Installing a chain-link fence is considered the most popular option for arranging a metal fence around a private house, country house and many other objects. Its cost is low, and the installation of such a fence can be done with your own hands.
1 Types of chain-link mesh for fences
The mesh we are interested in is currently presented on the construction market in three variations:
The designated types of mesh may have cells of different shapes (diamond-shaped and rectangular are popular), which are described by various geometric parameters (standard size cells vary between 2.5–6 centimeters). For fencing land and summer cottages It is recommended to install a mesh with cells of 4–5 centimeters.
2 Installing a chain-link fence – what materials will be required?
Do-it-yourself installation of fencing of this type does not cause difficulties even for those people who rarely do anything on their own. The main thing is to calculate and purchase everything correctly required quantity grids and additional materials. The latter include:
- concrete (usually inexpensive material M200 is used);
- special fastenings;
- support pillars made of metal, wood or concrete.
In most cases, the installation of chain-link fences is done using metal posts. Such poles are rightfully considered the most reliable and truly durable. Experts advise purchasing pillars with a square or round profile with a cross-section of 6–12 centimeters.
When doing work with their own hands, resourceful citizens use old ones as supports, which significantly reduces the cost of installing the fence. But it’s better, of course, to buy ready-made posts made specifically for arranging fences. Special hooks are initially welded to such supports (usually they are sold painted).
It makes sense to use wooden posts only in cases where it is planned to install temporary fencing or if there is a free (very cheap) wooden material. Please note that support beams and poles must be mandatory remove the bark, and the part of the tree that will be buried in the ground must be carefully coated with mastic with high waterproofing properties.
Concrete pillars are in no way inferior to metal pillars in many respects (they do not rust, are very durable, so they can literally stand for centuries), but their cost is quite high. In addition, it is not easy to attach a mesh to such supports - you need to braid the concrete structure with a steel cable and use clamps. This makes installation much more difficult.
There are two ways to build a chain-link fence with your own hands:
- fasten the wire in sections (frames) made from a metal corner;
- stretch the mesh between the supports.
Installation of a sectional fence, as you understand, requires additional costs. But from an aesthetic point of view, it looks more preferable. But the second option of arranging a fence with your own hands can be implemented much faster, without investing excessive funds in the fence. This is what we will look at in more detail.
3 How is tension fences made from chain-link mesh installed?
At the first stage of execution installation work you need to mark the territory. For these purposes, you should place small pegs in the corners of the site, take a cord or construction thread and pull them between the stakes. The resulting length of the thread will tell us how many meters of chain-link mesh we will need to purchase (we recommend adding a couple more meters of wire, just in case).
After this, we will decide on the places where we will drive in the supports. It is recommended to install the pillars at a distance of 2.5 meters from each other (a greater distance cannot be taken, since the mesh we use is a bending material). To calculate the quantity necessary supports, measure the length of each side of the future fence and divide the resulting number by 2.5. If your fence has a total length of 50 meters, you will need exactly 20 support posts, if 60 meters - 30, and so on.
The pillars are installed in prepared holes in the ground (they can be made with either a regular shovel or a drill). The optimal depth of the pits is 120–150 centimeters. Please note that you must first install supports at the corners of the site, and only then install other pillars. Crushed stone is poured into the bottom of the recesses for pipes (in an even layer), compacted, and then a layer of ordinary sand is added and compaction is also performed.
We begin to place pillars in properly prepared holes. This must be done strictly vertically (it is best to use a plumb line). After this, the recesses with pipes are filled with a solution made of cement (two parts), sand (one part), crushed stone (one part) and water. First, sand and cement are mixed, then crushed stone and water are added. The mixture must be thoroughly mixed to obtain a solution that is not very liquid, but not “steep”.
After the installation of all the pillars is completed, the first stage of work on arranging the fence with your own hands can be considered completed. The concrete will take 6-8 days to harden.
In principle, you can fill the support pipes not with concrete mortar, but use a mixture of soil and rubble stone. Then you won't have to wait a week for the concrete to harden. But in in this case The pillars may not hold so securely, so it is better to use a solution of concrete, crushed stone and sand.
