A good fence keeps animals in and uninvited guests out but not if it’s loose and sagging. So when you’re installing or repairing a wire fence, it’s important to know how to stretch a fence properly because it could break if it’s too tight and won’t serve the purpose if it’s too loose.
What You Need
Any job is frustrating if you don’t prepare for it, so spend some time collecting everything you need before you start. And what will you need? Here’s a list:
- Come along tool: A special tool designed to stretch and tighten a wire fence.
- Fence stretcher bar: This tool is used to hold horizontal wires of any type of woven fence style to pull out the mesh fabric evenly. It uses steel bars and bolts to clamp and hold the fence tight in place so it can be stapled.
- Heavy-duty chains: To attach to the come-along tool and brace post.
- Wire fence splicer: This tool may come in handy to splice together two sections of wire fence.
- Wire cutter: To cut the fence if needed.
- Staples: Staples look a lot like a regular nail bent into a U-shape with points at both ends. Get galvanized fence staples in sizes ranging from ¾-inches to 2 inches.
- Fence plier: This tool is used to stretch, cut, or splice wire. You can also pull staples or hammer them with pliers.
- Wire twisting tool: Although a simple screwdriver can do this job, a wire-twisting tool is a specialty tool that twists the wire around itself and holds it as you tie it to posts.
- Post clips: Additional support to hold the fence to your posts. You can get 5 clips per post.
- Leather gloves and safety goggles: To keep your hands and eyes safe from injury.
Safety Precautions
Safety should be a top priority when installing or stretching a wire mesh fence. This job involves pulling a sharp-edged fence with the help of heavy tools. All this can give you anything from cuts and punctures while handling fence components to a forceful whip if there isn’t sufficient support for the fence during the process.
Counter the possibility of an injury by taking these safety precautions:
- Are your tools good? Spare a moment to inspect your tools before you start stretching a fence. Your tools should be in good working condition, meaning there should be no sharp edges or loose parts that could cause an injury.
- Don’t skip your protective gear. Use safety glasses at all times because in addition to flying debris and dust, nuts and bolts might also fly off when a tightly stretched old mesh is released. If you’re using power equipment for the installation of the fence, wear hearing protection too. Wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to avoid getting scraped or cut by sharp wire mesh edges.
- Leave pets and kids indoors. If you have children or pets, they will sure be curious about what you’re doing. They can injure themselves by playing around the site or simply by inspecting your tools. So it’s advisable to keep them indoors and away from the installation site so you can work stress-free.
- Prepare a first aid kit, just in case. You never know when and who might need first aid care. Put together a kit with all the essentials such as bandages, eye wash solution, anti-bacterial ointments, and other medical supplies for instant care.
- Don’t be self-sufficient with this project. In that, working alone is not a good idea when dealing with fences. Working with a partner makes the job easier and safer for various reasons. There are two or more sets of eyes to spot potential dangers and prevent accidents. If something does go wrong, having immediate help around can save you from serious injuries.
- Pick a dry, sunny day. Check the weather forecast when scheduling your fencing project. You wouldn’t want to be slipping and tipping on wet grass or mud when installing a fence. Losing balance can lead to a serious injury, so it’s best to wait for a dry day to stretch and install a fence.
- Be careful when uncoiling fence rolls because these coiled rolls are packed under tension and may injure someone when the tension is released.
Stretching a Fence – Step-by-Step Guide
We assume that you already have all the fence posts in their places and are just repairing or installing a new fence. But if that’s not the case, you can follow our detailed installation guides for wire fences.
Inspect all your posts for stability and determine if anything needs to be repaired before you hang the new mesh. If the posts are good and strong, carry on with these steps to stretch your fence:
Step 1: Install Brace Posts
Temporary brace or dummy posts create support as you transfer tension to the end of the fence line.
Dig an extra hole at the end of your fence line and drop a temporary post in it. Leave it loose as you brace it to the end line post. To brace the dummy post, mark a point higher than the top wire on a line post and drill a hole in there. Then drill a corresponding hole in the cross piece.
Drill a matching hole in your dummy post and use brace pins to hold the cross-piece securely between the line post and the dummy post.
Next, wedge a couple of wood scraps in the hole around the dummy post to keep the post from moving when you apply tension. You will disassemble this temporary bracing system later.
