Six simple steps to designing your fence

Whether building a new fence or updating an existing one, ask yourself a few simple questions before you rush out and buy the same materials you always have. Spending time designing your fence may save you time and money when building and maintaining your next fence – the result will most likely be a better performing fence.

3. Mark internal fences

Designate certain areas (grazing, laneways, yards or cropping) of your property. This will help you determine the level of pressure your fences will face and what products will help you address that. Generally, high pressures require more posts and wire and low pressures require less posts and wire.

4. Internal and external forces

Think about what you are trying to keep off your property. A fence can be breached in one of three ways – Over it, Under it, or Through it. If feral animals are a threat, note the characteristics of those animals – do they jump, burrow or charge fences. Your answers will help you choose the right products for your needs. Careful consideration should be given to designing a strong boundary fence using the best quality materials you can afford.

5. Natural forces: fire and flood

If fire is a common occurrence, consider using low-medium tensile Waratah wire which helps minimise the chance of the wire snapping or losing tension under the heat of the fire. If flood is a common occurrence, consider using JIO™ MaxY® posts to strengthen the fence line and Longlife® wire for the best protection from corrosion.

Six simple steps to building your Waratah fence

1. Plan & clear your line After designing your fence on paper, it’s time to build it. First, determine where exactly your fence needs to go, then prepare a line and clear if necessary. Consider pressure points such as stock camps, water ways along with site contours, erosion, and soil type.
2. Erect strainer assemblies Your strainer assemblies (otherwise known as “end assemblies”) form the foundation of a good fence. Determine the number required and their location, as well as the depth and anchoring, as this is an important part of making your fence strong and long lasting. This is a time to consider if and where any gates are to be installed.
3. Lay out your posts Strain a sight wire close to the ground and lay your posts at a pre-determined spacing by ‘stepping out’ along the fence line. A straight fence line minimises pressure points. Including JIO™ MaxY® posts in your fence line will ensure a stronger fence due to their increased strength and better ground holding ability, particularly in softer soils.
4. Drive in your posts  Drive in JIO Star® and JIO MaxY fence posts with a Star 80NB post driver or Thumpa® pneumatic Star post driver – check depth and position as per your fence line.
5. Strain the wire Attach the wire to be used in the fence to one strainer assembly, then using a Wizard® wire strainer and/or Wedgelock clamp (for pre-facbricated wire), strain the wire at the other strainer assembly. Check tension with a Tenser Senser®. Over tension slightly as you’ll lose some tension when tying off. Tie-off, remove the wire strainers and/or Wedgelock clamp.
6. Attach the Wire Fixing the wire is easy using JIO Longlife® Star post clips (these are up to 20% faster than other methods). Star post clips or Longlife cut length tie wire can also be used. By using quality products and the right accessories from Waratah, it’s easy to finish with a professional job even if you’ve never built a fence before.

Options for tying off

a)      Tie a knot

Knot tying is a crucial skill in building a great fence. Follow this method and you can’t go wrong.

1. Pull the wire tight around strainer post, then pull the excess wire underneath the main line wire and loop it over and down through the space between the strainer post and the wire. Pull tight.
2. Pull the wire upwards and back over the main line wire.
3. Wrap the wire tight around the main line wire
4. Wrap the wire around the main line wire 3 times to complete the knot and remove excess wire.

 b)      Use a Gripple® T Clip

Gripple T-Clip is a great alternative to tie off wire around strainer posts without the need for knots, saving both time and labour.

– Ideal for use on pre-fabricated fencing and plain wire
– Recommended for use on round posts
– The T-Clip can be used at either end of the fence line to tie-off wire
– Wrap your wire around a strainer post, pull the wire through the Gripple T-Clip and pull tight around the post
– No need for twisting, knots or staples
– Allows consistent replication and is up to 5 times faster than a manual tie-off
– Suitable for wire diameters ranging between 1.80–3.25mm