I need opinions on how to run the hardware cloth

[John Sanders]

I've got a long roll of 3' x 1/2" hardware cloth coming and have been planning to run it lengthwise down the side. The run will be 8x16 (ish) 6' high on 1 side and 5 on the other. I have seen some pictures of the HWC running up and down on 3' centers. I would put a board between those making 15" centers.

What have you guys done or how would you do it?

This will be my chance to post a poll!

 

[jennyf]

I ran up and down--Gravity is your friend in in this case, esp if you are working alone.

 

[B Redhawk]

If you have two or more sets of hands, it really doesn't matter which way you do it except on doors and windows, you want those covered in a single piece if possible. Like jennyf says, gravity should always be your friend, it will always win any battle. When putting pieces together, you can strip it (as you mention in your original post) or you can lace it, it is best to use a stainless steel wire for this, no rust is a good thing. I lace mine by wrapping from bottom to top with triple wraps at each end then twisting the short end around to anchor it to either the mesh or the lacing wire.

 

[ruchickn]

I ran mine the long way and put regular chicken wire on the top

 

[Folly's place]

Mine is run vertically, and overlapped on framing just under 3' on centers. We added some vertical posts to make it work out. Stapled into the posts with 3/4" fence staples, and covered with 2"x4" woven wire, and then 1"x4" wood strips stapled to the framing. Unless you are very short, make that run taller, so you and everyone else can walk in it without crouching. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I guess my point is that it's best to have framing to attach each run of the wire to on each edge, with overlap, and that would mean more framing if you run it horizontally. Mary

 

[aart]

Depends on how you frame it.
Frame at 3' (measure mesh first, it may not be exactly 3')
whichever way works best, vert. or hor.

 

[jeria]

Since I'm doing it by myself I'm planning on vertically. I have 48" cloth and I may have to add one vertical 2x4 to make it work out because of a doorway. Horizontal meant extra framing and those rolls of wire are dang heavy.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

We did horizontal too but yes, those rolls are heavy.
We cut them into the sizes we needed so we wouldn't have to hold those heavy rolls.
There ya go.

 

[aart]

Measured and cut the pieces I needed in the garage on the nice large smooth floor,
then take them to the coop and install.
Pretty easy to tip the roll down onto the floor and pull out the amount you need,
use gallon jugs of water to pin things down from re-rolling.