Fence Project. Advice Appreciated.

[anojones]

I put up about 450 feet of fence- did it over a period of about three weeks. I decided not to place the posts in concrete, the wire infill is not very heavy compared to a wood infill- and this was my first fence and if things went wrong I didn't want to dig out concrete. It's held just fine. No rust on the galvanized wire and the only place it broke is where I ran into it with the FEL while mowing . Post some pictures when you get yours going.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have some fencing that is welded wire and it is rusty, so they do rust. You can stretch it too, you just have to be careful. I stretched as far as I could without breaking welds, then went back afterwards with my hammer to bend it close to the sides of the posts. Put in staples there to get it tight. If you need your fence done quickly I would set the posts in cement. If you have time to let them sit in the ground awhile before you stretch the fence you can live without the cement. I have also put gravel in the holes before backfilling with the dirt and that helps too.

 

[Mike1]

I would use 1x6 rough cut poplar or oak for the rails, that's what I build my horse fence with, and they hold up okay as long as you paint the fence after the lumber is well dried. Cost around here is .40 a board foot for poplar, little more for oak so it is fairly economical. Also - I would price 4-5" round posts versus the 4x4 squares, the rounds are more irregular, but also it's more wood in the ground. Where I am in Alabama, a 1/2 bag of quickqrete is no better than filling the holes with gravel or dirt. So I either put in more concrete, or just skip it. If you do concrete, put in extra at all of the corners, and if you have the energy the posts next to the corners as well. Your corners, and the first & last posts when you stretch your fence are the ones more likely to move. I would over due anchoring posts, lining them up, etc before stretching the wire. Nothing is more frustrating than a poor fence - I've installed way to many feet of bad fence that I've had to replace in short order. Also - I've had terrible luck with the welded wire that sells for .50 a foot at the big box or TSC. I've been happier with the woven field fence that is actually cheaper. It's a bigger grid though, so not sure if it would work as well for dog fencing.