Procedure
- Starting at the first straining post, unroll enough netting to go round the post and fasten off. Mild steel netting is best fastened by twisting, and high tensile netting by connectors or by stapling to the stake. Make sure the netting is the correct way up, with the closer spaced horizontal wires to the base.
- You will need to remove the end of one or two verticals to give enough wire for fastening off. On hinged netting, cut the vertical half way between each horizontal. You can then untwist the two almost-equal length pieces by pushing them against each other. Collect up the pieces of wire for safe disposal. Fasten off at the post, and then unroll the netting to the next straining post.
- If you only have one set of strainers, strain the bottom wire first, though this does tend to distort the net. Normally you should have at least two sets, and can then strain the top and bottom wires at the same time. The use of straining clamps is preferable. Depending on the length of the strain, you will need several people to help get the net up into position. If there aren’t any spare hands, go along the fence temporarily tacking the netting every few stakes, ensuring you place the staples so the wire can pull through as it is strained.
- Strain the netting to the required tension. On each stake, staple to a running fit the top, bottom and one or two of the middle horizontal wires. Keep to the same pattern on each post. Cut and fasten off the netting, and remove the wire strainers.
Sloping ground
On an even gradient, the procedure above can be followed, by starting with the netting held at an angle, as shown.
Get a couple of people to unroll and hold the first few metres of netting, and you should then be able to judge the angle by eye.
Undulating ground
This is more difficult, as the netting distorts going over the changes in gradient. The best method is to attach the start of the roll to the first straining post with two sets of strainers, unroll the netting, and then attach it to the next straining post with another two sets. The netting can then be temporarily tacked at the high and low stakes, and adjustments made at either end, until the netting is as taut as possible.
Joining the netting
The simplest situation is on flat ground, where straining posts can be spaced at intervals to coincide with the lengths of netting. For mild steel netting, this would normally be 100m intervals, so that 2 x 50m rolls are joined to make one strain, and fastened off at each straining post. However, straining posts cannot normally be so regularly spaced, and netting has to be cut and joined. The sequence has to be worked out for each individual site, but bear in mind the following:
- The aim should be to finish or cut the roll at each straining post, so that the netting can be fastened by twisting or spiral connectors. However, this may mean cutting the netting more frequently than necessary.
- If you don’t cut the netting, but continue it on to the next straining post, the only way of fastening it so the strain is taken is to hammer staples in fully, which damages the wire galvanising.
Try and balance these two alternatives by making use of turning posts. On these the netting is fastened to a running fit, and continues on to the next straining post. If the fence has at least one top wire, this will take much of the load from leaning animals. It may then be acceptable to take netting around the back of straining posts and continue on, where cutting would be wasteful or inconvenient. However, don’t join more than three rolls of netting before fastening off fully.
Never fasten netting to the ‘front’ of corner posts, as it will pull away. Take the netting around the back, even if this means that the struts will be on the stock side of the fence. If stock damage is likely to be a problem, fasten a short piece of netting to protect the struts.