4 Features of the process of stretching the mesh and attaching it to the supports
After drying concrete mortar We are proceeding to the second stage of arranging a reliable fence on our site. To begin with, using manual arc welding We weld the hooks onto the supports. Hooks can be made from any metal material that you have (pieces of steel bars, wire large thickness, ordinary nails and so on).
When the hooks are welded on, we straighten the roll of mesh and begin to tension it. The operation should begin from the corner support. We hang the mesh on the welded fasteners. In this case, it is advisable to thread a reinforcing bar or thick one (diameter about 4 millimeters) into the very first row. To prevent the fence from bending down and sagging, a wire or rod is welded to the post.
Then we unwind the required length of the mesh, thread the rod (wire) vertically into it at some distance from the area where the support and the mesh connect, and begin to tension our fence. Two people need to carry out this operation.
After tensioning, you will need to install a thick wire (or rod) horizontally at a distance slightly above the bottom edge of the fence and below the top. Now you can weld the rod to the support. By analogy, we perform tensioning and fastening of all subsequent sections of the mesh. Congratulations, you have built a fence with your own hands!
Priorities for choosing posts for a chain-link fence
In many cases, the choice of chain-link mesh as a material for a fence is justified by the goal of quickly installing the fence, budgetary costs and other reasons.
The durability of the structure and its practicality depend not only on the mesh itself. The choice of poles for its fastening also plays an equally important role.
Comparison of material types for mesh supports
The classification of posts for chain-link mesh includes four categories, each of which has individual priorities:
- Wooden pillars.
- Metal stands.
- Concrete supports.
- Supports made of asbestos-cement pipes.
The main criteria for choosing one of the listed categories are strength, durability, availability, as well as installation complexity and cost.
Wooden supports
The most promising from a budgetary point of view seem to be wooden posts, especially if there are forests or wood processing enterprises in the area. The format of such pillars can be round or profile square.
Important advantages of the material are lightness, availability and low cost. At the same time, wooden poles can be quickly installed without the use of special equipment or professional equipment. The installation of the mesh on the poles themselves is similarly simple. The soft structure of the wood does not require any effort or additional installation work. 
However, against the background of these advantages, this type of material has disadvantages expressed in practicality of operation. First of all, this relates to the durability of the service life. Wood is more susceptible to the influence of climatic factors than other materials. And even treatment with soil mixtures will only briefly extend the period of operation.
This entails the need to frequently change pillars and, consequently, install the entire fencing structure.
In addition, the strength of this material leaves much to be desired, and therefore wooden posts for a chain-link fence are not suitable for all installation areas.
Metal supports
Metal pillars can also have the shape of a cylinder in the form of a segment metal pipe, as well as the type of square or rectangular profile. Diameter metal products on average used in the range of 40-60 mm.
Metal poles are more durable, have a much greater margin of safety and are much more resistant to climatic conditions. At the same time, this material has sufficient strength and is able to withstand impressive loads. However, it is precisely this quality that is least relevant in the installation of chain-link fences, since it does not have a large mass. Caring for metal supports is also less troublesome, as they may only need periodic painting. Compared to wooden structures metal poles are more presentable appearance.
However, these advantages may be offset by more high cost source material. In addition, the metal experiences corrosion, which requires treatment. by special means. This is reflected in the cost, as well as the need for additional materials during installation.
For installation metal poles it is necessary to strengthen their base in the ground by pouring concrete. Otherwise, due to their weight, they may lose perpendicularity and stability during operation.
Concrete supports
Concrete support posts also have a number of advantages. Their cross-sectional size reaches 80-100 mm, and their height is regulated by the parameters of the grid itself with a margin for the depth of installation of the pillar. Concrete structures pillars can be counted the most durable. But at the same time, they are quite expensive. Due to their mass, they must be transported and unloaded using machinery. This is reflected in the state of the budget.
However, the effort is well worth the cost because concrete poles have long lasting durability. They are not subject to any manifestations of moisture, wind, temperature and corrosion. 
Cost savings occur already during operation - such products do not require regular maintenance and repair. The disadvantages include the need for equipment when installing the mesh.
Asbestos-cement supports
Asbestos-cement pillars are one of the most practical. Having a low cost, they have sufficient strength and long durability for such purposes.
