How far apart should I set the posts for the run?

[Jewelwing]

I'm planning a run that is 8' wide by 17' 6" long. It will be almost 7' high (don't ask why!).

I'm going to sink 4x4's in the ground and have runners at the bottom, middle, and top of the fence, and then I was going to attach hardware cloth to that. All along I've been planning to space the 4x4's 8' apart, but now that I'm looking at it, I wonder if that is close enough for the hardware cloth to be well-supported. Will the structure be too flimsy to hold up to a determined predator (we have coyote, raccoons, mink, hawks)? I'm going to run the hardware cloth across the top too.

Should the 4x4's be closer together than 8'?

Thanks!!

 

[aart]

I think 8' is close enough for the 4x4's with the 3 horizontal runners (2x4's?) to attach the HC to....you could always add a vertical 2x4 to the runners if needed.

 

[Jewelwing]

Yes, the runners will be 2x4. OK, we'll start with the 8' spread. Thanks!!