1. Fence Example 5-wire barbed

2. Storing posts before use If posts are left lying on the ground they are prone to rot and insect damage.

3. Gate posts must be straight and should be around 4 ½ feet long.

4. Additional Fencing Supplies Wire (12 gauge double strand barb wire) Wire clips to secure wire to steel posts or staples to secure wire to wood posts Line posts –Minimum 6’ in length for steel posts and 7’ for wood posts (hedge, treated, etc.)

5. Fence construction begins with good corners – essential for tightening wires and keeping them that way. Braces should be built on both sides of every gate, at corners and at every ½ mile in between. Corner and brace posts should be at least 10 inches in diameter on top and be at least 8 feet in length. The larger diameter end should be planted at least 3 feet in the ground and well tamped. The corner should be tamped first and the brace post should be tamped after the brace pipe is in place.

6. Brace Post Corner Post Brace Wire Brace Post Brace Wire Tightener

7. The purpose of the brace wire and brace pipe is to keep the corner post stationery for initial tightening of the fence wires and for keeping them tight over time.

8. Knotches in the top of the brace post and the bottom of the corner post keep the wire from sliding toward the middle. They are needed to get the brace wire as tight as possible by hand. Spike nails or something similar is needed to keep the brace pipe stable while the brace wire is being tightened

9. Now the first wire of the fence can be installed between two corners. It should be stretched tight and be used to line-up the line posts Something such as a short piece of pipe is then used to securely tighten the brace wire

10. Example post and wire spacing Line post spacing – 12 to15 feet Wire spacing (5-wire fence) - 8 ½ inches Top wire should be 48 inches above the ground

11. Gates should be 4 foot high with five wires – approximately 8 ½ inches between wires. This is a 20’ wide gate, adequate for machinery and trailers. Livestock tend to loaf at and rub on gates. It is important to keep gates tight so a gate lever is recommended. Gate Construction

12. Wires on gate stick should be wrapped around twice to keep them stable Wires connecting gate to corner post are not completely wrapped around gate stick, and they should be located between the top and second wire and the fourth and fifth wire.

13. Gates should have at least two stay-wires to prevent the wires from becoming crossed when the gate is opened or when livestock rub on it.