Sharp hardware cloth

[johnnalei]

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do to deal with the sharp ends of hardware cloth? I regularly get poked when I'm in my coop. I was thinking putting caulk over it, but not sure this is the best solution. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Good question - hope somebody has an answer because I'm tired of getting my ponytail and clothes snagged.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Pictures, please..how are you getting poked?

 

[johnnalei]

Well here's a pic of my coop. The main area that bugs me is the door. The hardware cloth on the door is always scratching me and catching on my clothes. To be clear, it's the edges where the hardware cloth is cut.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Fold the edges down under themselves and tack down. Or get a small piece of molding/trim and cover the edge.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Can you put a strip of wood (I forget what it's called, maybe a woodworker can chime in here) that they sell for trim? Like a thin wood strip over the edges you get caught on? It's similar to baseboard molding, but smaller/thinner?

 

[patandchickens]

Not sure exactly how you have it installed, but the simplest thing is *usually* to cover any exposed edges with a piece of wooden trim (square or quarter round in corners, any ole thing in other situations). Nail or screw, probably predrilling the holes in the trim unless it is really a bigger-than-normal-trim size piece of wood (thin narrow trim splits real easily if you don't predrill pilot holes)

I wouldn't trust caulk -- not only do poky things poke through it, but chickens tend to peck and eat it.

For larger mesh wire, you can individually 'kill' each stick-y-out-y wire end by bending it and hammering it into the wood there... but this is not a reasonable option for hardwarecloth, with so many so-relatively-thin wires. GOod for 2x2 or 2x4" fence wire though!

(e.t.a - if it is just a small area of exposed edge, another possibility is to take something like a screwdriver or messed-up old chisel, and hammer that against the edge of the hardwarecloth til it is bent down into the wood a bit. Covering with trim would be safer though. Doesn't even have to be wood trim -- anything metal or plastic you have lying around that will be rigid and durable enough would work fine too)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[johnnalei]

I didn't even think of a wood strip. I wonder though would the thickness of the hardware cloth make it impossible to tack down such a small piece of wood over it?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
No, I've done this a number of times for various projects... you do end up with a space between the two pieces of wood (b/c of the thickness of the hardwarecloth wire) but it still does the job of concealing the nasty edge. Its strength is as good as the strength of the trim and the job you do affixing it. Has worked fine for me anyhow

Pat

 

[johnnalei]

Great! Thanks for all the advice. Can't wait to have a coop that doesn't attack me