Stretch Woven Wire Fence by Yourself - Tips & Tricks

[@NorthernMontanaHomestead]

Finally a guy who is showing how to build a fence without expensive heavy equipment. You've earned my subscription and a like sir. :)

[@GWPHomestead]

Just doing my best. Thanks for being here!

[@harvdog5669]

​@@GWPHomesteadhello sir, I have 275 ft of fencing to stretch. Should I do 100 feet or 60 feet at a time?? Never done nothing like this before.. I normally build wood fencing. And is this wire 4 or 5 ft tall

[@GWPHomestead]

If it were me I’d probably try to knock it out in one stretch. Unless you have a way to hold tension in the center it won’t do you any good to do it incrementally. Hope that helps! I haven’t done a 275ft length either.

[@buffbumble]

thank you for this, not only is it easy to follow you also included what could go wrong and how to fix it. many thanks :)

[@edtignor4235]

Dude!!! I was laughing my ass off when you came up short the first time with the come along. I did the same damn thing yesterday!!!😂😂

[@GWPHomestead]

Just a slight miscalculation 😂

[@RevofOne]

" 2 x 4 , four bolts...the way lumber is these days could probably build one for $100" LOL! Love it!

[@GWPHomestead]

😄 I had forgotten about that! Still true!

[@jujud14]

My husband and I just watched this and related so much to your honest reactions during the whole process! Very relatable! We are on our 4th fencing project and definitely going to use a couple of tricks you showed here! Thanks

[@GWPHomestead]

Thanks for watching! Was definitely a challenging process but it made the reward that much sweeter!

[@freydablack9027]

Great job explaining as well as showing how to do this alone. I also was gratified to see and hear you express your emotional reactions during the process. We all go through those and it helps to see that someone much more experienced does too! I'm subscribing. Thanks!!!

[@GWPHomestead]

Thank you for the kind words! Yes, I was very excited to see that fence tighten up when the tension came off, although I wouldn’t say I have much more experience than most. Thanks for subscribing!

[@KylePhillips-ww2li]

Good job. That never quit attitude is invaluable.

[@mp-xs2cd]

This is a great vid. Did my fencing for a chicken run and had zero clue how to get it tight. Got another to do and I’ll be using your technique. Greatly appreciate the tips. And appreciate even more some of your frustrations. My projects always have plenty of those so thanks for stuff I can relate to!

[@GWPHomestead]

Hope it is helpful! No shortage of frustrations here 😅

[@rayvan23]

I have a goat fence story. It was 1970, and The Whole Earth Catalog was every hippies internet. I learned about electric fences. Battery powered, and pulse shock so no animal would get fried. The goat were fed everyday in stanchions for milking. I put the hot wire where their food usually goes, and zap, one by one they got the zap. I had just put three strands of the wire for about an acre. They never went near the fence again. I needed more space for the goats, and used string (non electric...just normal string) and they never went near it. Later, a friend wanted to borrow the goats to clear some land, and you guessed it, I used string. True story.

[@GWPHomestead]

Several of our goats have gotten trained to a 3-wire setup with the electric polywire. Gamechanger!

[@kkwok9]

Thank you for this I am self sufficient myself and appreciate your videos.

[@GWPHomestead]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@tylerfoland9335]

About to try this trick with the wood today, thanks for the video

[@GWPHomestead]

Best of luck to you!

[@sladeoriginal]

nice job. what I've seen the pros use to stretch wire fence is a metal bar with slots to accepts metal wedges, the clamp on to the horizontal wire which is continuous.

[@GWPHomestead]

I would love to have one, just haven't been able to justify spending the money on it.

[@ThisOffGridLife]

fantastic job ! looks like a great spot for animals!

[@GWPHomestead]

Best fence on the whole property 😂 thanks!

[@allenmeinhold7038]

Great video, Good job young man! Butch Ashland Ohio

[@GWPHomestead]

Thank you very much, Butch!

