacent wires
  • not as tight as plain weave - more pliable

• Plain Dutch Weave 
  • warp wires usually larger than shute wires
  • closely spaced shute wires makes dense weave with wedge shaped openings

• Twilled Dutch Weave 
  • combination of Dutch and Twilled weaves

• Smooth Top Crimp 
  • crimps are on underside of mesh
  • has a smooth flat surface on top 

Many of these wire cloth meshes are made for industrial uses. They are very specialized and are not usually available in retail stores.

 

See the blog article Industrial Wire Cloth - Heavy Gauge Woven Hardware Cloth for more information about these heavier wire cloth meshes.

Information taken in part from Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. catalog.

  

Welded Wire Meshes and Fences

What are they?

• As the name implies, they are made from wires that have been welded into a mesh.
• In most cases, the same gauge of wire is used throughout the roll.
• Welded joints are rigid and have little flexibility.
• Many welded products with larger openings are used as fencing.
• Mesh sizes can range from 1/2" x 1/2" up to 6" x 6".
• Meshes with smaller openings are usually made with lighter gauge wires.
• These are mostly used as screening.
• Some specifications of welded meshes are vinyl coated.

What are their uses?

• Welded fencing is ideal to use on flat terrain where little flexibility is necessary.
• Some examples of uses:

                  - Swimming pool fences
                  - Cages for animals
                  - Garden fences
                  - Dog kennels
                  - Partition dividers

                  - Railing safety panel inserts
                     

Woven Wire Meshes and Fences

What are they?

• Fences made by weaving the wires into a mesh.
• Different gauge wires are sometimes used in the same roll.
• Woven joints are flexible yet very strong.
• There are a wide variety of mesh size openings available.
• Hexagonal netting (chicken wire), field and farm fence, deer and wildlife fence, chain link and ornamental fence are some examples.

What are their uses?

• Woven wire fences are ideal to use in situations where the ground is uneven.
• The inherent flexibility allows the fence to adjust more easily to grade changes.
• Some examples of uses:

                  - Garden fences
                  - Horse paddocks
                  - Boundary fence
                  - Orchard fence
                  - Farm fence

 

Keep these differences in mind when you are planning to install a fence. Which type do you want to use?

 

 

Wait a sec, they weren't invited to the party.

There is no question that deer are becoming an increasing threat to the garden, trees, and shrubbery on your property. The need for food and a steady decrease in habitat force deer into residential and commercial areas. What types of deer fence can be used for deer exclusion?

Your choice will be determined by various factors:

• local codes and ordinances - be sure to check for height and material restrictions
• aesthetic considerations - determine what fits best with your property, height, visibility, design, and appearance
• expense considerations - the cost of the fence vs value of your plantings
• effectiveness of the fence - strength, longevity, need for repair
• extent of protection - entire property or individual plantings

Varieties of deer fencing available:

• wood & vinyl - solid, slatted (use close spacing)
• metal - welded, woven, galvanized, vinyl coated, single strand electric, wire mesh
• plastic - extruded mesh

Whichever deer fence you choose, make sure that your fence is well braced to resist pushing. Even though deer can jump over eight feet, your fence will not have to be that high. You should place the deer fence at least 12" from the plants you want to protect.

Good luck on your project!

 

The Need for Protection 

As more undeveloped land is taken for house lots and commercial areas, the natural habitat for wildlife is increasingly restricted. Sightings of animals such as coyote and deer are more frequent. The need for a way of protecting pets from potentially aggressive wildlife increases.

One of the best ways to keep pets safe is to build a wire fence. To protect against coyotes it is best to use a six-foot height. You can either bury 12 inches in the ground or bend it so it lays on top of the ground to the outside of the enclosure as an apron. This will discourage digging.

Welded wire and woven wire meshes available:

Welded wire fencing - Galvanized Before Weld (GBW), Galvanized After Weld (GAW) and Vinyl Coated (VC) 

• 14 gauge, 1" x 2" and 2" x 4" mesh
• 12.5 gauge, 2" x 4" mesh

Woven wire fencing - 

• Apron fence - 17 gauge, 1.5" hex netting mesh
• Deer & Wildlife fence - 12.5 gauge high tensile wire
• 2" x 4" mesh non-climb fence - 12.5 gauge
• Emu & Ostrich fence - 12.5 gauge
• Poultry & Garden/Deer & Orchard fence - 14.5 gauge wire

Any of the fences listed above can make your yard safe for your pet. Follow the links above for a more detailed description of their features. If you have specific questions, give us a call at (866) 328-5018.  You might be interested in our other blog, "Guarding Your Pets from Wildlife Aggressors."