After the initial fencing surge in spring, fall can be an ideal time for completing much-needed work before the onset of winter.

A number of factors make this a favourable time of year for fencing – the ground is invariably softer than during the summer, the majority of seasonal farming work (such as bringing in the harvest) has been completed, and fencing repairs are often needed now.

Completing crucial fencing work before the darker, wetter (and potentially frozen) winter days set in is often a priority throughout the fall, so the experts at Tornado Wire thought they’d offer a few thoughts on fencing best practice.

Tornado’s fencing tips…

A single strand of plain wire between the straining posts (at either end of the fence line) can help guide the position of the intermediate posts. It can also be used to increase fence height.

Give yourself more room to work when tying-off around straining posts by stripping out the last few vertical wires.

Save money with an appropriately-specified fence. Make sure your chosen mesh size is suitable for the job at hand.

Dig deep (approximately 4ft into the ground) to ensure straining posts are firm, which will allow a fence with sufficient tension.

Tension your fence so that the crimp is approximately 50% of its original size; this helps ensure that the fence is tight while retaining the wire’s elasticity.

Using barbed staples, as opposed to plain, reduces the chance of them pulling out.

Always choose high-tensile fencing – it can be strained much tighter than low carbon steel and is less likely to sag after animal impact. It requires fewer posts and far less maintenance, so it’s more cost effective too.

Prevent damage to the galvanising by avoiding driving staples tight against the wire.

Protect the fence from downward pressure by cattle by adding two strands of high-tensile barbed wire or one electrified plain wire above the fence.

Ends