If you need to fence the area around your house, garden or plot, a cheap and easy to install solution will be wire mesh. You can do it yourself without needing the help of a professional.
Unlike massive and all-over concrete or wood fences, mesh allows air and light to pass through, making it ideal for areas with dense vegetation. Visually, it doesn’t limit or reduce space as much as fences and walls. Unfortunately, this works both ways – the fenced-in area is completely visible from the outside, so privacy is out of the question without additional screening.
First and foremost, you’ll need mesh. There are many types of fencing mesh available on the market in different colors, heights and mesh sizes:
The diameter of the wire can be from 1 to 5 mm, the mesh size can be from 10 to 65 mm, and the height of the roll can be from 80 cm to 2 m.
In addition to the net, you will need: posts (can be wooden, steel or reinforced concrete), sand and cement for the concrete mix, wire to reinforce the structure and a tool to string it (turnbuckle or ratchet reel).
Mark out the boundaries of the plot, clear the area for the fence and level it if possible. Next, mark out places where the corner posts will be placed. They should have a larger diameter and height than the others. Smaller posts can be arranged freely but the distance between them cannot be bigger than 3 meters. Remember to designate a place for the entrance and possibly the back gate.
In the places where you are going to install the posts, dig holes 80 to 140 cm deep and with a diameter large enough for there to be a distance of about 10 cm on each side between the post and the edge of the hole.
Posts must be clean and dry. Before putting them into the ground, remember to apply a layer of anti-corrosion treatment to them.
Prepare a concrete mixture of cement and sand in the ratio of 1:3. Place the post in the hole. Additionally, you can use stones, rubble or gravel to fill it. Pour the concrete and level the post. The concrete mixture dries completely after 5 days – this is how long you have to wait before you start installing the net.
Corner posts and posts for hanging the gate (and sometimes middle posts as well) require additional supports made of the same material as the post. Mount them at a 45° angle using a screw or welder.
In the case of mesh fences, posts with ready-made screws for stretching the mesh are sold, but you can also make them yourself. For this purpose you need to make 3 holes in each corner post – one in the middle of the height, one 5 cm from the base and one 5 cm from the top. Install eye bolts in the holes and thread a steel rod through them. Remember to weave it into the first row of vertical mesh at the same time. Now you can unroll the mesh and attach it to the next posts with wire.
At this stage you will need thicker wires (preferably three), which you pull through the mesh horizontally at different heights. For a more stable and sturdy structure, you should also pull the wires through additional holes in the posts. When you reach the last corner post with the reinforcing wire, use a turnbuckle (or ratchet reel) to tension the mesh. Be careful not to deform the structure with too much tension.
In the final stage, the posts are still uncovered from the top, so water can get inside without any obstacles. That is why you must remember to mount so-called canopies or plastic plugs on them.
Done! You have just installed the mesh fence yourself.
Main photo: Martin Olsen/unsplash.com
