How to fence your summer cottage? A steel mesh fence is an economical option that is considered effective and fairly easy to install. It does not cast shadows, is well ventilated, and forms a transparent wall that does not interfere with plant growth. But the most attractive thing is that simple technology works allows you to install a chain-link fence with your own hands.
What to give preference to: features of the Rabitz mesh?
However, there are options here too: just stretch the cellular fabric between the pillars or secure it to a structure made from a corner? The first method is simpler, although it does not look as impressive from an aesthetic point of view. Alternatively, such a fence can be installed at the boundary with the neighboring plot.
What to use for the installation of supports?
The cost of the fence and its durability are affected by the material from which the posts are made. It can be a light, inexpensive tree. If these are beams, then they need to be cleared of bark, cut to equal lengths (3m), and be sure to be opened with a waterproofing solution. You can use poles left over from construction at your dacha as supports. The upper part of the supports, located above the ground, is exposed to atmospheric precipitation, so it will have to be oiled and then painted oil paint. Wood is a material that is easy to process, but still short-lived.
Important! On unstable soils, in swampy areas, the entire underground part of the pillars must be concreted. Cement mortar It is prepared in the following proportion: take two parts cement and two parts crushed stone for one part sand. When adding each component, the dry mixture is thoroughly mixed. So much water is poured in so that after thorough mixing the solution is not very liquid. With the tip of a shovel it is compacted, leveled, and shaken. When concreting hole foundations for pillars, the main work is resumed only after 7 days, when the concrete has “ripened”.
Asbestos-cement or concrete structures. They are strong, stable, durable. Fastening of the rolled cellular material to the supports is carried out with a cable or wire through equipped clamps. A variant of weaving is that the pole is surrounded by a cable threaded into the cells. There is only one bad thing: if the mesh is grabbed vandalously, all you have to do is “bite” the cable, and it will easily come off.
Metal support pillars are more reliable in this regard. In addition, they will last for decades. Pipes of 60 - 120 mm in diameter with a metal thickness of at least 2 mm are used. Mesh holders - metal hooks - are first welded onto them in the upper part. Then the entire structure is painted with waterproof paint.
Evaluate the roll carefully
When choosing a chain-link mesh, you need to pay attention to general form roll. It should not be wrinkled or deformed. Wire braided material – smooth, intact. It is very important that the edge part does not look crooked: all the outer corners of the cells should be the same height, stretched “in line”. This envy makes for an aesthetically pleasing appearance and no sagging.
The mesh used for fences is steel, galvanized. Sold in rolls 10-20 m long. The size of the cells, their thickness, and the width of the mesh also vary. Most in demand roll material with a width of one and a half meters. If you want to make the fence higher, the mesh fabric is lifted by the upper edge, and the gap formed at the bottom is filled with available materials.
A do-it-yourself chain-link fence in decoration can be given an exclusivity and special flavor by a colored polyester coating that is resistant to damage and fading, as well as the shape and size of the cells. Typically, these are rhombic or square honeycombs measuring 30x30, 45x45, 50x50mm. Although canvases can be made to order with a different geometry.
Trying is not torture: installing a mesh fence with your own hands
The simplest installation of a chain-link fence with your own hands without welding comes down to the following.
- Installation begins with driving in corner posts along the border of the site, because they will bear the greatest uneven load. Since the entire fence structure is quite light, a foundation is not needed for it. The pillars are planted in the ground to a depth of about 1 m. If it is a metal pipe or profile, then the lower part, which will be in the ground, is treated with an anti-corrosion compound.
- The drill removes half the volume of soil. The pillars are driven in to the final depth with a sledgehammer. Before starting installation, the vertical is checked with a water level. If you deviate from it, the fence may “lead.” The resulting void between the pillar and the walls of the pit is filled with crushed stone, after which it is carefully compacted. This is done to make the structure stronger.
- So that the mesh fabric does not move away from vertical plane A cord is stretched between the corner supports. This will be a line, a kind of landmark on which you need to drill the remaining holes. The total length of the fence is measured with a tape measure. The resulting value is divided into equal sections. Holes for supports are dug or drilled every 2.5 m. The selected stride length must be respected because... at a greater distance, the windage of the mesh becomes unacceptable: under the force of the wind, the mesh material will stretch, and over time it will simply sag.
