What kind of screw and washer should I use to attach hardware cloth?

[wmcdow]

I'm attaching 1/2" hardware cloth to 4x4 and 2x4 treated lumber. Are there different sizes and types? Thanks!

 

[DntBrnDPig]

No animal is going to pull staples shot from an air crown stapler unless they have opposable thumbs and a pry bar

So you're saying there's a chance

 

[blucoondawg]

the last 3 coops I've built I used my air stapler to attach the hardware cloth. We had a creek running across the front of the property that fed a pond at the edge of the property. The last two coops were less than a hundred feet from the creek/pond. We had all kinds of raccoons, I'd get them all hours of the night on my trail camera that watched over my deer feeder. Never once had a coon get in either of the chicken coops. Yes I was talking about construction use air powered stapler, not a staple your kids homework pages together stapler or not even a staple up your insulation hammer stapler. Yes, those kind would be easy for a coon or dog to tear apart. I will say that the firring strips either screwed or nailed over the edges of the hardware cloth definitely looks better, if time and cost doesn't matter. For me, it was just cheaper and easier to fire up the compressor and air staple it together.

yep, use a good amount of staples of a decent length and the animal would have better luck tearing the mesh apart than pulling out those staples

 

[Ridgerunner]

You have treated wood so watch what hardware you use. That’s probably what JD was talking about. You need different hardware for treated wood.

Many people use screws and washers but I don’t. I take a strip of wood, ½” to ¾” thick and lay that over the ends of the hardware cloth, drill a pilot hole so the wood doesn’t split, and screw that on. With treated wood, get the screws especially made for treated wood. Just clamping the wood on tight will hold it, but putting the screws through holes in the hardware cloth makes it all that much more secure. The wood also covers the ends of the hardware cloth so it looks neat and does not snag your clothes or skin.

The risk to this is that the wood can split if you don’t drill pilot holes (which makes it a lot easier to start the screws anyway) or if you use wood too thin or too brittle. I use a table saw and rip mine out of a 2x4.

When people talk about staples, they are not talking about the kind of staples you use to staple a few pieces of paper together. I’ve seen that confusion on here before. They are talking about the heavy duty construction staples.

I also use the fencing staples you drive in with a hammer on round fence posts where covering it with a strip of flat wood is more difficult. I don’t use the ¾” poultry staples because I don’t think they are robust enough to keep a raccoon form pulling them out. I use 1-1/4” fencing staples. When installing them you need the piece you are driving them into to be pretty solid. If the piece is thin it can split or if it can vibrate or is flimsy these staples are a real pain to drive in.

There are different ways to do this. I just like using wood and screws instead of screws and washers. I have not compared costs but by ripping a 2x4 instead of buying already cut wood for this, I don’t think it costs all that much, but I have a good table saw. What tools you have or are willing to buy, rent, or borrow make a difference.

Good luck!

 

[blucoondawg]

No animal is going to pull staples shot from an air crown stapler unless they have opposable thumbs and a pry bar

 

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Staple in place then put furring strips over to hide staples......best option by far.
Holwachagot

 

[PapaChaz]

fastest way to do it is an air powered stapler.....there is a screw called a ' modified truss screw' that has a large diameter head, looks like the washer is made on it. Not sure if they make them big enough to work on a 1/2" hardware cloth, but if you can't find them, and are stuck buying a screw and washer, make sure you get pan head screws, and fender washers.........the washers will stay on them much better than regular wood screws.

 

[JDGator]

staples are nice and quick and pretty strong. if you don't have a air gun, electric, or gas powered, use coated deck screws (1 1/2"-2") and a 5/16" stainless flat washer. don't use a regular plated washer or it will rust. if you don't care about the rust look, then buy regular ones as they will be much cheaper.

 

[Belott]

I used 1 5/8 star drive deck screws with 3/16 X 1 1/4 fender washers. The fender washers run between $7-$8 per box of a hundred.

I personally don't believe in using staples as a determined coon or dog can pull staples out unless using heavy duty fence staples used for attaching barbed wire to fence posts.

David

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I recently got a pneumatic staple gun and it has change my life. I've made several cages in the last couple weeks and without the staple gun - life would not be so good. With the gun, the projects were fun.