[@PapaRug.58]

I used 2-2” wide ratchet straps and 2 pcs angle iron to sandwich the wire fence between and worked great

[@GWPHomestead]

That’s a good tip, thanks!

[@southernredfox235]

Awesome video. You probably figured this out since then but to help others who might be watching later, the reason the vertical wires slipped while you were pulling with the come-along is because you looped your rope through the middle of it, so there's not enough pressure holding onto the wire from the boards, and only the bolts are able to make enough contact. Unfortunately, this causes the wire to slip horizontally. I had this EXACT issue on my first iteration of a fence stretcher, and the solution was just to tie the rope around the entire two boards and not between them.

[@GWPHomestead]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

[@donmoore7785]

Actually, a homemade spreader like this will allow the wires to slip, unless you wrap the ends of the wire around the spreader after tightening the bolt. But yes, the strap wedged between helped make the wires slip.

[@IfYouGiveUpYouLose]

Thanks for a great video with a ton of much-appreciated, valuable tips! Now it's time to see if my new knowledge is supported by my ability. Over the years I've totaled miles of barb wire experience, but my welded wire work has been about zero, ie, very short stretches where I staple it to a wood post, then roll it to the next one and repeat. This new pen needs to be much tighter for both appearance and function. Thanks again!

[@GWPHomestead]

If I can do it I'm sure you can! Best of luck to you.

[@-EJ00]

Just came across your vid, great job. I'm doing this alone on two 550' stretches and a 335' stretch.

[@GWPHomestead]

Best of luck to you!

[@-EJ00]

@@GWPHomestead well it all worked out. Looks pretty good!

[@cindieryan446]

Enjoyed! Great sense of humor.

[@GWPHomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@edwinportier4763]

Just found your channel and loved this video. If you want to run a wire across the top, take a 2x4, length of your choice, kerf the center by running it through a table saw, then nest the back side of the T post in the kerf, drill through the 2x4 on each side of the T Post and wire the 2x4 to the T post. You should make the kerf just wide enough to fit tight on the back side of the T post. Don't cut the kerf too wide.

[@GWPHomestead]

That’s a great tip! Thanks for watching!

[@PapaRug.58]

Also I made my stretcher boards taller than the fence and a bolt on top and bottom of upper and lower stay wires and 2 come alongs work better

[@GWPHomestead]

I think I’m going to double up on bolts next time around, and I may borrow a buddy’s come along to get an even top and bottom pull. Thank you for your suggestions!

[@donmoore7785]

I use two comealongs too.

[@PapaRug.58]

Great vid I used angle iron 1.5”x1.5” as I found the wood got grooves in it from a bit of use

[@GWPHomestead]

Another commenter recommended using a hardwood like oak instead of pine 2x4s. That may be a good solution to the lack of grip problem.

[@firerescue3214]

I’ve done that before except I put 60 grit sandpaper on both boards then bolted them together. It give it friction to keep it from sliding.

[@GWPHomestead]

That's a good idea, thanks!

[@wolfmoon3431]

Love this video... Hopefully my fencing project will be as successful as yours was🙏 YAY, for Happy Endings!!!

[@GWPHomestead]

This fence work is a never-ending chore, at least for me! Thanks for watching!

[@wolfmoon3431]

@@GWPHomestead Tbh, I thought that might be the case... I imagine my fencing project is going to be about as easy as my guttering realignment project but I am still determined to do it myself. It is such a happy, fulfilling moment when stuff like this does work out though! Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it🤣

[@GWPHomestead]

@@wolfmoon3431 That's a good attitude to have! I know you'll get it done.

[@langstonrowe8243]

👏👏👏

[@glennjustice2760]

Way to go brother!

[@GWPHomestead]

Thank you!

[@doylemarkham1010]

Good Job

[@bridgetquinn7190]

Thank you so much for this! About to do this by myself. I do wonder what the short scrap you started off with was all about.

