Does Your Fence Need a Tune-Up?

How to know when your fence needs repair and what to do if it does

Whether you have a small garden barrier or miles of barbed wire, fence requires maintenance. You shouldn’t sit back and forget about it. Even when installed correctly, a fence will start to show wear and tear thanks to weather, animals or time.

Fence expert Keith Taylor says it’s vital to keep an eye on your fence. “Check your fence throughout the year. You don’t want to wait until you have a complete failure.”

Taylor, who is a Fence Pro at Bekaert Fencing, has over 30 years of fencing experience. He is passionate about sharing that knowledge with acreage and farm owners across the U.S. Here is what he advises when it comes to fence repairs.

What to look for when checking fencing

When it comes to checking fence, Taylor says there are certain things to watch for.

“You want to look for broken posts or posts starting to rot. Watch your braces. Make sure the wire is not bent, broken or rusting. Check your lines for slacking. These are all signs your fence needs to be repaired or replaced.”

Taylor advises riding your fence line seasonally and after any major storms. If you live in a snow-prone area, check your fence after the snow is melted.

Advice for replacing fence

If you do have to replace part or all of your fence, Taylor recommends replacing your fence with high tensile.

“When it comes time to rebuild, I always recommend moving towards high tensile wire. The overall maintenance over the life of a high tensile wire is much less. Stronger wire with better coatings equals fewer repairs in the long run.”

Fixing an electric fence

Because an electric fence is a psychological barrier more than a physical, Taylor says it’s even more important to stay on top of maintenance and repairs. As soon as you notice something is wrong, get the repair made.

“Splice in sections of smooth, easy-to-tie wire,” Taylor says. “For an electric fence fix, I recommend 17-gauge or 14-gauge low carbon because they offer a reliable rust-resistant coating.

If you are wanting some extra strength, go with a 12.5 gauge high tensile smooth wire.”

How to make wood post repairs

A very common fence repair is wires coming loose from wooden posts, Taylor says. “If you want a staple that is going to hold your wire in place longer, I recommend Beakert’s staples with Bezinal® coating. They're long lasting and available in convenient 75-count jars, 8-pound buckets and 50-pound buckets.”

Tired of hammering in staples? “Get yourself a Delfast staple gun. It’s cordless, compact and easy to use. And it makes the job of stapling go way faster and is easier on your back. Plus, it’s fun to use.”

Tools to make the repairs easier

Luckily, there are some tools to make repairing fence easier and quicker. “I would definitely check out Gripples,” Taylor shares. “A repair that would take 10, 15 or even 20 minutes now takes just a minute or two with Gripple wire joiners.”

Gripple products, offered by Bekaert, includes wire joiners, wire termination joiners and tensioning tools.

If you have a fence repair to make but you’re not sure how to do it, Bekaert wants to make it easy. Taylor recommends you:

• Explore the how-to video zone to find step-by-step videos for making various fence repairs or full fence installation how-tos.
• Run into an issue or need clarification on something? Contact The Fence Pros, who are always willing to help.

Need more info?

Bekaert Fence Pros like Taylor are available to answer any fencing questions at fencing.bekaert.com/contact.