A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a saying almost everyone knows, and for fencing that weak link is often the corners. The posts that create your fence lines corners are under a great deal of stress. They have to hold against the tensioning applied to the fence itself and remain upright. Weather can cause the fence to expand and contract applying more pressure against the posts and animals push and rub along the fence adding more pressure. So setting your corners correctly is paramount to the longevity of your fence.
For a welded wire fence like those sold by Fencer Wire an H brace system is usually more than sufficient. Here are some tips to help avoid common mistakes when setting corners using an H brace system.
Below Ground Matters:
Setting your posts too shallow will weaken the corner significantly. A general rule of thumb to follow is you want as much post below ground as the height of your top wire. The greatest amount of tension is being applied by the top wires so the deeper the posts are set the more resistant they will have to that pressure. If in doubt always aim for at least 3’ of post below the ground and deep if the ground is rocky or soft.
Post Size:
The diameter of the post is equally important. The greater the tension on the post the thicker it needs to be. At minimum a 6” post should be used for the corner with a 4” secondary vertical post.
Tension Wire:
A tension wire will keep your post anchored in the ground. Use 9 gauge smooth wire for this task. Loop the wire around the base of the corner post and then up around the brace post above the cross rail. This will transfer the tension from the top of the brace post to the base of the corner post.
There are many other ways to brace corners in a fence run. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses and depending on your soil, weather and what you are trying to fence in or out will affect how you decide what type of bracing to use. Give Fencer Wire a call at 815/773-1051 and we can help you chose the right type of fencing to finish your project.
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