[@tilla455]

Looks good man! About yo fo the same for a 4 board

[@BigDogdaddyD_]

amazing video thank you

[@GWPHomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@petelogiudice8202]

3" deck screws work just as well as the bolts and will save you a good bit of time putting the boards on your fence.

[@GWPHomestead]

Fumbling with the nuts and the washers was definitely annoying. I wouldn't have thought that screws had enough bite to hold the boards together but I'll have to give it a shot if you're telling me it works fine.

[@petelogiudice8202]

@@GWPHomestead i have used them with my tractor pulling and come a long. Come a long is much better than old tractor. 3 to 4 deck screws is all you need. 5 to 6 if you want overkill but not necessary.

[@GWPHomestead]

Thank you for the tip!

[@sstrongman1667]

@@GWPHomestead, I didnt think it would work either but decided to try it out a year or so ago on my last fence. The screws (put in with an impact) get tons of grip

[@simzoosim6635]

God job sir,name of your tools please

[@no_handle_required]

I wonder if modifying the board tool to where the fence wraps once around it before tightening it up might work better so the bolts are not the only things grabbing on...

[@bignorwegian3566]

Getting ready to stretch fence this weekend. We are also using the 4"x4" sheep and goat fence. You were concerned that when you let the come-along loose that the fence may sag/drop on you. I'm wondering if having stapled off the fence at a few of the wood posts, prior to releasing the come-along, would have kept everything in place.

[@GWPHomestead]

There’s a chance that when you staple before release the fence might move enough to bind up on your staples. So I guess it could make its own problems if you do that. Really I’m so pleased with how this fence has looked since we put it up.

[@bignorwegian3566]

@@GWPHomestead - Okay, that makes sense; you want the fencing to move along the plane before securing. I really appreciate the feedback; that just saved me from potential problems when I start stretching in the morning. Thank you.

[@GWPHomestead]

@@bignorwegian3566 Best of luck to you!

[@donmoore7785]

I found the wire still slips. Your mileage may vary.

[@christophersuleske1905]

Great job. A few Qs. I have a run of about 380' to do. Have 2 330' rolls of super heavy fence. The run is straight but arcs a bit as it increases probably 20' over the run. How did you choose where to put posts and where T-posts? Looks like posts every 16' and T-posts in-between at 8'? Any of this in concrete? I am thinking put the H braces at the end in concrete? Or overkill? I want this to last 30+ years.

[@GWPHomestead]

I put these posts at 8' intervals and after living with it for a year+ I think it's unnecessarily too close. The next round of fence (cross fence in-between pastures) I plan to do this fall I'll be using all T-posts on 10' centers. I have read that 12' or even 16' is acceptable (most fence contractors in my area seem to like that, too) but for me personally I think a 10' spacing will work well. Only reason I alternated wood and metal posts here is because it is what I had on hand and I didn't have to buy anything except my big brace posts. I think alternating them looks nice, too, instead of having all the wood posts at one end and all the T-posts at the other. The "show side" of my fence that faces the road I'll probably go with all wood posts but that's another year or two out. So whether you want to use metal, wood, or some combination I think would be entirely up to your preference and your pocketbook. I did not use any concrete. From what I've seen water will pool up on top of that concrete and cause the post to rot out even with the top of the ground making the rest of the post a bear to remove. My Kentucky soil is heavy on the clay so I was able to tamp it down around the posts nice and tight with a 17lb digging/tamping bar I pickup up from Harbor Freight. I really like that thing although over several holes it's a heck of a chest and arm workout. If you have any other questions let me know and I'll do my best to answer them. Thank you for watching and best of luck on your project!

[@rlawrence2]

didn't see you stapling fence to wood posts!

[@michaelbobbiharris2587]

Good video

[@GWPHomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@noahriding5780]

Found this by randomness... thanks for the video. Do you have other skill videos on DIY? How do you keep the fence posts from sagging over time? Do you need to concrete them in? Or how do you determine what length of post you need under ground compared to above ground?

