Instructions for Installing Dog Fence Wire

Instructions for Installing Dog Fence Wire

For both your dog's sake and your own sanity, it's crucial that they feel safe in your backyard. Putting up a fence for your dog is a major project, but you can accomplish it if you have the appropriate tools and knowledge. You can make a secure area for your dog to run and play if you take the time to learn the appropriate way to install fence posts and secure woven wire to them.

Setup of Fence Posts

Think about the style of fence you want before you start digging. In general, people use one of two types of wire fences to contain their canine companions. Both will help keep your dog inside the yard, but the quality and cost of the two will vary widely.

Security fence, chain link: strong and long-lasting, although typically more expensive than other types of wire fencing. They have a high standard of durability and meet the standards of most housing organizations. However, strangers can easily poke their fingers or other objects through the chain link and torment your dog.

Farm fences are often built of low-cost wire mesh strung across fence posts. These fences won't block any of your yard's views, but they may corrode and require regular upkeep.

Holes must be dug for the corner posts. Dig holes for your corner posts if you're using wooden ones, as this is the first stage in constructing a wire fence for your dog. The hole depths for corner posts should be greater than those for line posts (the posts that run between your corner posts). Dig a hole about 2 1/2 to 3 feet (.76 to.91 meters) deep for each corner post.

For the most part, a handheld clamshell post digger will do the trick. An auger or other drill-like equipment may be useful, though, if you need to set up many posts or if the terrain is particularly rocky and difficult to dig through.Dig deeper postholes if the soil is damp or clay-based.

Fill the voids with your corner posts. Posts used in corners should be more substantial than those used in lines. Your corner posts should be between 7 and 8 feet (2.1 and 2.5 meters) in length and 6 to 8 inches (20 to 20 centimeters) in diameter. Fill the hole around the posts with just enough soil to keep them from moving, then place them in the corners' holes.

Check the post's straightness by holding a level perpendicular to it

Create space for the bracing posts by digging holes. All fence lines leading to the corner post should have a bracing post set up. To prevent the corner post from toppling over or becoming loose, a brace post is used. Just like you did with the corner posts, dig holes 2 1/2 to 3 feet (.76 to.91 meters) deep for these posts. Along the fence line, the brace post needs to be placed around 8 feet from the corner post.

Fill the holes with the bracing posts. Just like you did with the corner posts, dig holes for the brace posts and partially backfill them with earth to secure them. Before filling in the post, check to make sure it is straight by holding a level vertically along one of its sides.

You should fill up the corner and brace the post holes. Fill the holes with earth, clay, or sand once you have your corner and brace posts leveled in their respective locations. Whether you're using earth, clay, or sand, you'll want to compact it as you go to ensure a sturdy foundation for your post. You should add soil a little at a time and thoroughly compact it after each addition.

To compact the soil, you can use a long board, hoe, curved pipe, or something similar. Because of this, you won't have to worry about scraping your knuckles against the wooden posts as you pack the soil down securely.

To ensure the stability of a fence post, you might fill the hole with concrete.

Put in a support wire. You can further strengthen your corner and brace posts by installing a wire between them. The purpose of this brace wire is to connect the bottom of your corner post to the top of your brace post in a diagonal fashion. Start a fence staple at the base of the corner post and the top of the brace post, respectively, to anchor the wire. The wire should be threaded through the corner post's staple, up through the staple at the top of the brace post, around the top of the brace post, and back down through the corner post. Once the wire is in place, firmly hammer in the staples. Fix any dangling wires to the pole as well.

You can find brace wire at any hardware or craft store. It can be altered from its standard 9-note form. You can't compare it to regular fence wire.

Once you've set up your brace wire, you may add a crosspiece to the top of the corner post to help support the brace wire. In order to properly span the distance between the two posts, the crosspiece must be of sufficient length (about 8 feet or 2.5 meters long). Nail the crosspiece into place after cutting a notch on the inside of each post.

The crosspiece can also be made out of pipe, recycled steel fence posts, or even a set of bed rails.

