EastmanEggs
Chirping
THIS IS IMPORTANT information because retailers are not distinguishing the difference between two uniquely manufactured products and how they perform. This information applies to anyone with a welded wire fence.
I went to my local farm store today to pick up some Welded wire fencing, 6 feet tall, to create a new 20 x 50' chicken run. While I was there I noticed the wire from two different rolls in the same product bin had a different surface on them, or rather they shined differently.
One of the 6 foot tall, 50 foot rolls, was very shiny, smooth, and labeled as galvanized. The other 6 foot tall, 50 foot roll, with the same item number was also labeled as galvanized – but it appeared much more dull and somewhat course.
I asked the guy at the hardware desk if he knew if there was any difference between the two items in terms of quality, he said he's wasn't sure but agreed they did look different. He suggested age or storage may be the cause - but I wasn't confident in his reasoning.
After a little bit of research on my phone, while standing in the store, I found the two rolls are indeed a similar product, however,
HOW they were galvanized was different!
Welded wire that appears very clean and shiny is galvanized (coated in zinc) using electricity. This is known as electro galvanized metal. This process by which the galvanizing occurs Involves the use of electricity rather than high heat. It looks more attractive in the store- but the product quality is inferior. This electrogalvanization causes the galvanized metal to be less protected in outdoor conditions over time compared to that of the second old-fashioned method of galvanization.
Welded wire that appears slightly dull, somewhat course, and grey-blued in color is galvanized using hot dip method. This creates a far superior galvanization. Many people who work in construction will know this simply because they know the quality of a hot dipped galvanize nail is far superior to a standard galvanize nail, or because they will recognize that type of galvanization is similar to what's on the chain-link fence, meant to bear the harsh conditions of weather and abuse.
Make sure your welded wire fencing is hot dip galvanized for the best results, especially outdoors.
Do not be tempted to buy the shiny galvanized wire fencing just because it appears to be more attractive now in the store, it was made more cheaply and is an inferior product.
Image Description:
LEFT showing dull HotDip high quality galvanized welded wire.
RIGHT showing shiny "pretty now- rusted later" same quality wire, lower quality coating.
Both are galvanized, one is far better.
Other users' key points copied to here in BLUE:
Jensownzoo- class 3" has a thicker coating of zinc than "class 1", meaning it should withstand rusting for even longer. Might not matter on your cicken coop, but if putting up fencing...
aart-
Galvanized After Welding(GAW) is another good thing to be aware of.
GAW is what you want......Stuff that is welded after galvanizing will rust where welded.
I went to my local farm store today to pick up some Welded wire fencing, 6 feet tall, to create a new 20 x 50' chicken run. While I was there I noticed the wire from two different rolls in the same product bin had a different surface on them, or rather they shined differently.
One of the 6 foot tall, 50 foot rolls, was very shiny, smooth, and labeled as galvanized. The other 6 foot tall, 50 foot roll, with the same item number was also labeled as galvanized – but it appeared much more dull and somewhat course.
I asked the guy at the hardware desk if he knew if there was any difference between the two items in terms of quality, he said he's wasn't sure but agreed they did look different. He suggested age or storage may be the cause - but I wasn't confident in his reasoning.
After a little bit of research on my phone, while standing in the store, I found the two rolls are indeed a similar product, however,
HOW they were galvanized was different!
Welded wire that appears very clean and shiny is galvanized (coated in zinc) using electricity. This is known as electro galvanized metal. This process by which the galvanizing occurs Involves the use of electricity rather than high heat. It looks more attractive in the store- but the product quality is inferior. This electrogalvanization causes the galvanized metal to be less protected in outdoor conditions over time compared to that of the second old-fashioned method of galvanization.
Welded wire that appears slightly dull, somewhat course, and grey-blued in color is galvanized using hot dip method. This creates a far superior galvanization. Many people who work in construction will know this simply because they know the quality of a hot dipped galvanize nail is far superior to a standard galvanize nail, or because they will recognize that type of galvanization is similar to what's on the chain-link fence, meant to bear the harsh conditions of weather and abuse.
Make sure your welded wire fencing is hot dip galvanized for the best results, especially outdoors.
Do not be tempted to buy the shiny galvanized wire fencing just because it appears to be more attractive now in the store, it was made more cheaply and is an inferior product.
Image Description:
LEFT showing dull HotDip high quality galvanized welded wire.
RIGHT showing shiny "pretty now- rusted later" same quality wire, lower quality coating.
Both are galvanized, one is far better.
Other users' key points copied to here in BLUE:
Jensownzoo- class 3" has a thicker coating of zinc than "class 1", meaning it should withstand rusting for even longer. Might not matter on your cicken coop, but if putting up fencing...
aart-
Galvanized After Welding(GAW) is another good thing to be aware of.
GAW is what you want......Stuff that is welded after galvanizing will rust where welded.
Last edited:
