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Applying the right security measures will keep people and animals from trespassing on your property and entering your garden, garage, shed, or home. A suitable fence or gate design will provide protection as well as augment the aesthetics of your home and garden. We will provide tips and recommendations on how to protect your garden in this guide.
Prepare and Plan for the Right Fence
Protecting your garden begins with probing for weaknesses in your current gate or fence, which can compromise its functionality, such as insufficient height, weak locks, or missing fence panels.
Mesh Fence Design
Fence mesh forms consistent wire patterns, thereby creating a solid barrier. We found that Red Brand offers customized fence designs with different combinations of gauge, knot style, roll height, and other aspects – there are more than 150 possibilities.
Determining mesh design is the first step when comparing fences. Mesh design involves either knotting or welding individual cross wires together or weaving a continuous wire into a pattern. The type of mesh is a result of the different weaving patterns. You can choose from v-mesh, netting, or squared forms.
Below are some more details on the patterns:
V-Mesh: V-mesh horse fence is springy and flexible, because it’s made with a continuous wire. This fence type can also help prevent injury to animal hides.
Netting Mesh: Netting fence features a hexagonal pattern and is made from lightweight wire. The fence can unroll flat thanks to the reverse weave, which makes installation easier. This fence type is best for smaller animals like rabbits and rodents because of its small wire spacing and high gauge.
Squared Mesh: This type is best for large animals like horses and cattle. The fence is either welded or knotted. Normally, it’s used with a heavier gauge wire, making it highly durable.
Welded vs. Woven Wire Fences
Woven
Woven wire fences are commonly made from galvanized steel, stainless steel, or brass. Galvanized steel is coated with a layer of zinc. The zinc and a naturally forming zinc oxide layer create extra protection. This material rusts slowly, which also applies to stainless steel. On the stainless steel surface, a thin oxide layer forms, providing protection against the elements.
Brass is generally rust resistant, but the extent, to which this is so depends on how much zinc and copper it contains. The amount of zinc in the material is directly proportional to corrosion resistance. Stainless and galvanized steel are more functional than brass, which clients looking for decorative fencing tend to opt for.
Welded
Welded wire is sturdier, but less flexible than woven wire. Welded wire is also easier to work with and more cost-effective. Stockade panels, which are made from welded wire, offer outstanding durability and strength. They come in various styles and weights and can keep horses, cattle, goats, and sheep out effectively.
Build the Fence to Fit the Animal
Different animals require different designs and sizes. This section will go into what fences are most suitable depending on what animal you want to keep out.
Cats and Dogs
These small animals will be hindered from trespassing by an approx. 3-foot high wire mesh fence anchored with robust posts. Cats aren’t likely to be able to climb over, and most dogs won’t be able to knock the fence down. To keep dogs from digging under the fence, a common method used is to bend the base outward to form an apron under the ground.
Deer
You need to erect a high fence to deter deer from jumping over it. We recommend an 8 or 9-foot-high fence to ensure the deer don’t test it. The fence should be firmly fixed to the ground to keep deer from pushing their way under it.
Woodchucks
You might need to string an electric wire across the top of the fence to keep woodchucks out because they’re very apt climbers. Ideally, the fence would be 4 feet high with a 2-foot wide apron several inches below the soil to keep them from burrowing under the fence.
Rabbits
Keep rabbits out with a 2-foot-tall wire fence that you’d also use for chickens. The diameter of this fence’s holes should be around an inch. Bury the bottom of the fence a few inches into the ground and curve it 90 degrees to create a 1-foot apron.
Raccoons and Opossums
Raccoons and opossums are notorious climbers and diggers, so you’d need a fence with a barrier to digging and a floppy top. The unattached top will fall back on the animal, keeping it from climbing the fence. Again, bury the bottom of the fence a few inches into the ground and curve it 90 degrees to create a 2-foot apron. You can also string electric wire on top of the fence.
Other Pests
Pests like moles, gophers, and chipmunks move beneath the ground and ravage your plants out of your sight. To protect your plants, create cages or baskets. In the planting area, dig a 2- to 3-foot deep hole and line the bottom and sides with wire mesh. Then, replant your garden with new soil.
Coyotes
Coyotes can jump, but electric wire will deter them. You can begin with an electric fence around the perimeter and add a sheep fence, then an additional electric fence wire a few inches in front of it.
Bears
Bears hate walking over chicken wire, so you can secure your garden by laying a swath on the ground. Electric fences will deter bears from trespassing.
Properly Install Quality Posts
When a fence is installed, placing posts on the outside of the containment area is of paramount importance. As an animal leans or pushes up against the fence, it exerts pressure. This pressure won’t be on the staples, but on the posts. Massive wooden posts erected on the outside are the best option because they’re less likely to sag and won’t need frequent maintenance. Learn more about post placement from these experts here.
Why are Staples Important?
Apart from animals, heavy snow banks could exert pressure on your fence, and fallen trees or branches might push up on the wires. Robust fence staples provide the best protection against elements testing your fence from the outside.
The Best Staples for your Fence
Hold your staple in the shape of a “U” to see if your staples are right- or left-handed. Left-handed staples have a cut groove on the left prong, while right-handed staples have one on the right prong. You need to hammer a right-handed staple in 45 degrees clockwise so its prongs spread out, enabling it to be securely fixed in the post and as stable as possible. If you drive a right-handed staple in counter-clockwise, it wouldn’t be very secure because the prongs would cross within the post. You’d then risk the staple coming loose.There are three main types of fence staples: barbless commercially coated fence staples, premium staples, and galvanized staples.
Final Tip on Staples
Don’t drive the staples very deeply into the post because the fence needs to be somewhat flexible and move on impact, as well as contract and expand with changes in temperature.
Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance of your gates and fences will help keep them in top working condition, so you can stay calm knowing your garden is safe. Always perform thorough repairs to make sure your fence isn’t vulnerable to intrusion attempts and cared for properly.
It’s not only possible, but imperative to equip your garden with a highly secure and stylish fence and gate. Never cut corners where quality is concerned – only the best fencing supplies and fencing installations will give you much-needed peace of mind.
Author Bio:
Trey Tennell is the Marketing Category Manager at Red Brand, a line of premium agricultural fencing products that is known as the most recognized brand of farm fence in the United States.
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