Construct a lever to help stabilize the situation. If you want your corner and brace posts to be even more stable, you should tighten the brace wire. A piece of wood, pipe, rod, or other sturdy material should be cut to about 16 inches (41 cm) in length for this purpose. You should insert one end of this lever between the two brace wires you just fastened in the upper corner of your brace post. Turn the knob to the tightest setting for the wires. When you've got them pulled tight, you may prop the opposite end of the lever against the crossmember. As long as there is sufficient tension, it will remain on its own.

Make sure you dig deep enough for your line posts. To find the optimal location for your line posts, stretch a wire or cable between the corner and brace components. The optimal distance between line posts is 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters). Mark the locations of the holes to be dug for these posts with spray paint. Dig holes to a depth of 2 1/2 to 3 feet using the clamshell post digger or auger (.61 to.76 meters).

Place your line posts firmly in the ground. Dig holes for line posts, insert wooden posts, then backfill with earth, clay, or sand a little at a time, pushing it down firmly after each addition.

Wire Fence Assembly

The stretching of woven wire fencing can be difficult, but it can be made much simpler by building a fence stretcher. A fence stretcher is constructed from two 2x4s that are somewhat longer than the height of the woven fence being used. Place the drill bit at regular intervals along the length of the 2x4 and drill three holes in each board. Fill the holes with bolts. Weave your fence over the bolts so that you can draw the board taut to lengthen it.

When expanding a woven fence, place a 24 at either end.

Fasten the wire's end to the upright post in the corner. To secure the post at the end of the fence, you'll need to remove some of the vertical wires. Go around the post and back into the fence with these wires. Connect the wires to the fence post using the staple gun.

If you're in the market for some wire, keep in mind that the larger the gauge, the narrower the wire. To give just one example, 12-gauge wire is considerably stronger than 14-gauge wire.

Staples should be at least an inch and a half in length and preferably galvanized. However, a shorter staple may be required if you are working with a harder wood for your posts.

The fence needs to be extended to reach the next corner post. Stand the woven wire on end and unroll it along the fence's perimeter to the next corner post once you've secured one end to the first corner post. Carefully extend the fence with the fence stretcher by providing even pressure to the corner, brace, and line posts. The tension bends in the wire can be made straight by stretching it about two-thirds of the way.

Using staples, secure the wire to the fence's uprights. Start attaching the woven wire to the corner post first, then move to the brace and line posts. The wire should be attached to the top of the fence post before working down the post, and the wire should be kept taut at all times.

Drive the staples into the fence posts at a little angle to the vertical axis of the post while attaching the wire. The wood will be less likely to split as a result of this.

installing fences that aren't permanent or aren't as sturdy

Substitute metal for wooden poles. Use metal stakes instead of wooden ones for a quicker or more temporary fix. You can avoid digging holes for your posts by following the same procedures for aligning the corner posts with the line posts and then driving the metal post into the ground with a sledgehammer or post driver. Brace assemblies for your corner posts can still be made in the same way as they would be for wooden ones.

Metal fence posts typically include wire clips pre-installed for the purpose of securing the wire to the post. Avoid the use of staples by using these instead.

Get a fencing kit that has already been assembled. If you want to put up a secure fence quickly, you may also buy one that has already been prefabricated. These sets can be found in a range of sizes, allowing you to pick the perfect one for your needs. 

The kits will be accompanied by detailed instructions on how to set them up. For the most part, though, you'll drive the provided stakes into the ground at regular intervals along your fence line and then string a tension wire between them. Following this, you can use cable wires or the wire clips on the fence posts to secure the wire fencing to the uprights.

Most of these fences are meant to be installed with your house (or another building) serving as one end. You can also buy gates separately from these kits if you'd like to construct a fence that isn't attached to your home.

Buy prefabricated fence sections. Prefabricated fence panels are another alternative. You can avoid putting up fence posts by using these panels. The panels are instead arranged in the desired pattern and then driven into the ground with a sledgehammer or post driver. Using cable ties or a sturdy wire, fasten each panel to the one next to it to keep them from moving around.