# Building A Fence



## TheGriff (Jan 16, 2013)

I'm in the process of planning to build a fence around my 12 acre property. Let me preface this by saying that I know absolutely nothing about fences aside from the little I've read on the internet.

Ok so, the total perimeter around the property is about 3300 ft. Approximately 1200 ft already has a barb wire fence which is in really good shape which includes the entry gate. What I'm wanting to do is install woven wire fencing around the entire property, so I'll be adding woven wire to the 1200 ft of fence already in place and installing all new woven wire plus posts to the 2100 ft that has no fence. 

A little info on the purpose of the fence: The unwanted guests on my land include coyotes, hogs and bobcats. I plan to have a few Soay Sheep and some chickens, so I'd like my fence to deter as many predators as practically possible. And of course I want to keep my future Soay sheep (which are a small breed) inside the property.

I'd prefer to use all metal on the fencing, including posts and braces, if it's feasible. I'm also throwing around the idea of having a strand of barb wire along the top because I read it adds to the predator control and I'm thinking probably trespasser control as well. I also read that a strand of barb wire along the bottom helps deter digging. 

I'm prepared to spend a little extra now to avoid problems down the road, but nothing TOO outrageous of course.

So to my questions:

1. What specs should I be looking for on woven wire?

2. What specs should I be looking for on barb wire? 

3. Are metal braces practical, cost-to-benefit wise? 

4. What size braces should I be looking for?

5. At what intervals spacing should the braces be placed? And at what interval spacing for the T-posts? I read 10 ft for the t-posts.

6. Should I use just H-braces or H+N braces?

7. Is a strand of barb wire across the top effective for my purposes?

8. I'll never have cows, so for sheep, what is the recommended height?

9. If I put a strand of barb wire across the top, could I make the woven wire part shorter or should it be full recommended height for sheep + extra height for the barb wire?


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

Very good questions, going to follow this thread because this will also become a issue for me in a year.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I know you want to go all metal, but I recommend putting in a wooden post every so often to strengthen the fence. I only use wooden posts in H formation at the corners. 

One of the problems you will encounter is that some of these predators can dig and the bobcat can climb. I'd recommend using standard field fencing and backing that up with a herd guardian dog. You will also need to shut the chickens up in a well made coop at night.

4 point barbed wire is always better than 2 point. You can do 10 foot on the t-post, but the fence will be kind of weak. We always would place the end of a t-post at the base of the last post set and lay it on the ground to see where it went. In other words, space them the length of the posts apart. You can probably add a foot to that and be fine. Put a strand of barbed wire at the top and a couple of inches up from the ground as well. I'd put the woven wire along the bottom and then come up a bit and put the barbed wire. If your fence isn't tall enough predators can jump it.

One of your best defenses against predators is a truly secure place to put your animals at night. Good luck!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

1&2 Regular sheep, the recommended wire was 12" stays, the sheep don't get caught in it as bad, problem is it lets more critters in. I don't like the small high tensil wire. Red brand is good wire
3&4 I like wood posts, 5"-6", easy to fasten wire to. I like 4" round post. 4"x4" treated works also.
5 Wherever an elevation change. I like every 20 T posts. T posts,1 rod apart. Sheep don't push a fence like larger animals.
6 Double H on long runs with brace wire both ways to keep posts from pulling up
7 I like 2 on top, 4" up from woven, 6" above first with second. One botom 3-4" from ground, 3" below woven
8 4' total for preditor protection
9 total 4'

I used a lot of 32" tall wire for fence for all critters, with the barb it makes a net fence for smaller animals and good tall fence with more cheaper barb wire on top. I also like the wire stays, 2 per section. Don't pull the woven wire too tight, the crimps are there for a reason.

This was all for large parcels of land to get a good fence for a reasonable price. If you have the money place posts closer. I had properties up to 200 acres, a lot of fence. I had sheep and cattle....James


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

first off you will not keep unwanter guest out if they want in. if a hog can get his nose under the fence he can go thru. others will go over. i would suggest you not skimp on corners. i like N corners out of wood 6-8" post. the N bracing goes from the weakest point of the corner to the strongest point of the next post. H bracing goes from nest the weakest point to near the strongest on the next post. with N bracing put a loop of wire around base of corner and around the top of the next post and twist wire tight. i think 10' would be fine for spacing. i would plan to use a pull post about every 150-200'.
sheep or goats dont need real tall wire but taller will help w/preditors to a degree. i like the bobed wire at the top. good luck


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## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

Here's a thread with pictures of different bracing methods on it's two pages.

You can do your's similiar or not? Just for ideas... Woven wire is hard to handle on uneven terrain, but it can be done right. However if it's very uneven, you will have to cut and put in some really good posts or braces whereever the angle changes, as well as weights in the bottom of the draws to keep it from pulling posts out of the ground. To me a woven wire fence looks like junk if it isn't TIT tight as well.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...singletree/439625-some-fenceing-pictures.html


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

You're getting good suggestions. I can only add what worked for us as our parameter fencing went up and down slopes, which required fence adjustments. 

First off we don't have bobcats here, though we do have foxes, *****, possums and predatory dogs. To start off we placed "treated wooden" posts every 10 ft and attached "woven" 4-ft field fencing to those setting them 6 inches above ground. Then at the bottom, we tied old tree trunks to the fencing to deter diggers. Around our garden we added another row on "top" of the field fencing, starting 12' from top of fencing and creating 10 ft high fence. (We did not do this around the parameter as we want the deer to come over it.) When going up and down slopes, it was important to cut the field fencing at a slant so as to preserve the integrity of the fence and NOT PULL UP a post. (We also embedded all our posts in concrete...2 ft deep.) At the corners, we used "gate" posts buried 3 ft deep into large glob of concrete. This has held up very well for over 15 yrs.

Whatever fencing you decide on, your best predator protection would be to invest in a good guard dog, like an Anatolian...which is what I'm getting this year.


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## TheGriff (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks for all the great information here!

So here's what I've gathered so far from you guys and other places. Anyone please jump in and correct anything I may have misunderstood.

I'll use 6" diameter H-brace and corner braces. They should be 8 ft in diameter. 4 ft into the ground and 4 ft above with 8 ft post connecting the two outer posts.

I should place my t-posts every 6 ft

I need an H-brace about every 150 ft

Run a strand of 4 pt barb wire near the ground to deter digging

I can use shorter woven wire fencing and put a couple strands of 4 pt barb wire at the top to cut some costs.

Some additional questions:

On fences I see in my area, in addition to t-posts, every so often they'll put a larger diameter metal pole or wood post. What are these called? And at what intervals should these be placed? And what diameter? 

Everyone here suggests wood H-braces and corner braces, but I'm curious how these compare to the metal poles. The fence on the front of my property has the metal H-braces near the entry gate (please see attached image below). Does the wood last as long? I know for sure that the wood must be much easier to work for me with which is certain appealing.

Aside from the obvious corners on my land, there are two areas where the land changes directions but not a true corner so I'm confused if I need corner braces in these areas and if not how it should be handled. I've attached a plat drawing of my land below with text near the areas in question. Please confirm whether or not these two areas require corner braces.


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