For use as supports for mesh fences, sections of asbestos-cement pipes with a diameter of up to 70-80 mm are usually used. They are light in weight and therefore convenient for transportation and installation. However, the structure of the material of such pillars is quite fragile, so they must be installed with the expectation that they will not have to withstand mechanical stress.
Installation of posts for mesh fencing
The initial stage of this process is site marking. If the perimeter of the fenced area has rectangular shapes, then you first need to mark the locations of the corner support posts. If there are turns and bends on the installation line, it is necessary to mark the bends at the same time as the corner posts.
Pegs mark the mounting points of the supports. A fishing line or strong nylon thread is stretched along the installed pegs to determine the installation line of the intermediate posts. They are also marked with pegs. Wells are being prepared in these places. The depth of the holes for the posts does not have to be large; this parameter is based on the height of the future fence itself. Usually a depth of 40-50 cm is sufficient.
The next stage includes installation of a sand cushion at the bottom of the well several centimeters high. It is advisable to pour fine crushed stone on top of it and compact it all thoroughly. 
For concrete, asbestos-cement and metal supports, it is advisable to pour concrete to give greater stability to the fence. For this purpose, ready-made concrete of a grade of at least 300 is poured onto the bottom and compacted. Additionally, you can strengthen metal and asbestos-cement pillars by pouring concrete mortar into the internal cavity of the pipes.
If the soil structure allows, then in some cases it is possible to drive in pillar structures. This method is more suitable for metal and wooden poles that are not afraid of mechanical stress. Concrete supports can also withstand this procedure, but it will not be advisable due to large mass material.
Support pillars must be fixed strictly perpendicular to the ground horizon and parallel to the adjacent standing supports. During the installation process, no slopes in any direction are allowed.
The distance between installation sites should be within 2-2.5 meters. During installation, it is necessary to ensure that the upper ends of the supports are aligned to the same horizontal level. If it is impossible to follow this parameter, upon completion of installation work it is necessary to level top level, cutting off or filing away the extra centimeters.
Attaching the mesh to the supports
Posts with hooks for chain-link mesh
To prevent the mesh from sagging and making it impossible to get under it by lifting the bottom edge, you should use a frame structure made of metal profile or corner. The frame is attached to metal fasteners fixed to the supports by welding.
If it is impossible to attach the chain-link mesh to the posts in a similar way, you can use another method. A steel wire with a diameter of 5-6 mm is stretched along the upper and lower edges of the fence between the supports. It serves as a kind of frame on which the mesh itself is attached. You can secure the canvas by screwing it with a wire of smaller diameter.
An alternative method of installing a fence to support posts is to install a wooden vein along the bottom edge, onto which a chain-link web is attached using nails. Herself wooden base It is also attached to wooden posts with nails. The mesh can be mounted to supports made of other materials if wooden pieces are installed on them.
The video shows the complete process of installing a chain-link fence:
There are many fencing options for summer cottage, and they all differ in installation technology and price. For example, a fence made of corrugated board is expensive. In this case, you can choose an alternative expensive materials and make a chain-link fence with your own hands. In addition, it is beneficial in terms of price and time. Specialists install a mesh fence in 1-2 days. It may take a little longer for a beginner.
Of all types of fences, chain-link is considered the cheapest. The only thing that might be cheaper is a fence made of woven branches. Otherwise, experts highlight the following advantages of the material:
Except positive aspects, there are also disadvantages. A chain-link fence has few disadvantages, and all of them are minor. These include:
- the fence needs to be painted;
- unpresentable appearance;
- easy to view.
Some cottage owners use such a fence for temporary fencing plot. And when all the main work is completed, this fence is replaced by another fence, which can be made of stone or metal. In any case, the chain-link will help prevent animals from entering your own territory.
Initially, you need to decide where exactly the site will be fenced: inside the yard or along the perimeter of the site, and for how long the fence will be erected. After all, there is different types materials that differ in price. Rules that you should definitely use when choosing a material:
After a successful purchase, you should begin to create simple sketches and drawings that indicate the length and height of the fence, and also decide what material the supports will be installed from.
You also need to take into account sand, crushed stone, cement. Without concrete mortar, the cost of purchasing material for a 20 m long fence will be 6,000 rubles - this is galvanized chain-link, corners and wire.
