Welded-Wire Fence Questions

[Rich Riddle]

We are looking at putting up a welded-wire fence in the area of the back yard where we removed honeysuckle. Looking over welded-wire fencing, some retailers offer PVC covered welded-wire fencing. Is it really superior to the zinc-coated variety? Does anyone know if it last longer or the life expectancy of any welded-wire fence in general? Any information will be appreciated.

[Scott T Smith]

Lifespan depends upon the gauge, but most welded wire fence will last for 30 yrs +. The problem is that it starts to surface rust in a few years and looks bad. The PVC coated fence looks nice much longer.

[Brian Elfert]

One problem with PVC coatings I see is the coating sometimes will split and then the wire underneath rusts because the water just sits under the PVC coating.

[David Weaver]

I second scott's comments. If the coating is done properly, it will look nice for much much longer. Speaking as someone who has a zinc coated dog fence attached to a split rail fence, and it is super rusty but still functional. The dog fence started rusting within a few years. The more it rusts, the weaker it gets (and it has broken out in some places, any time something catches on it - we have no dog, so it's not a big issue).

[Rich Riddle]

So it sounds like the best situation would be to find a high-quality pac coated fence if possible. Second choice is a non-coated welded-wire fence of a higher quality gauge. The 19 gauge fence won't be enough to say the least.

[Ted Calver]

I opted to use some T-Posts and goat panels for my back yard. Very heavy duty galvanized stuff in a variety of sizes and heights from tractor supply. I use the same kind of stuff for pole bean houses and sweet pea trellis. You can re-use it for years. No reason you couldn't use it inside a wood frame either. Here's a couple of examples:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/horse-fence-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/feedlot-panel-sheep-goat-16-ft-l-x-48-in-h

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Are you putting up fencing to keep animals in or wildlife out? ... or are you using it for decorative or landscaping purposes?

Some brands of welded wire fencing are worthless and will rust & break in the first season while others are designed to be more durable and hold up to the pressures of livestock.

If you're only needing a small amount of fencing and it's for landscaping, I'm with Ted. Stock panels are awesome. They are easy to move around, can be cut to smaller size and framed with wood for a more decorative look. We use 4 stock panels as a temporary holding pen. You can stand them up to form a square and hold them together with metal clips. No fence posts needed as long as you don't have heavy livestock trying to ram it and get out.

[Rich Riddle]

I am mostly using it to keep the dogs in the yard BUT it won't hurt to keep out other interlopers (coyotes) since the dogs are quite small. The stock panels look very promising. This is on a hillside, a very steep hillside...
286724

[phil harold]

I have had good luck with woven knotted fence vs welded
redbrand.com/Products/FieldFence/MonarchKnot.aspx

[Kev Williams]

There's 1/2" wire fencing kicking around this place that I know is 55 years old, and while it ain't real purty, I can tell that there's at least another 55 years left in it..

[Rich Riddle]

I have had good luck with woven knotted fence vs welded
redbrand.com/Products/FieldFence/MonarchKnot.aspx
It says "pullout spacing" is six inches. Does that mean the holes are six inch squares?

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

It says "pullout spacing" is six inches. Does that mean the holes are six inch squares?

Yes. The squares would be 6" wide when the fence is pulled out. Some fencing is evenly spaced all the way from top to bottom while others have extra wires along the bottom to help discourage small critters from going thru it. No climb fencing horse fencing helps contain the smaller critters from sticking their heads thru the gaps. We have a mix of different types of livestock fencing we installed at the rental. In the areas that have welded wire with narrow spacing at the bottom, our barn cats will jump up & thru the larger holes when they want to hunt in other areas.

[Tom M King]

I don't know of any good quality welded. I like no climb. We have some inside split rail and other fences to separate dogs and horses.

I can't remember the brand name, but it's the other brand than Redbrand that has thicker hot dipped. We have some that's older than ten years old that still looks good.

[Rich Riddle]

I don't know of any good quality welded. I like no climb. We have some inside split rail and other fences to separate dogs and horses.

I can't remember the brand name, but it's the other brand than Redbrand that has thicker hot dipped. We have some that's older than ten years old that still looks good.
It could be Bekaert, Premier, or Toughstrand.

[Tom M King]

Bekeart still looking bright since2002.

[David Weaver]

I mentioned having a rusty dog fence.

WE did, however, have horse panel when I was a kid to fence in two goats. We fenced in about an acre back then, and I remember the fence being more shiny looking and not galvanized, but it wasn't coated with plastic, that's for sure.

It did last well, a completely different level of quality vs. the light duty dog fence installed in my back yard.

The goats rubbed it and tested it, too, and it stood up to that for years, and stood up to us moving their fenced area - they killed anything that didn't have dense hard bark, thus the desire to move their fence and let them clear underbrush.

[Rich Riddle]

I can't thank you folks enough. After reading all your responses and keeping the limitations of the steep hillside in mind, it became apparent the rigid welded wire simply won't work. A knotted fence or "horse fence" seems the answer and those are the ones offering the most likelihood of working on the sloped hillside.

[ray hampton]

I can't thank you folks enough. After reading all your responses and keeping the limitations of the steep hillside in mind, it became apparent the rigid welded wire simply won't work. A knotted fence or "horse fence" seems the answer and those are the ones offering the most likelihood of working on the sloped hillside.

RICH , in order to put a fence up, you will need fence posts , how will the posts go into the ground

[Rich Riddle]

I anticipate using galvanized t-posts and Bekaert fencing depending on the availability of a local supplier.

[ray hampton]

I anticipate using galvanized t-posts and Bekaert fencing depending on the availability of a local supplier.


I do not know how many posts or feet of fence BUT I hope that you do not try to carry the fencing uphill