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2 3Landmark Fencing Handbook Landmark Fencing Handbook
Table of Contents
Posts and Droppers
Types of Energisers
Repair and Maintenance
Traditional FencingSteps to constructing a conventional fence
As there are a number of different options, planning your fence will allow you to decide what materials are required and what quantity.
The first step is to measure the length of the fence so the quantity of materials can be calculated. When deciding upon materials take into account contour of the land, erosion and soil type, fire risk and coastal exposure, livestock, life span required and budget.
Key fence components are strainer assemblies, line or intermediate posts and droppers, wire (prefabricated, plain or barbed) and gates.
The proposed fence line should be cleared of any obstructions prior to any fence construction.
Strainer assemblies also known as end assemblies are the most important part of the fence as they take the tension of the wire and eliminate any fence movement. Strainers are required at the end of each fence line, gateways, corners and changes in fence direction, at the crest or hills and bottom of gullies. Strainer assemblies may also need to be included at intervals in long fences over flat ground. Strainer posts must be stayed for each fence line it is connected to, so that the fence does not pull the post over.
Strainer assemblies can be wooden, steel or concrete.
Wood select timber, preferably local, that is durable in the ground. Treated timber is light and easy to cut to length and is resistant to rot and termites.
Steel suitable for high fire risk areas, susceptible to rust and corrosion particularly in coastal areas and acidic soils.
However galvanised options are available and will extend the life of the post and are becoming increasingly popular.
Concrete usually more expensive but are strong and durable. Care needs to be taken as they can crack when overstrained.
1. Plan your fence
2. Erect strainer assemblies
3. Lay out and install line posts
4. Run out and strain the wire
5. Attach the wire to posts
Hint: Planning the
design and layout
of your fence is
the key action
prior to beginning
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Suitable for firm soil and high tension straining.
Consists of a strainer post, stay and stay block.
The top end of the stay is connected to the strainer post. The bottom end is inserted into the ground onto a stay block to prevent sinking.
Suitable for soft ground and high strains.
Consists of a strainer post, stay post, horizontal post and diagonal wire brace.
The wire brace goes from the bottom of the end post to the top of the stay post.
Posts and Droppers
Line posts are set at regular intervals between strainer assemblies and are used to guide the line of wires and to provide additional support. Like the strainer assemblies, line posts can also be wooden, steel or concrete. The type of line post selected will depend on what you are trying to fence in and what life span you require from the fence. Different materials can be used in combination if suitable.
The two main strainer assembly designs are the angle/diagonal stay and the box/horizontal assembly
The number of posts required is determined by the fence length (distance between strain assemblies) divided by the interval between line posts. Post intervals will be dependent on livestock type and stock pressure.
A suspension fence can be used as an alternative to using close interval posts and is best suited to flat country. This is where the line posts are set further apart and droppers are used in between line posts to maintain fence integrity and help spread stock pressure from a single wire, to all wires in the fence, reducing the risk of overloading and subsequent wire breakage
Droppers are made from wood, steel, fibreglass or plastic.
To ensure the fence is a straight as possible it is recommended a sight wire be strained close to the ground between the end assemblies. Using this sight wire as a guide lay line post at predetermined intervals along the fence line.
Wooden or concrete posts will need holes to be dug or a mechanical driver can be used. Steel Y shaped posts can be driven direct into the ground using a post driver.
Hint: If using steel Y
shaped post ensure
the sides with holes
are all facing the same
way making it easier
to attach the wire.
Hint: As strainer
assemblies are like
the foundations of a
house they need to
be spot on.
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Standard galvanised wire is suitable for most fences and has a single coating. Heavy galvanised wire with its thicker coating is more resistant to corrosion and should be considered in higher rainfall and coastal areas.
Low tensile wire (soft wire) is used in most conventional fences with close spaced posts. Thicker wire should be used in higher pressure situations.
High tensile wire has a higher breaking strain providing more strength to the fence and suitable for high pressure situations, longer fence strains and wider post spacings.
High tensile requires more accurate straining and are more difficult to handle and knot than soft wire.
As with plain wire, barbed wire can be standard or heavy galvanised, low or high tensile.
High tensile barbed wire is made from hire tensile wire in a reverse-twist pattern providing optimum strength and tensioning.
Iowa barbed wire is made from low tensile wire in a continuous twist pattern. It is easier to handle than high tensile with greater fire resistance making it suitable for fire prone areas.
There are three types of wire that are commonly used and again are dependent on what you are trying to fence in. These wires also have different variants within their type.
Prefabricated wire consists of picket (vertical) wires attached to line (horizontal) wires. The picket wire acts as a dropper providing support and strength to the fence.
Ringlock uses single, continuous picket wires attached to the line wires by steel rings. Resists high stock pressure and suitable for long spans and suspension fence designs.
Hingejoint - individual picket wires are wrapped around the line wires. Resists high stock pressure and suitable for long strains and use over undulating country and through gullies.
Netting - soft wires are woven into a hexagonal mesh. Suited to lower pressure applications or for use as an apron at the bottom of a fence for a barrier in feral animal control.
Prefabricated wire comes in various sizes. Ringlock and hingejoint wire size is indicated as e.g. 7/90/30 7 line wires; 90cm fence height; 30cm picket spacings.
Netting wire size is indicated as e.g. 90/4/1.4 90cm fence height; 4cm mesh spacing; 1.4 wire diameter.
Hint: The thickness
(gauge) and tensile
strength of the wire
required is dependent
on the pressure
situation on the fence.
will reduce the
amount of time it
takes to erect a fence
therefore is a very
cost effective option.
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Once end strainer assemblies and line posts have been installed, the wires can be rolled out, strained and attached.
1. Tie off the wire to the strainer assembly and roll out the wire to the next strainer assembly.
2. Using wire strainers to attach the wire to the second strainer assembly. Two options are available. Firstly you can secure the wire to both strainer posts leaving enough slack to cut the wire and strain it away from one of the strainer posts then rejoin the wire with an appropriate knot. Alternatively you can strain the wire directly off a strainer post using a separate short length of straining wire with the knot being tied close to the strainer.
Wire should be strained to the tension recommended by the manufacture. Under or over strained wire will reduce the fences potential life span and increase ongoing maintenance requirements. A tension measuring tool should be used to ensure wires are strained to the recommended tension.
Various knots can be used to secure wire. Two common knots are the figure eight and the double loop (pictures).
Figure eight join plain wires of the same gauge
Double loop joining barbed wire and quick repairs.
However the safest, best and most professional way to join wires is to use gripple fasteners. Wires are fed from opposite ends through the gripple and then secured using a gripple tensioning tool. Use of a gripple will allow restraining at a later date if required. Gripples are not recommended for use with barbed wire.
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