PRODUCTS: DEER FENCE KITS: PAGE 2About Our Kits Rabbits, woodchucks, and rodent barriers: If you are using a polypropylene deer fence to protect a vegetable garden or orchard in an area full of rabbits or woodchucks, plan on installing a 2-foot metal hex “rodent barrier” (14-08 below) around the fence bottom. This will not prevent rabbits or woodchucks from getting in; you need other measures to do that. But it will prevent them from chewing small holes in the fence—holes that the deer can then use to force their way through the fence. If you have only an occasional rabbit or woodchuck you may wish to get a polypropylene deer fence and install the rodent barrier later if necessary. Please note that while raccoons, squirrels, and chipmunks will not be kept out by the polypropylene fence they will not chew through it, so they won’t provide an entry for the deer. Sideways stress: Kits 19-01A, B, C, and G do not come with earth anchors. However, if you anticipate substantial sideways stress from falling branches, charging deer, or snow loads when the ground is not deeply frozen, it may be advisable to install earth anchors (see Kit Accessories below). Fence length: According to their makers, the length and height of single polypropylene and metal hexagrid fence rolls can vary by up to 5 per cent. While it is rare to find anything like this variation, one should be aware that it can happen. Angle-iron posts: The angle-iron posts in kits 19-01A and 19-01C can rust. Unlike our round posts, they are not galvanized underneath their black powder-coat finish. Therefore, if that finish gets penetrated they should be touched up once a year with a spray can of black rust preventive paint (see 15-081)—a ten-minute task easy to add to your list of seasonal gardening or orchard-tending jobs. Manual post driver (15-05): Use this to install both angle-iron posts (in kits 19-01A and 19-01C) and round posts without drive sleeves (in kits 19-01J through 19-01L). Be sure that anyone helping to steady the post does NOT put his or her hands within reach of the driver, because the descending driver can seriously injure hands. Rodent barrier: This is 2-foot metal hexagrid fencing placed over the bottom of a polypropylene fence to prevent woodchucks or rabbits from chewing holes in the polypropylene. Attach it to metal fence posts with zip-lock ties (17-04 and 17-06) and to polypropylene fencing with zip-lock ties or hog ring staples. Fold out 4 to 6 inches of the rodent barrier at the bottom of the fence, pull up the ground stakes already holding down your 6-inch flap of polypropylene, and use them to hold down both the polypropylene fencing and the rodent barrier. Earth anchors: if you need to counter sideways stress on the fence, use one of these (see item 16-11 in the table below) at each corner and end. If there are over 30 feet of fence between either side of your gate and the nearest corner or end, use an earth anchor on the side of the gate where the long run occurs (or two anchors if there are two long runs). Install the anchors as described in our installation instructions (Deer Fence Corners: Earth Anchors and Corner Braces), attaching each earth anchor handle to the top of the anchor’s respective post with strong 12.5-gauge wire (item 02-07HT1 in the table). One hundred-foot roll of wire should suffice for up to 6 earth anchors. Brace bands: If you are buying kit 19-01B (100-foot fence with seasonally removable round posts) you should be aware that the posts do not come with brace bands. To prevent the fencing from sliding down the post over time, one should attach the zip ties to the posts as tightly as possible, or should drill a hole near the top of each post to slip a zip-tie through, or else should get a supplemental bundle of brace bands (item 15-12 in the table). Gates: We offer three black access gates seven feet tall. These sturdy gates, made of round black metal pipe, come in the form of kits with installation instructions. They are easily assembled and provide everything you need to assemble the gate door and support frame—including hinges, latches, the gate door, the gate support posts, and a frame bar that goes at the very top. The fencing material for the door is not included, but instructions on how to cut it out of your existing fencing are included, together with materials for attaching it to the gate door. For wider gates 9.5, 12, and 14 feet across see our gates and grates page. |