How to Make Cattle Fencing
Barbed wire is almost synonymous with fencing in cattle, as the wire proved to be the first fencing material that was both an effective deterrent to cattle and economical to use on a large scale. Those virtues of effectiveness and economy remain as true today as they were in the 19th century. Also, barbed wire fences are relatively uncomplicated to make, and erecting one requires only a few simple fence-building skills. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring wheel
- Stakes
- Hammer
- String
- Mattock
- Shovel
- Post hole digger
- Sand or gravel
- Scrap timber (optional)
- Nails (optional)
- Level
- Iron tamping rod
- Barbed wire
- Pliers
- Fence stretcher
- Heavy staples
- Wire cutters
- Assistant (optional)
Instructions
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1
Roll out a measuring wheel along the intended line of your cattle fence. Stop every 16 feet and drive a stake into the ground to mark where you should dig holes for your wooden fence posts.
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2
Run a string between the first stake in the fence line and the last one. This will give you a visual reference as to how straight the fence is. Move any stakes that are out of position.
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3
Pull up the first stake and excavate a circular post hole with a mattock, shovel and post hole digger. The hole's depth should be equal to one-third the height of the fence post, while its width should be equal to twice the width of the fence post. If this post hole is in low areas where drainage is a problem, dig an extra 6 inches deep and fill in the additional space with sand or gravel.
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4
Drop the wooden post into the hole and check its straightness with a level, moving it as need be until it is perfectly vertical. Next, either set up a support by nailing two pieces of scrap lumber to the right and left sides of the bottom of the post, forming a triangular base on the ground or by having an extra pair of hands hold it in place.
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5
Set the fence post by shoveling several inches of dirt back into the hole, and then repeatedly striking the dirt with a tamping rod. Continue tamping the dirt until it is compacted, and then shovel in more dirt. Repeat the process until the hole is stuffed with compacted dirt.
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6
Repeat Steps 3 through 5 for every stake along the fence line, setting all the posts currently marked out. Next, install an additional post outside one end of the fence line, unless a tree, tractor, truck or other suitable anchor is conveniently placed in the right spot. This will be needed later to anchor the fence spreader.
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7
Unroll the first line of barbed wire down the fence line. Using a pair of pliers, wrap one end of the barbed wire around the first post in the line. Next, coil the wire around itself and tie it down tightly to the first post.
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8
Tie the other end of the barbed wire to the eye ring or hook at the base of the fence spreader. Wrap the fence spreader's chain around the anchor from Step 6 and fasten the clasp or hook at the end back on the chain, securing the fence spreader to the anchor.
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9
Crank the handle on the fence spreader until the barbed wire is pulled taut.
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10
Fasten the barbed wire to each of the wooden fence posts with heavy staples and a hammer.
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11
Secure the barbed wire to the last post in the fence line by cutting one strand loose from the main braid of barbed wire with a pair of wire cutters. Bend this strand back with pliers and wrap it around the last fence post, coil it around the main line of barbed wire on the fence and then tie it down to the main line.
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12
Release the tension on the fence spreader. Take the remainder of the extra wire and tie it off to the last post in the fence using the procedure described in Step 11.
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13
Repeat Steps 7 through 12 to put up more lines of barbed wire on the fence line. For a cattle fence, three or four lines of barbed wire is the norm.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear heavy work gloves and protective eye wear whenever you work with barbed wire.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