The installation of the fence is divided into several stages. Initially work zone is put in order - it is necessary to level the ground and remove obstacles, and then begin to build a fence from the mesh.
At the place where the fence will be, the soil is cleaned. Bushes and trees are removed with a hacksaw and an ax. Various debris is removed. That is, a strip of at least 50 cm wide is prepared. In this case, the growing greenery will not wrap around the mesh.
To level the ground you will need a shovel, thread and possibly a crowbar. After removing the bushes, the prepared area is visually inspected for the presence of holes and mounds. They should be removed. Transfer soil from lumpy areas into holes. Then, from the beginning to the end of the future fence, two threads are attached, which should be parallel to each other. Now all that remains to do with a shovel is to create a perfectly flat surface, relying on the threads that serve as a level.
It is not uncommon to see chain link fences installed on foundations. However, this idea is expensive and time-consuming. It’s easier to dig holes and install metal supports, which will also be no less effective. It is preferable to make holes to a depth of 80-100 cm. Although the windage of the mesh fencing is minimal, it is still not worth digging holes for pillars to a shallower depth than indicated. Because over time the structure will begin to tilt and eventually fall. How to make a chain-link fence:
- At the very beginning, two posts are installed along the edges of the future fence. If the border of a summer cottage has kinks or corners, then at these points it is also necessary to install one support.
- Then a thick thread is taken and attached to the posts. It needs to have strong tension. Any sagging of the thread is unacceptable. Now supports are mounted in the place of the wicket and gate.
- After which ordinary ordinary pillars are installed. The interval between them is 250−300 cm. It is very important that the distance is the same. This rule especially applies to sectional fencing.
- If instead of corners you select hollow pipes, then the upper edge is sealed with a plug - this will prevent water from getting inside the pipe. If water regularly penetrates into the product, it will become unusable after some time. This rule must also be remembered.
- As a rule, it is recommended to concrete the supports. A pipe or corner is installed in the hole. Then the hole is filled. After which the support is installed exactly vertically and secured with supports. A small elevation of concrete in the form of a hemisphere is made above the ground surface. Thus, the water flowing down the column will not linger at the base, but will flow further to the ground.
Note! To install the support even deeper, but without having to dig the ground, you need to take a sledgehammer and hit the post. With this method, you can drive the product to a depth of 20-30 cm. However, you must drive the post carefully, otherwise deformation may occur, which, in turn, will lead to the replacement of the product.
Can be chosen instead of wire steel rope. The task is to tension the chain link between the supports. To get the job done, you should resort to the following tools:
- lanyard;
- tensioner;
- threaded hook.
All other elements in the form of clamps, brackets, clamps are not suitable for this purpose. They just hold the cable, preventing it from sagging, but this is not suitable for tension. The wire is attached to the outermost post and then tension is applied. If the fence is very long, you will have to stretch it over 4 spans. Because it will not be possible to stretch the material well and tightly over the entire length. This is done using a hook or tensioner.
Attention! Some craftsmen claim that it is better to pass the cable or wire through the mesh cells. After this, the material is stretched. But this is not suitable for long fences, but only applies to short ones. Therefore, the work is meaningless and time-consuming.
The work is nearing completion. It is necessary to prepare rolls and tools. The chain link can be attached to reinforcement, to a tension cable, or installed in metal sections. The procedure for installing a chain-link mesh with your own hands:
To secure the mesh to the pole and cable, you can use screws or welding, the most economical option- these are pieces of soft wire, but the method is unreliable. Tensioning the mesh into sectional spans is done in a slightly different way. In this case, welding and reinforcement are used. To do this work, you must adhere to the following rules:
- A chain-link is attached to a manufactured frame made of corners or pipes. This will require fittings. A part of the unwound roll is cut to fit the section. Next, reinforcement is prepared to the same dimensions. Then the mesh is attached to the reinforcement, which must be welded into the corner. It is not necessary to make a continuous seam. It is enough to boil 5 cm in increments of 20 cm.
- In this way, the chain-link is secured on all 4 sides. You can also use hooks instead of reinforcement. A rod is taken, cut to a certain length, and bent into the shape of a hook. These hooks are welded at equal intervals on all sides of the section. Next, take a piece of mesh and hang it from hooks with strong tension.