- By the way, in some cases, in addition to concreting, to securely fix the supports in the drilled holes, they are covered on all sides with rubble stone or savage. This layer is carefully compacted, after which a small layer of soil is laid on top. The resulting “cushion” must be compacted well again. Finally, on top, stacked finishing layer from rubble stone.
- A design feature of the pillars are hooks at the top. Welded to the profile, they bend well. Before installing the mesh, they need to be straightened. The roll sheet itself must be hung correctly. To do this, the upper edge of the roll is determined: the wire on it is longer. In addition, the outermost spiral is marked. “Pliers” are used to bite off the central and outer ties. A roll of chain-link mesh (galvanized, steel, etc.) is rolled out from the extreme edge towards itself. When unfolded, you should end up with a continuous sheet.
- Holding the edge and holding the material, gradually stretch it. In this form, the mesh will not get tangled and the edges will not cling to the cells. It is better if it is galvanized. In case of metal fencing its surface will become covered with rust a couple of days after installation due to humidity. Galvanization has a long service life. In any case, it will last for a quarter of a century on the fence.
- The mesh is suspended from the cells of the top row on pre-bent hooks. At the same time, at the junctions of two panels, it is left unstretched. The edges of the two rolls are intertwined with each other using zigzag wire. It is considered to be the outermost one in the rolled web, so it is unscrewed from it. Then, using the weaving method, placing both pieces at their ends, intertwine them with this piece. The result is a seamless continuous fence.
- Now the completely solid fence is stretched tightly so that it does not sag over time. The hooks are bent with a hammer, fixing the specified tension of the mesh. Don't forget about the top of the canvas. Unshaped tendrils of the wire from which the cells are made stick out on it. sticking out in different sides the ends are twisted together, wrapped downwards, to avoid injury during work.
- A chain-link fence with a cable can be considered as an option in which a thin (6mm) cable or wire is passed into the even top row of cells. The tension fasteners are fixed in the corner posts. It is tensioned using bolts and does not allow the structural material to sag. To do this, holes are pre-drilled on the posts closer to the outer edge, as well as in the middle. They should be located at a height equal to the location of the penultimate row of cells, and be in diameter slightly larger than the cross-section of the wire (cable) or rod used for tension. In the supports for the installed mesh sections, such holes for the wire are not needed.
- The protruding “whiskers” curl around the wire. It is also needed to eliminate the hanging of the top of the mesh and its sagging. To do this, it is necessary to apply a certain tension force. To create it, use special device for a chain-link fence with a cable. A thick rod is pulled through the cells of the outermost row. Part of the mesh is wound onto it in a roll until it stops. All wound material is fixed with wire. A cable is attached to the rod. I use the long bar as a lever and tighten the mesh until it is fully tensioned. This position is secured to the supports with bolts or other hardware.
Important! A fence made of galvanized stainless steel material does not require further finishing. It can be used immediately after installation. If the wire in the mesh is metal, it requires subsequent painting. The work is done only with a brush: a lot of paint from the spray bottle is wasted uneconomically in the space, and when working with a roller, it is impossible to completely paint over the weave areas.
- When building a chain-link fence with your own hands, you do not need to install the structural material with an overlap onto the ground, leaving an air space between it and the ground. This, on the one hand, will remove additional load on the mesh; on the other hand, by eliminating contact with the ground, the metal sheet will not be subject to corrosive destruction.
- The hooks on the poles are nailed to a flattened appearance with a hammer. Rolled wire passing through the upper and lower rows of cells is fixed to the posts by welding. On the corner supports, where it is necessary to contour the canvas, the tension is loose, no matter how carefully we try to do this. Therefore, in this place a joining seam is made from two pieces of mesh.
- A fence made of chain-link mesh with your own hands without welding looks less preferable than a fence made of welded sections-frames with an area of 1.5x2.5 m from a steel angle. The mesh design is welded to them by electric welding. Such a do-it-yourself chain-link fence will provide decor for any exterior. Climbing plants and flowers planted next to it, positioned on the fence and clinging to it with their shoots, will create a natural colorful, fragrant, living carpet.
The mesh structure is not only a beautiful, simple even in its own design, an original “living” fence. A chain-link fence is an example of how, with ingenuity and effort, you can economical option build an original fence that is in no way inferior in its purpose to more fundamental and expensive structures.