[@GWPHomestead]

We've done several DIY videos over the years but I haven't done much more fence work as of yet. I don't use concrete on my fence posts as I prefer to tamp our clay soil tightly around the post. Line posts I set 2ft deep, brace posts 3ft.

[@alexanderjurenka2972]

Excellent video! I am having trouble finding that hand tool you used to twist the fence, could you point me in the right direction? Its very difficult to do by hand.

[@GWPHomestead]

I bought mine at the local Tractor Supply Co, but you can find them on Amazon too. "3-hole high-tensile wire twister." It is very difficult to do by hand but that little tool provides a lot of additional leverage.

[@AzielYisrael90]

What is the brand name of the come along you used?

[@GWPHomestead]

American Power Pull 72A, 2 ton. My dad bought it probably 20+ years ago at a local store.

[@garlanwilkins2261]

I see maybe a dummy brace past your fence would have helped the section between the braces tight up faster but you got it done

[@GWPHomestead]

I know several people who use an ATV and a winch to tension their fence. Seems like a great idea but I have neither, so I try to make do. Thanks for watching!

[@Raul28153]

I'd have suggested you use some heavier harder lumber than that for the fence strainer and more bolts. Pine being softwood lacks the stiffness to exert a serious clamping force on steel wire and it will deform allowing the wires to slip through - which is what you experienced. Ideally, you'd have used two pieces of steel about 2" x 3/8" thick and lots more bolts. The method you used to terminate your fence wires is just several windings of the wire and that has a long sordid history of unwinding leading fencers to develop what is called a "termination knot". It works really well but you are locked into the simple winding. Maybe find a way to get a crimp on that or lead solder to prevent any unwinding. If it were me, I'd probably get some 3/4 x 1/4" steel and make little clamps using two short strips of steel and two 1/4-20 bolts and nuts to compress the windings to stop them from unwinding. But hey If a man doesn't make mistakes it's because he isn't trying. I've made too many to count.

[@GWPHomestead]

All great tips - thank you for sharing!

[@trulybantilan3175]

Question, would your H-brace wiring go the other direction since you pulled towards the H-brace?

[@GWPHomestead]

The high side of the wire goes toward the direction of tension. When the fence is tight the tension is acting in a way that is trying to pull the braces together, so that's why the high side is toward the other brace. I added a double wire (shaped like an X) on the gate brace because, in theory, the gate is trying to pull the brace in the opposite direction. Most (but not all) of the resources I could find showed the double wire on gates. Next time I do this I may skip that wire to see how it does without it; I can add it later if need be.

[@gagedavis3779]

How much space between the wood post ? Without the t post in between

[@GWPHomestead]

Each wood post is 16ft from the next wood post. T-posts are halfway in-between (8ft). Fence spacing is a little too close, wouldn't do it like that again.

[@BeaglerBassFishingOutdoors]

Why did you do Cross wires on the h posts? I was thinking bout doing that but was worried about pressure points.

[@GWPHomestead]

On an H brace the high end of your brace wire goes toward the direction of tension. The reason I used two brace wires here is because, I think, the gate and the fence are working against one another. Not sure if it is correct or not (there's a reason I didn't demonstrate constructing the brace) but either way it has worked well to this point.

[@walkerwillis7219]

Would this same process work if the shape was more of a circle instead of a straight line?

[@GWPHomestead]

I've seen people run fence around corners but I'm not sure how it holds up over time. Never done it myself so I can't tell you my experience.

[@CalebMcDonald1]

What’s the link on Amazon to the wire tieing tool” I could not find it

[@GWPHomestead]

Wire twisting tool: amzn.to/3Z6wIlW These are not the exact ones I used (I purchased mine from Tractor Supply) but they should be similar enough.

[@duncancrawford7319]

Great video thanks, what is the brand of the wire tying tool? only seeing plier type options on internet

[@GWPHomestead]

I picked mine up from either Tractor Supply or Rural King. If you have one of those or a local farm supply store in your area they will probably have the best deal on the tool. I know there are several different options available on the internet but I don’t know anything personally about those brands. Thanks for watching!