Note! You need to be careful when welding, as the material can be burned. This is especially true for chain-link. Experienced welders can easily take the edge of the mesh and weld it to the support.
Mesh fencing does not shine with attractiveness and design. But the problem can be solved. With the help of some tricks, you can decorate the fence so that it becomes much prettier than a fence made of corrugated board. Several ways to make a chain-link fence beautiful:
There are many ready-made ways to decorate a chain-link fence, but you can always come up with something of your own and turn your ideas into reality.
You and I should thank Karl Rabitz for his amazing invention - a sectional chain-link fence. For more than a hundred years, it has been actively used by summer residents and gardeners, engineers, builders and architects. Some urgently needed to fence a chicken coop, others needed to fence their plot of land. Chain-link mesh is found almost everywhere. By the way, when delimiting certain areas of land, a fence made of opaque material cannot be installed. So there is not and cannot be any serious alternative to a chain-link fence. With a minimum set of tools and smooth hands Absolutely any man can install such a fence.
The main criteria for choosing a chain-link mesh
Anyone can distinguish a chain-link fence from any other fence just by looking at a photo. Indeed, this is the name of the canvas, which is made of many wire spirals. They are securely woven together. Design features allow you to quickly form sections. The cell size can vary between 20-100 mm. The most popular size is considered to be 30-50 mm. The height of the roll is also different, it can be either 1 or 2 meters.
First of all, when choosing a chain link for a fence, pay attention to the wire. Its diameter varies from 1.2 to 5 mm, the type of coating also differs:
- There is no coverage. The so-called “black” chain-link. We do not recommend buying such a mesh for solid fences. She's not long lasting, oh her high-quality painting out of the question.
- Zinc coating. This option is considered the most common. After some time, a DIY chain-link fence will lose its color, but will not become covered with rust. Therefore, it can serve you for more than a dozen years.
- Stainless steel coating. Believe it or not, a fence made of such material is considered almost eternal. His main drawback– price. If you need to fence a decent area, a mesh made of of stainless steel can “hit” the family budget.
- Polymer coating. Such products appeared on sale relatively recently, but have already managed to find their customers. Judge for yourself: the service life is decent, a wide range of colors allows you to realize almost any fantasy.
Stage 1. Installation of supports
Whatever installation option you choose, you will definitely need to mark the area and install poles. This is what you and I will do.
Installing a chain-link fence involves accurately measuring the boundaries of the fence. You also need to decide in advance on the location of the gate and wicket. The construction site is cleared of all kinds of debris and unnecessary vegetation in advance. After this, you need to drive metal or wooden stakes where you plan to install the corner posts and supports.
How to determine the location for installing intermediate posts? It’s very simple - take a strong cord and pull it neatly between the stakes. After this, measure the distance. We recommend placing racks at a distance of 2 or 2.5 meters from each other. The resulting distance is divided by 2.5 and rounded up.
This procedure during the installation of a fence from any chain-link will allow you to determine exact amount corner posts. Since the thickness of the posts, the appearance of the fence and the underlying soil can be different, there are several types of installation. Wooden poles? Immediately “no”, since they are short-lived. Concrete? Not the best either the best option, because when attaching the mesh you will definitely have difficulties.
The most convenient way to install a chain-link fence is by using metal racks from the profile or square pipe. Its diameter is from 6 cm in diameter. In the future, we will consider this particular option, which allows us to install the chain link efficiently and reliably.
During installation you can use the following methods:
- Drive the posts into the ground.
- Place in a deep hole, cover with crushed stone and compact well.
- Concrete completely or partially.
All these examples are clearly demonstrated by the photo:
When placing posts for a future chain-link fence, it is extremely important to correctly calculate their length and depth, and find out the level of passage groundwater, degree of freezing of the ground, etc. use a simple rule - at least 40% of the height of the pillar must be in the ground.
In practice, this process looks like this:
- Install the corner posts. Make sure that they are strictly vertical - use a level to do this.
- Prepare holes to install intermediate posts. We advise you to stock up on a good drill. It will be much easier for you to install a chain-link fence with your own hands, especially if the soil on the site is not the softest.
- When the concrete hardens, we begin to pull the cord, but already along the top of the racks. This will allow us to control the height of the intermediate supports. It will not be superfluous to tension the cord below. This way you can check if the pillars are on the same line.