Fence - required element any private property. If country houses experts recommend fencing with more reliable protective structures, then summer cottages - their practical and inexpensive options. Most suitable material for a country fence - chain-link mesh. With its help, you can not only make a durable one, but also increase the productivity of the beds, since the design does not interfere natural ventilation on plot of land, and also does not block the sun's access to it. To build a chain-link fence with your own hands, you don’t need to be a professional. This article will reveal all the secrets of craftsmen in installing a practical fence without welding, and will also tell you what tools and materials you need to have to perform such work.
Features of chain-link mesh, its advantages
Rabitz - universal material, which is indispensable in summer cottages. He has big amount advantages that make it even more popular among buyers. These include:
- affordable price. Rabitz - a budget option material for the construction of a fence, because not every homeowner is able to allocate a decent amount of money to install a more expensive structure at the dacha;
- long service life. High-quality galvanized mesh is capable of maintaining its original appearance for several decades (up to 40-50 years). It does not rust when correct operation not deformed.
- the need to use a minimum number of tools and fastening materials during the installation of the fence;
Important! You can install a chain-link fence using either welding or without it. Installation without welding is ideal for people who do not know how to work with such equipment.
- ease of care of the material;
- The mesh does not interfere with natural air circulation and does not shade the area.
Important! A chain-link fence serves as an ideal fencing not only for beds, flower beds or vegetable gardens, it is also indispensable in the process of arranging children's rooms. playgrounds, enclosures for pets, etc.
Material classification
Depending on the material of manufacture, chain-link mesh comes in three types:
- Non-galvanized.
- Galvanized.
- Plasticized.
Non-galvanized mesh is enough cheap material. Of course, it is more affordable, but its long service life can be doubted, since under the influence of moisture the surface very quickly becomes covered with rust.
Galvanized mesh is the most popular among customers. It is a little more expensive than its non-galvanized counterpart and does not rust, which is really very valuable.
Plasticized material – modern version, but more expensive. During its manufacturing process, polymers are used that properly protect metal mesh from the action of moisture. Plasticized mesh has different color scheme. Each homeowner is able to choose a material that will ideally suit the interior of the house, as well as complement it.
Instructions for craftsmen: how to make a simple chain-link fence without welding with your own hands
Making a durable and reliable fence from a chain-link mesh is a fairly simple and interesting task. Its implementation does not require a large amount of professional knowledge and skills. To work, you only need tools and materials, as well as the desire of the master.
There are two ways to make a galvanized fence from chain-link mesh:
- Using a welding machine.
- No welding.
Since not every homeowner has at his disposal welding machine(or does not know how to use it), then we will consider the option of installing a fence without using it.
Important! Installing a fence without welding will allow you to build a structure that will be less practical than its welded counterpart.
Tools and materials
To ensure that the construction of the fence does not cause difficulties, you must first stock up on all necessary tools and materials. During the work you will need:
- chain-link mesh (non-galvanized, galvanized or plasticized);
- support pillars(wooden, metal or reinforced concrete);
- special fastening hooks;
- sand, screenings, crushed stone and cement;
- shovel;
- building level;
- mounting tape;
- hammer or drill;
- bolts, nails or screws.
Step-by-step instructions for installing a galvanized mesh fence
The simplest option for a mesh fence for a summer house is a tension fence. Its installation will not take as much time as it might seem at first glance. For correct execution work, it is necessary to know and follow a clear sequence of the entire technological process.
Advice! To install a tension fence made of chain-link mesh, it is best to hire an assistant who will help you get the job done faster.
A chain-link fence is the best budget option for summer cottage. Install such a fence with your own hands; you will appreciate its advantages not only personal experience, but you will also see by the increased amount of harvest received from the beds.
Video instruction: how to build a chain-link fence without welding with your own hands
Chain-link fence: photo
A chain-link fence, installed with your own hands, is very relevant specifically for dachas, since serious metal or any other monolithic fences between areas are simply prohibited. Chain-link is an excellent, inexpensive material accessible to everyone, widely used for the construction of fences or fences for country houses. The cellular structure of the mesh does not shade areas with plants (like slate or siding), and freely allows air flow and sun rays to pass through. In addition, this material is successfully used to fence areas of reservoirs, poultry houses, animal habitats, and technical areas.
Chain-link fence, photo
Before making a fence from a chain-link mesh, you need to take into account all the nuances, especially the size of the cells. For example, if you or your neighbors keep chickens in their dacha, then the cell size should be minimal (so that the living creatures do not enter someone else’s plot). For the usual division of territory, a grid with cells of any size is suitable.
Types of mesh
On the market today building materials Three types of mesh are available and successfully used.