[@alexanderjurenka2972]

Did you ever find one? I am also having trouble finding it

[@christined4401]

Is that a welded fence or is it actually woven?

[@GWPHomestead]

Not a welded fence. It's Redbrand 4x4 from Tractor Supply Co.

[@doylemarkham1010]

Where can we get that tool

[@GWPHomestead]

Which one?

[@tamera6233]

Wilco

[@johnwilliamdunnii2451]

Wait, the coated end goes up?

[@donmoore7785]

Yes

[@isaacragsdale999]

What gage wire ?

[@GWPHomestead]

12.5, top and bottom strands are 10 gauge. It's the Redbrand woven wire fence from Tractor Supply.

[@isaacragsdale999]

Thanks. Trying to decide is I should do 14G or 12.5G just keeping sheep and dogs

[@isaacragsdale999]

Also do you know if the Bekaert brand is good? Thanks man

[@GWPHomestead]

The 12.5 has worked good for us where we’ve replaced fence. I like the 4x4 woven wire for our goats but it’s gotten really expensive and a little hard to find nowadays. They sell a “field fence” that’s a little different and a little cheaper that you might consider. I haven’t used Bekaert but I’m not sure how different fence could be from brand to brand. We only used the Redbrand because we could buy it locally.

[@isaacragsdale999]

Thanks man, really appreciate the info and help.

[@KM-bv3fp]

Loved the video. What was your post spacing? And did you find the wood posts in between to be helpful/necessary?

[@GWPHomestead]

We went with 8ft spacing which is probably a little closer than required; a lot of fences I see in the neighborhood have 10ft or 12ft between them, maybe even more. Alternating wood posts and metal t-posts was done mostly because it allowed us to use what we had on hand and buy the fewest amount of materials possible, but we do like the way it looks and if we ever need to fasten a water or feed bucket to a post in the future we'll be able to do so. Over the next couple of years we'll be redoing more fencing and the plan at the moment is to use wood posts along the road frontage and in front of the barn facing the house, and the cross-fencing between pastures will be nearly all t-posts with maybe a wood post mixed in every 3 or 4 posts. Mostly for the sake of appearances, it's what the wife wants! Thanks for watching!

[@KM-bv3fp]

@@GWPHomestead thanks for your helpful response! We have similar plans so I appreciate your sharing your experience

[@GWPHomestead]

Best of luck!

[@travandjoutdoors]

Awesome job! I actually did a project a while back with fencing and did a similar thing to what you did with those excess pieces of wire. If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your come along? It's a lot nicer than the ones I got laying around!

[@GWPHomestead]

Give me a couple days and I’ll get the make and model off the unit and reply back. It belonged to my dad and I have no idea where he got it!

[@travandjoutdoors]

@@GWPHomestead awesome! Definitely looks like a nice one!

[@GWPHomestead]

American Power Pull 72A, 2 ton

[@travandjoutdoors]

@@GWPHomestead thanks so much for going through the trouble! I'm going to look into one! Y'all are awesome!

[@GWPHomestead]

No trouble at all, friend!

[@sandy-rr1by]

seems it would have been better to stretch at shorter intervals.

[@GWPHomestead]

The reason I stretched it over the entire length (I think it was around 150ft) was because I wanted all that tension supported by the H-braces at either end. I'm happy with the results.

[@TimSmith-si7rv]

Wouldn't have broke the wire...need to splice a patch over that hole..

[@donmoore7785]

Actually the stretcher goes past the H-brace altogether.

[@deanbrown7473]

You skipped explaining the hardest part - installing the T posts properly to begin with!!

[@fangorn1000]

Good Job. Have a beer on me.

[@GWPHomestead]

Thanks!

[@jaredg8950]

stretch harder until you make it a 5x4 grid, lol

[@donmoore7785]

You butchered it. The spreader should be past your H-brace pole that the wire wraps around. And you can't pull the fence without the spreader slipping, unless you wrap the wire ends around the spreader.