Attaching hardware cloth to bottom of coop frame: to crease or not to crease.

[cowchipss]

I'm finishing up my first hoop coop and have cut the final three lengths of 36" (1/2") hardware cloth that will wrap over the coop. I cut them all and have them draped over the coop. Tomorrow I'll staple them in place. What do you all think? Crease them and have them sit directly on the frame or just staple them over? I'll post pics of the two ways I'm talking about. I'm also planning on reinforcing the wire with something other than stables but need to tack it in place first.

 

[cowchipss]

Creased with the hardware cloth bent so that it sits on top and the wraps over the frame.

 

[cowchipss]

Uncreased with the hardware cloth coming down and along the side of the frame. This is the back of the coop and I've already done this side without a crease. I could still add a crease though and I need to decide what to do along the length of the hoop. I think either way will be fine, it's my first coop of this kind, and am just curious what others think. Suggestions welcome!!!!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I think uncreased. It looks more secure, maybe because there is a bigger overlap with the wood and less exposed edge for an animal to me with

 

[cowchipss]

I think uncreased. It looks more secure, maybe because there is a bigger overlap with the wood and less exposed edge for an animal to me with

Thanks! I think I crease it up front because otherwise there would be gaps at the door frame. But the rest of the hoop house can be uncreased.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It looks better creased. If secured to your bottom board nothing will get in there. Where they will get in is digging under your run. To prevent this use a decent welded wire like 14 gauge 2x4" fencing. I take the 4ft fencing and cut in half to have about 2ft running flat out from run walls. You can lay flat on ground and allow grass to grow through it or pull up sod and lay under it. Animals when digging will always dig at the fence line. Hit wire and move over to dig at fence line again. They don't back up so something as big as neighbors dog digging will not reveal the beck edge of 2ft of wire.

 

[aart]

Either way looks fine...but what kind of staples are those?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Those look like ¾” poultry staples. They work pretty well to tack the wire in place but I would not trust them over time. With wood expanding and shrinking they can eventually work loose. A strong raccoon or big dog might be able to pull them out. That’s a neat job, by the way.

I personally prefer the uncreased. I’m an engineer and am going to go technical on you. Sorry in advance. When something pulls or presses against the wire the creased is going put a tensile force on the staple, it will try to pull it out. With the uncreased it will put a shear force on the staple. That means it pulls from the side not from above. You’ll get a stronger connection with the uncreased.

To make that a whole lot stronger, make it prettier, and to cover the sharp ends, I suggest you cut strips of wood maybe ½” to a better ¾” thick to cover those ends. (Called furring strips) Drill pilot holes to keep the wood from splitting and screw those over the ends of the wire. Make sure those screws go through the holes in the hardware cloth. Clamp that down pretty tight and that wire is not going anywhere, creased or uncreased. If you use thinner wood that is really dry it can sometimes split but if you put a fender washer on the screw it will spread the pressure and really stop the splitting.

You did not leave yourself a lot of room for this with the uncreased but looking at your workmanship I think you can manage to get the screws through the holes in the hardware cloth.

Good luck!

 

[aart]

Those look like ¾” poultry staples. They work pretty well to tack the wire in place but I would not trust them over time. With wood expanding and shrinking they can eventually work loose. A strong raccoon or big dog might be able to pull them out. That’s a neat job, by the way.

I personally prefer the uncreased. I’m an engineer and am going to go technical on you. Sorry in advance. When something pulls or presses against the wire the creased is going put a tensile force on the staple, it will try to pull it out. With the uncreased it will put a shear force on the staple. That means it pulls from the side not from above. You’ll get a stronger connection with the uncreased.

To make that a whole lot stronger, make it prettier, and to cover the sharp ends, I suggest you cut strips of wood maybe ½” to a better ¾” thick to cover those ends. (Called furring strips) Drill pilot holes to keep the wood from splitting and screw those over the ends of the wire. Make sure those screws go through the holes in the hardware cloth. Clamp that down pretty tight and that wire is not going anywhere, creased or uncreased. If you use thinner wood that is really dry it can sometimes split but if you put a fender washer on the screw it will spread the pressure and really stop the splitting.

You did not leave yourself a lot of room for this with the uncreased but looking at your workmanship I think you can manage to get the screws through the holes in the hardware cloth.

Good luck!

Clearance holes in the furring strip, pilot holes in the framing (if using regular wood screws).
I use clearance holes in thin wood and deck screws for about everything because they don't need pilot holes.

Good point about the stresses on the staples between creased and uncreased....course the furring strips makes that moot.

 

[woodboat]

Thanks Egghead for the idea of using 16 Gage 2"x4" fence at ground. I may use both the 2x4 fence and add under it 1/4" 19 gauge fence to keep out snakes and small rodents.