The difference is in the material from which it is made:
- Non-galvanized, non-painted mesh made of ferrous metal. Such a chain-link does not have a long service life; after a few days it begins to rust. It is used as a temporary material before installing more serious fencing, but coating it with paint significantly extends its service life.
- Galvanized chain-link is not subject to rust, and is the most common building material in cases where exactly such mesh fencing is required.
- Plastic chain-link mesh for fence (with polymer coating). This steel mesh, covered with a layer of polyvinyl chloride. It has a modern aesthetic appearance, it is not afraid of moisture and corrosive processes. This grating is plastic, does not burst when deformed, and is excellent for installation in areas with high level acid or alkali in the soil. An additional advantage is the fact that plasticized chain-link is available in different colors.
One type of chain-link with plastic coating, photo Braided climbing plants and the colors of the chain-link mesh look very aesthetically pleasing, and if it itself is green (plastic covering), then it is doubly attractive.
Installation of a chain-link fence, which is best
You can build chain-link fences with your own hands in two ways:
- by tensioning the mesh between the support posts,
- installation of sections (in the second case, a welding machine will be required).
Support posts can be metal (for example, pipes), concrete or wood. For a more thorough sectional fence, you will need metal corners to make a frame. Such a fence will look more aesthetically pleasing, but it will also be much more expensive. Tension option simpler, but also quite practical. In any case, the choice must be made by you.
Installation of racks for tensioning the mesh, photo of the working moment The location of the future fence is marked with pegs, between which a string is stretched. The length of the rope should be equal to the length of the net, but for reliability it is better to stock up on a large number of meters. The placement of the pegs is a marking of where the posts for the chain-link fence will stand, so it is better if the distance between them does not exceed one and a half to two meters. This material(mesh) tends to sag, so you should not make too large distances between the posts.
Strengthening the corner of a chain-link fence, photo The depth of the holes for supports is usually a meter and a half, and first of all they are installed corner posts(there is always more pressure on them). To strengthen the corner pillars, an additional sand and gravel mixture is poured onto the bottom of the hole, compacted, and filled with cement mortar.
Until the mixture has completely hardened, the pillar should not be touched. It is also appropriate to use a plumb line or level for these purposes. Options for strengthening supports depend on the preferences of the developer and the purpose of the fence.
Photo of a chain-link fence:
After hardening concrete mixture there follows a line of hooks to which the chain-link will be hooked. Typically, nails or large diameter wire are used for these purposes, which are then welded to the supports using a welding machine.
It is worth keeping in mind that there are now ready-made painted poles on sale that have hooks. Before tensioning the mesh, metal supports are painted, and wooden ones are treated with special protective equipment(along the entire length). After this, the chain-link is stretched and put on the hooks in cells. For more reliable fastening, some summer residents additionally wrap the support with the mesh with wire.
To ensure that the installation of a chain-link fence is as reliable as possible, it is recommended to use a reinforcing technique. Additionally, a vertical support rod is installed. To do this, a rod or reliable thick wire is threaded into the first or second row of cells from above, which is also welded to the posts (or attached to a wooden support). This technique does not allow the mesh to sag over time and strengthens the entire structure as a whole. Make sure the tension is elastic. The subsequent process is similar for the remaining supports.
There is another, fairly common mounting option - a fence made of chain-link mesh on slags (wooden veins). The difference in installation is that the mesh is fixed not on the pole itself, but on wooden board(vein) attached to this support. Lightly attached to the top and bottom of the main support.
When the fence is installed, do not be too lazy to take pliers and bend all the upper hooks of the chain-link downwards - this way you will be sure that no one is accidentally injured.
Photo of a chain-link fence on a multi-level site It happens that the fenced area has an uneven landscape; in these cases, so-called terracing is performed. It is done in a similar way: a support pillar is installed at the place where the soil drops. On one side, the grid is attached at a certain level, and on the other (the next piece of the grid) it is already higher or lower - depending on the height of the difference. In this case, the chain-link fence for the fence is cut into fragments.
But there is another option for installing a fence that is optimal for uneven ground - sections.
Sectional chain-link fence
These sections are welded metal frames, which are made from angles. Inside such a frame there is a chain-link, and it itself is welded to the support post. On initial stage During the installation, marking with pegs is still used, only the poles are already more powerful, since an increased load is placed on them. If you decide to make a durable sectional fence from chain-link mesh, then fill strip foundation will not be superfluous, but without it such a design will last just as long.
