Chain Link

Chain Link

Chain Link Fencing

Chain link fences today come in a variety which will surprise anyone that hasn't looked lately.

They are a widely known sight due to the ease of installing chain link fence. Made of galvanized steel, the alloy is lined with powdered zinc. The zinc gives the material protection and its dusty aluminum-like look and the steel offers a sturdy barrier.

Few house owners will need the thickest gauge but some building a kennel fence may want to consider it. Most will find that anything between 9-11 gauge is fine.

The latter tends to be a little less expensive, but the previous has the benefit that potentially less steel is exposed to the elements, minimizing the chances of rusting. GAW also tends to increase the tensile strength of the fence, but for many applications the differences are minor.

A polyvinyl chloride coating turns chain link into red, green, blue, yellow, brown, black or white. That permits the builder to integrate the fence better into the home or garden design without spray painting.

There are three different techniques of vinyl coating the fabric ( as the mesh is called ). The 1st, called extruded, wraps the wire in a vinyl jacket. The second is regarded as extruded bonded and actually adheres to the core. Thermally fused vinyl coating if normally only required for commercial applications, though home use is possible.

Over time nicks in the vinyl will introduce some degradation in the appearance as the fence is the subject of random scrapes with a garden hoe, bicycles, dog claws and others. A little spray paint in the suitable color can keep that problem to an insignificant level for years.

The common range is from one 3/8 in. - 2 3/8 in., but bigger or smaller diamonds are available. It's still extraordinarily robust and sometimes less expensive. To keep out moggies, little dogs and rabbits a smaller mesh can be terribly useful.

To stop access to the garden or lawn by gophers, moles and other burrowing animals even the tiniest normal mesh may not do. Lining the lower section with some material can easily solve the issue, though. Integrated woven slats, a sheet of chicken wire and other strategies will stop access if the fence goes underground about a foot. Slats at the base also provide further privacy for you in the most versatile demeanour.

About the Author

Steven Ford is a landscaper from New York. For more help on fencing visit backyard fences

Can i make my entire chain link fence electrified by connecting the energizer to a piece of the fence?

I have the electric fence energizer and want to make my chain link electric. Metal is a conductor right don't have to string the whole fence just has to be touching one piece of it. Also can i ground the electric fence with a welding rod. Is this safe or will it like catch on fire?

Yes, you can electrify an entire chain link fence, but it will be expensive to do so because it will take hundreds of insulators. It will also be less effective than a regular electric fence because all of that metal will offer a lot of electrical resistance, effectively reducing the "shocking power" of the fence.

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