Things You'll Need:
- Eye Tops
- Slats
- Stretcher Bars
- Chain Link
- Tension And Brace Bands
- Tension Bars
- Rail Ends
- Fence Post Caps
- Hex Bolts
- Tie Wires
-
Step 1
Set the posts not more than 10 feet apart. Make sure that the concrete is completely dry and the posts are plumb. (See "How to Install Fence Posts in Concrete.")
-
Step 2
Put tension bands and brace bands on the end posts.
-
Step 3
Top off the posts with caps or eye tops.
-
Step 4
Slide the top rail through the eye tops and terminate the ends with rail ends. Fasten the rail ends to the brace bands.
-
Step 5
Push a tension bar down through the first spiral on the mesh; bolt it to the tension bands.
-
Step 6
Use tie wires every 1 1/2 to 2 feet to hold the mesh to the top rail and draw it across the first fence run.
-
Step 7
Put a stretcher bar in the mesh about 3 feet from the end and fasten it to the last post in the run.
-
Step 8
Stretch the mesh.
-
Step 9
Insert the tension bar at the end of the run and bolt it to the tension bands.
Comments
Susang6 said
on 8/4/2008 Most people are under the impression that chain length fences are cheap, but when you add up all the little things that you need..the price is higher than you think. This was a great article very detailed, and even though there were no pictures with the steps, the way you wrote was easy to understand. Thank you!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 When tying the mesh to the top rail, try and follow a pattern of, say, every six rungs in the mesh...This looks better. Have a helper walk ahead of you to stretch the wire out and lift it a little bit so that at the top of the mesh, the row of triangles appears just above the top rail.
To tie it, take the precut lengths of wire (your clips) and fold them over one inch off the end (180 degrees) so they're like hooks. Then hook onto the mesh above the top rail with your specially bent clip and pinch it shut around the mesh with your pliers. Wrap it down and around the top rail and attach it to the mesh again, this time by poking it through the mesh and folding it again...It should now be in a U-shape around the top rail with the ends both latched onto the mesh.
The reason we go from top to bottom is so that we leave the slack below the top rail where the mesh is stronger so we can apply more force when tightening our fence clips. But don't tighten them yet. We have to finish hanging and stretching the mesh first.
Remember, as you near the end of the section of the fence you are hanging (moving towards the end post), make sure you SKIP any rung that is too close to a fence post. Otherwise, when you proceed to stretch out the mesh, you'll run into problems because you won't be able to stretch the mesh any further because the tie wires holding the mesh to the top rail will get caught in the post caps and bend your mesh in all kinds of funny ways.
To stretch the mesh, take about a yard of fencing wire (just use the piece of wire that was used to tie up the roll of mesh you bought). Tie the wire into a loop, tying the ends together with your pliers. Now stretch your loop out straight with your knot in the middle, away from the pressure point. Wrap it around your end post.
Attach the hook on the base of the "come along" (a hand winch) to the two ends of the loop and the other end to the flat bar inserted in the fencing mesh. Try to anchor your come along to 3 or so points on your flat bar. We use a tool called a three way. If you don't have one just invent something so you're not just tugging at the mesh in one place (or you're gonna put a lot of pressure on that wire and you might just end up bending your tension bar/flat bar used to stretch).
Now it's time to tighten. Have someone keep an eye on your mesh while you're tightening. It can get caught on tree roots sticking out of the ground. Go slowly and don't tighten too much or you'll break something or catapult your come along into something or somebody.
To tighten your tie clips holding the mesh to the top rail, just grab the bottom end of your clip with your pliers and twist. I usually snip off any excess to leave about one inch of slack poking through my mesh. Then I grab the end of the clip just beyond the mesh and give it a twist around the mesh itself (not too much or you'll damage the mesh). Then reach through the mesh, grabbing it again and give another little twist to wrap all the slack of the end of the clip around the mesh.
Do the same thing to tie the mesh to your fence posts. If you bought fancy thicker fence posts, you might need longer clips. Plan for this when buying materials.
Here's something the article left out...If you want your fence to keep your dog in, you've gotta secure the bottom of the mesh the same way the top is fastened to the top rail. To do this, you need a wire running along the bottom of the fence posts. Attach the fencing wire to one end post. Wrap about two feet around your end post and twist it back around the wire itself about two inches from the post. Now unroll the wire down to the other end post, along the same side of the fence posts you intend to hang your mesh. Fasten it at the other end in the same way, again two inches from the post. Now stick the butt of your pliers into the wire where your knot is (2 inches from the post) and while twisting it around, pull out any slack and pull your knot in towards your end post. The wire will twist itself into a nice whipping and the wire will get really tight...But not too tight, because you're gonna have to adjust it for height later when you've hung the mesh from the top rail. After you have hung your mesh, you can adjust the height of this bottom wire by banging on the knot you've made with your fencing pliers.
Next, you need special clips to attach the mesh to this wire. Otherwise, unruly puppies could squeeze out underneath your wire. Your supplier will have these clips. They are about 3 inches long with a loop at each end. Fold them in the middle at a 180 degree angle. Working from the side of the fence with the mesh, stick your little hook into the mesh and pull the wire back towards you against the mesh. When you've got it, just tie it in place by twisting your little clip.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 there is a very indepth guide to installing a residential chain link fence from chainlinkinfo.org. the website represents a large number of chain link fence manufactures.