How to Build a Fence

How to Build a Fence

Building a fence doesn’t have to be a difficult task. With the proper equipment, you can create a barbed wire fence with little trouble.

Required Tools and Materials

Post hole digger
Fence clips or staples
Wooden posts
Wire pliers
Heavy leather gloves
Rolls of barbed wire
Tape measure or other measuring device

Step 1

Measure the area that needs to be fenced. Purchase three or four times more than what the measurements dictate you need. This means adding 50 or 100 ft to the total.

Step 2

If you haven’t already, mark the areas where the post will be set. The spacing should be every 10 or 15 feet. Dig the hole on the marked areas. Put the posts in place. Pack dirt around the post. Tamp it in.

Step 3

Before you continue building a fence, make sure the posts are secure. If they are, put the barbed wire on. Start putting the barbed wire six inches over the ground. Wrap the barbed wire on the first post. Wrap it around the wire that remains. Pull the barbed wire onto the final post.

Step 4

Get the wire pliers and cut the wire. Hold the end and twist it securely on the wire that is strung.

Step 5

Connect the wire onto the four posts. Use fence clips to attach them. The pliers can be used to affix them. For wood posts, you have to hammer the staples across the wire to the post.

Step 6

Repeat the steps described above every 18 inches distant going up the posts. You will need 4 barbed wire strands to secure the fence.

Mending Broken Barbed Wire Fences

Check if the posts need to be replaced. If they do, remove the wire (do not cut it). Take the post and put in the new one. As you did before, pack the hole with dirt. Check if the snapped wires have to be repaired. If they do, get a wire stretcher. Pull the wires so there is overlapping.

Tips and Warnings

Set the wires low to the ground. This will discourage animals from coming near. Never handle barbed wires unless you are wearing thick gloves. The cuffs should be long so your wrists are protected.

If you are building a fence for the first time, be very careful when handling the barbed wire. If you touch the wire with your bare hands, it can tear your skin easily. It is painful and could cause an infection.