Step 2: Roll Out the Fence
Lay your roll of wire fence flat on the ground. Roll out the fence starting from one corner post to the other corner post.
Now this step is either done by using a unroller tractor attachment but that’s more appropriate if your fence is a thousand feet or more. Otherwise, use a steel post to unroll shorter fences.
Step 3: Align the Fence
The next step is to position your new fence. Lift one end of the fence and staple it to the post two inches from the ground. This will hold the fence in position so you can securely wrap the corners.
Now, securely wrap the excess length around the post with pliers.
Step 6: Splice the Fence
If you’re working with a longer fence line, you may need to splice together two or more pieces of fence. You can either use a hand splice or a mechanical splice with a crimp sleeve.
Hand Splice: This method is similar to wrapping a corner post: You simply cut the vertical wires and wrap individual wires around coordinating wire on the new fence using a fence tool. Watch this full video to learn how to splice a fence using just pliers: https://youtu.be/vnJDHXbteg4
Mechanical Splice: Doing the same job, this method of splicing a wire involves using a crimp sleeve that you place over two wires and crimp in place with a crimping tool.
Then, roll out the fence long enough to wrap the opposite corner post and trim and stand the fence up for correct positioning.
Step 7: Attach Stretcher Bar and Come Along
You’ll need a few helpers for this part, especially if the fence is taller than 8 or 10 feet. You’re going to attach the fence stretcher to tighten and stretch your woven fence.
This tool consists of a long iron bar with hooks. It works on a ratcheting mechanism to pull the fence.
Once your fence is up in the correct position, attach the stretcher bar at the end of the wire. Attach two lengths of heavy-duty chain around the temporary dummy brace post. Position one at the top of this post and the other at the bottom. Attach the come-along tool to these chains around the brace and then to the stretcher bar that you attached to the end of the wire length.
Step 8: Ratchet the Come Along
Alternating between the top and bottom, start to gradually ratchet the come-along. Maintain even pressure on both ends. Keep tightening the fence but keep an eye on the fence line for any snags on roots or stumps.
Keep going slowly. Align the top of the fence correctly along each post. Keep it firmly stretched at all points. Too much slack in the fence line will put pressure on the fence, which will cause a myriad of problems down the road.
Important: A super tight fence is not the goal. If you overstretch the fence, you will put too much pressure on the fence posts. This will especially weaken the end posts and, over time, compromise the integrity of the fence.
Step 9: Wrap the Corner Post and Secure Everything in Place
Once you stretch and put the fence in its place, give yourself a pat on the back because you did a great job. All you need to do now is to wrap the opposite corner fence post and secure the fencing as you did earlier on the other corner post. Wrap each wire at least four to five times with the help of a fence tool such as a wire gripper.
Begin wrapping around the middle wires first and work your way to the top and bottom later. Staple the top and bottom of the fence to add extra security. Secure horizontal wires to each post as you move along the fence line.
And you’re done!
Detach the come-along tool and disassemble your dummy braces and clean up if needed. Remember, a tight fence is not the solution, and a loose one won’t do any good. Check the fence’s tautness by slightly tapping on it along the fence line.
Your fence should bounce back lightly and firmly when you tap, it shouldn’t vibrate when you hit it or sway when lightly tapped.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stretching a Fence
Line posts do not support weight in a fence, but they are crucial in maintaining tension in the wire. Posts should be 10 to 12 feet apart for a standard woven or barbed wire fence. But this spacing can vary with the terrain. You need more posts on a slope and fewer on level land.
No. Stretching woven wire fence vertically is not a good idea. It weakens the fence. The easiest way to add more height is to add a trellis above your fence. Or add post extenders and some new fence fabric, such as chain link. Here’s a quick video with some helpful ideas: https://youtu.be/TpkA8zwEdTU
A woven fence needs to be taut to perform efficiently. It shouldn’t be so tight that an animal can bend or dislodge it by bumping it. The fence should be flexible enough to react to changes in weather and daily use.
Not Up for a Stretch? Call Help
If stretching a fence seems like a drag, consider calling a fencing professional for help. They are equipped with all the equipment, expertise, and knowledge to build a sturdy fence for you.
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