Jeez, I can't get this roll of wire flat!! Any suggestions??

[sally4500]

I am ALMOST done with the new run, and I have 14 gauge hardware cloth left to put on. I cannot for the life of me roll it out flat!!! It has a continuous roundness to it, no matter what I do. Even if I cut off a piece, it is not flat. Is this the norm?? I am doing this myself, and it is hard to menuver. Is there some "trick" I don't know about? (Hubby is away so he can't help.) Thanks!!

 

[Thundrr-Chicken]

can you unroll it... and then roll it in the opposite direction??? thats what i do with other things that are rolled up... i have no idea if it will work with the hardware cloth though... but im going to be finding out soon enough with my own lol

 

[St-Hubert]

I had to roll most of mine out on my lawn and walk on it. That helped a bit with the roundness....hammering it onto the posts settled most of the rest.
Hope that helps.

 

[PineappleMama]

Isn't that a pain!! I unrolled it, tacked down the ends (sounds all fancy but basically I used chairs, lumber, even a pogo stick) and then I walked on it to flatten it. On the end pieces I pulled them back and bent (not much just enough) and then stepped too. To get the middle to behave I just flipped the mess over and did the same as the ends.

Good luck, it was a booger but we survived!

 

[mdbokc]

Yes, it is the norm with rolled wire like this. If you are near the end of the roll, turn it "upside down" so that you have to work it out beneath the roll. Then bend it back against the rounded shape and it will lie flat. Or at least enough that you can work with it w/o difficulty.

ETA: I was going to mention walking on it but some people overdo it and then aren't happy with it that way either as it might have a few dents.

Didn't want to be the first to mention walking on it but I do in a heartbeat to flatten rolled fence.

 

[sally4500]

Thanks everyone! I think it is a pain because it is the heavier gauge. It kept snapping back at me. That's when I finally gave up and posted on the forum. I will try all your ideas in the am. I was getting way too frustrated to continue with it tonight........

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Make sure to wear some heavy duty gloves or it will look like you got into a cat fight and lost!

 

[elmo]

Yes, 14 gauge is difficult to work with like that. I've read that it helps somewhat if you use the rolling in side towards your posts as you attach it. I used 16 gauge for a small project and rolled it out on my driveway weighted down with bricks for a few days before I tried installing it. That helped somewhat.

 

[designer43]

I just finished my coop mostly built in my garage. I have some big pieces of scrap carpet on the floor. I secured one end and walked (stomped) on it as I unrolled it. The carpet pile lets each footprint impart a slight reverse indentation. Enough footprints and it's fairly flat. Not ideal, but it's the best I could come up with.

 

[imthedude]

attach it to whatever you're attaching it to, pull it as tight as possible, and fasten it as you go moving from the start end to the finish end. that should get it pretty flat.