The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Fence Basics: Landscaping and Practical
Fencing
Fencing for homes, property and farms is erected for a number of reasons, including for decorative landscape purposes, separating the property of different owners, keeping animals within certain areas or off property, and for security purposes. here are some of the main considerations when deciding on fencing for practical or landscaping reasons:
- Cost of Landscape Fence. Putting up fencing, especially great looking fencing, can be very expensive. Subsequent maintenance of the fences, posts, and gatees can require time and additional cost.
- Topography of the landscaped area. For effective plant, tree, and shrub management, it may be necessary to choose a different style of landscape fencing. Where a property comprises a large spectrum of different landscape types, more or different fencing has to be erected compared to a home where there is little or no variation.
- Type of animals the owner intends on keeping in or out of the landscaped area, (smaller animals barred by fencing require smaller openings).
- Labor. Where labor is a factor for a do it yourself landscape design, the owner may decide it is necessary to contract out the installation (and perhaps maintenance) of fencing for landscaping purposes.
The following are general guidelines to apply when selecting a type of fencing for landscape or practical purposes. Should a property owner intend on erecting game fencing or penning in (or keeping off the landscaping) small animals, the type of fencing erected will differ greatlyl.
Straining posts
Once the positioning of a functional or landscpe defining fence is decided, the positioning of straining posts is chosen. Straining posts should never be more than 400 yards apart. The fencing material will be pulled taught from straining post to straining post and the line between them must be more or less perfectly straight. Where the landscape varies, and no straining post is erected in lower areas, steps will have to be taken to fill in any gaps that allow animals through the landscape to proceed under the fence.
Standards and droppers
Standards can be from 10-15 yards apart. Set these in the ground about 10 yards apart, only 3 droppers are needed between standards, but when when they are further apart, it is better to place 4 droppers between the standards.
Where the topography of the landscape is very uneven, standards should be placed closer to one another, but on mostly level ground, they can be placed somewhat further apart.
Wire Lanscape Fencing (Primarly for Farmers/Ranchers)
For beef cattle, 5 strands of wire in a fence are sufficient. A height of 1200 mm is advised. Although farmers usually use barbed wire, smooth wire can be used. An advantage of barbed wire is that the barbs prevent droppers from sliding. Should cattle decide to push through a barbed wire fence, the barbs cause damage to hides and injure the animals, but barbed wire does not appear to deter cattle from forcing through a fence. People are deterred by barbed wire.
It has been shown that straining wire too tightly causes damage to the fence when the veld under such a fence burns. When wire is strained in the heat of day during summer, fences break when subjected to cold. Adequate tension in association with the correct number of droppers and standards, provides a cattle proof fence.
Passing through the Fence: Gates
Choose your fence gate carefully. First, for decorative landscape purposes, it should match the overall look, feel, and design of the fence and property. Secondly, the gate should have the level of security you desire for your property. Finally, decide on a gate for your fencing that will last. Avoid the temptation to buy cheaper gates for your fences, you'll only end up needing to replace them in the future.
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