The dimensions of the frame are determined individually, the distance between the supports is 15-20 cm smaller. In turn, the width of the frame should also be less than the length of the post by about 15-20 cm. The roll of mesh is cut into sections of the required sizes using a grinder saw. A metal rod is threaded into the upper part of the fragment. It is welded to the top of the frame. Using the same method, the remaining sides of the mesh are attached to the frame.
The next step is to attach the supporting metal strips (about 5 cm wide and 30 cm long) to the support (they are also welded). The section is then placed between the posts and welded directly to these strips. At the final stage, the sectional chain-link fence is painted.
Installing a tension fence will not require any special skills from you, it will not take much time, and sectional design It is preferable to install with an assistant, or better yet with two.
This type of fencing will serve you for many years; if any section of the fence is damaged during operation, it is easy to repair. Despite its “airiness,” a chain-link fence is a serious obstacle to uninvited guests— the tension structure is flexible, it will be very difficult to stay on it. And, if you install it, then this is the most economical and fastest option for country fencing, and with an individual approach it is very aesthetic and attractive.
Reading time ≈ 5 minutes
Today, with all the variety of fencing, few types of construction could replace a home-made chain-link fence.
Advantages of a chain-link fence
- Very quick and easy to install with your own hands;
- Low cost;
- Lightweight construction, does not require a reinforced foundation;
- Lets light through, will not create conflict situations with neighbors because of the shadow created;
- Strict and unobtrusive appearance, which fits perfectly into any landscape.
Installation methods
You can install a chain-link fence with your own hands in two ways:
1. Ordinary, as in the photo above, when the mesh is stretched between two support posts. This method is much cheaper and simpler. It is recommended to use in cases where the goal is not to achieve an impeccable appearance, but you just need to install a fence quickly and cheaply.
2. Sectional, as in the photo above, when ready-made fencing sections are produced, in which a fragment of the chain-link mesh is fixed. This method will cost much more, because you will have to acquire metal corners, the price of which is higher than the mesh itself, but at the same time the fence itself will be much more attractive and practical (for example, you can hang a carpet on the top of the fence, dry something, etc.)
Materials
To install such a fence we will need the following materials:
- Metal pillars 50x50x2x3000 mm;
- Chain-link mesh (not galvanized, galvanized or plasticized);
- Fastenings (nails, galvanized bolts);
- Concrete M200.
Step-by-step instructions for installing a chain-link fence
So, how to make a chain-link fence with your own hands?
I. Marking the territory.
We begin work by driving in pegs in the corners of the area and pulling laces between them. We measure the length of the lace - this is the length of the required chain-link mesh, you also need to take into account + 5-7% of the additional length “in reserve”. Next, we mark the locations of the supports, the optimal step is 2.5-3 m.
II. Installation of pillars.
In the event that after the construction of the house there remains a sufficient amount wooden beam or other material that you can use as future support posts for the fence; when the price of “timber” in your region is several times cheaper than metallic profile, or you just need a temporary fence - then you should use wooden supports. The surface of the wooden beam must be cleared of bark, and it is also advisable to treat it with antiseptics and waterproofing mastic, which will protect the material from rotting and pests. The pillars should be trimmed based on the desired height of the fence, as well as the depth of the foundation to be dug (the hole should be 100-150mm larger than the soil freezing depth, therefore, if you are counting on a two-meter fence, and the soil freezing depth is 800 mm, then you should prepare pillars with a height of 3 m). But such supports will not last long, so it is better to use metal poles!
If you decide to build a solid and durable fence, take care of your purchase metal poles. Installation of such supports requires concreting the base. The depth of the concrete pit should be 1/3 of the height of the fence. For example, if you planned to install a fence 2 m high, the depth of the hole should be at least 1 m (you should also take into account the freezing depth and heaving of the soil).
III. Chain-link mesh tension.
TO wooden base It is most convenient to nail the fence with nails.
DIY sectional chain-link fence
The main difference between this method and the usual one is the presence of a frame.
For installation sectional fence from the chain-link mesh we will need the following materials:
- Metal posts 50x50x2x3000 mm;
- Chain-link mesh, galvanized or plasticized;
- Bent metal corner 40x40x3 mm
- Metal rod and strips for welding
- Concrete M200
Marking and installing the posts of a sectional chain-link fencing is no different from its simpler counterpart, but welding the frames will require some work. If you do not have good welding skills, then it is better to turn to a professional.