- Regular sand will help make the task of leveling the supports easier. It is poured to the bottom first, and as work progresses you just change the height of the improvised “pillow”. By the way, you can build a fence using gravel or small crushed stone, which you use to replace sand.
- All racks that have been adjusted in height are finally poured with concrete, after which they are primed and painted. You will have to wait at least a week for the concrete to harden properly. In the photo below you can see how to use the cord when installing intermediate supports.
Stage 2. Construction of the fence
Fences for dachas are different, and their purpose is also significantly different. Some people need a very powerful fence for grazing animals, while others will need the lightest one possible, simple design on the border with land plot neighbor Each task has its own version.
The simplest do-it-yourself chain-link fence involves simply attaching it to supports that we have already installed. Take one, or better yet two assistants - this will simplify the installation task.
- Roll out the chain link on the ground to a distance only slightly larger than the span. For example, if it is 2 meters, you roll out to 2.5 meters and so on.
- The edges of the spirals are bent with pliers. Firstly, this will save you from unwanted injuries, and secondly, it will prevent the mesh from unwinding during the installation process.
- During the fastening process, the mesh gradually unwinds further.
Its diameter should be from 6 to 10 mm. With the help of another such pin, the assistant will tension the fabric.
The rod installed in the support is attached as follows:
- You can fix it soft wire. The method, although fast, is not very beautiful.
- Instead of wire, fixation is carried out using special clamps. Visual photo demonstrates what it looks like in real life:
- You put the pin on the hooks that were prepared in advance, and then bend them. Hooks can be made from pieces of thick wire: diameter 0.4-0.6 cm, length 5-8 cm. They are welded to the stand at a distance of about 40-50 cm.
Improved version using lags
How to make a chain-link fence not only beautiful, but also as reliable as possible? It's simple - weld the joists to the racks. It is desirable that they be made from profile pipe. This method fastening is good because you do not need to install additional braces for the racks. However, the photo speaks for itself:
A fence with logs is good because in the future you can easily decorate the fence even more and hang additional material on it.
The chain-link can be easily changed to slate or corrugated sheet. This will make the fence more powerful and solid.
A fence made of sections is the most practical solution
Surely, you have heard about such a thing as a sectional fence made of ordinary chain-link. It is a fence consisting of sections (corner plus mesh). Despite certain difficulties in manufacturing, the sectional design does have many advantages:
- From an aesthetic point of view, a sectional fence can be considered one of the most beautiful.
- Since each section has its own structural element, there will definitely not be any issues with the chain-link sagging or loss of its properties.
- The sections are easily dismantled, and previously used posts can serve as support for the construction of a new fence.
- Like a combined corrugated fence, this type of fencing can be installed even on an area with a large slope. An ordinary chain-link tensions when the level increases by no more than 6 degrees, which fully corresponds to a slope of 1:10. Any excess of these values is already a reason to install a sectional fence, as shown in the photo:
Go into detail about the installation of this type we will not, since it does not differ significantly from previous methods. Unless you have to use an angle grinder or assembly saw for cutting parts the right size.
Decorating a chain-link mesh: the most unusual solutions
Those who would like to move away from the classical canons will be interested in our next section. He clearly describes how making a seemingly traditional chain-link fence can be turned into a fun activity.
The first and perhaps one of the most beautiful ways- make patterns from wire. Despite the fact that it is quite labor-intensive, the result will please you for a long time.
As an option, you can weave bright cords and ribbons from polymer. It is catchy, lively, but not durable at all.
The installation of a chain-link fence and subsequent planting of living plants should not be discounted. The main thing is to remove dry branches and leaves in a timely manner. This is especially true in the autumn-winter period.
Interesting, to some extent even unusual solution there will be a light-shading grid. It can have a wide variety of color shades. Strongly affects weight, so for ordinary tension fence they will not fit - unlike fencing made of corrugated sheets and chain-link mesh.
IN Lately The so-called photo fence is extremely popular. It is made of decorative photo mesh or PVC. The material is not only beautiful, but also expensive, so it all depends on the state of your wallet.
So, we have smoothly approached logical conclusion articles. Now you know how to install a fence made of mesh. We wish you success in construction, may the new fence make you happy long years!