Grrr! How the heck do you get hardware cloth tacked on straight?!

[kristenm1975]

Okay, I should be over this by now, but I make chicken tractors for people and get confronted by the bumps, warps and unevenness every time.

How do those of you who choose to use this stuff get it on there straight so that critters aren't just crawling up through all those openings made by the warping? Keep in mind, I'm doing this by myself and don't want to invest in some thousand dollar gizmo.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[rooster-red]

I always use drywall screws with washers so the clamping force is even, and work from one end to the other.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I hate working with the stuff. It always looks like its straight when you start and then you realize its not. Very frustrating.

 

[Zahboo]

We unroll it on our driveway, make sure its straight. Have 3 people working on putting it on. One person nailing, one keeping the top pulled tight and another keeping the bottom pulled tight. You can tie one end to a fence to keep tension while you're nailing it down. It takes creativity to find easy fixes

 

[annek]

Straight hardware cloth is the sign of a sick mind.

 

[kristenm1975]

If straight hardware cloth is the sign of a sick mind, I'm extraordinarily healthy.

Thanks for the ideas! I like the drywall screws and washers. I may have to give that one a try, since I don't have three people to help me, or a straight driveway to lay it down in.

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

A air compresor and staple gun. As for bending it, I hold it down with rocks until I get a 2x4 on it. I step on the 2x4 while I bend it upward.

Now if I could just do this without leaking a pint of blood out of the scratches on my arms.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Start out with the hardware cloth cut straight. Wouldn't electric wire cutters be nice? I spent two days zip tieing hardware cloth to the inside of my horse stall turned chicken coop event front bars and door by myself. Kept it straight and tight being the perfectionist.

Good snug fitting leather gloves help to grip the hardware cloth to pull it snug.

 

[mediazeal]

I was supposed to keep it straight???

 

[consdrs]

I installed some tonight... ugh I hate that stuff and I think the feelings are mutual.
I use fence staples to secure it to the frame but my trick to get it tight and straight... first put it up to frame then tack a roofing nail to the very middle just a little loose. then eyeball the corners to make sure everything is square. if not I reposition it on the nail. when straight nail it in. then in each of the corners put a roofing nail in at an angle so it is going to stretch the cloth as it is driven in. then finish attaching with fencing staples. I hate fencing staples even more than hardware cloth if that is possible...

Connie