Hexagonal Wire Netting Guide South Africa

Netting coating and economy selection

For the complete explanation of zinc, alloy and outer coating systems, read the WFSA Corrosion, Galvanizing & Protective Coatings Guide.

Coating selection should be based on environmental exposure, the project specification and required service life. WFSA recommends heavy galvanising or another suitable enhanced-corrosion coating for coastal, humid and highly corrosive environments. Standard galvanised coating may be used for selected price-sensitive inland applications where the project specification and expected service life allow them; Standard galvanised coating is not a universal inland recommendation.

Wire diameter, tensile strength, coil mass and zinc coating are separate specifications. WFSA supplies Class C Standard galvanised and Class A Heavy galvanised wire. Compare the applicable coating mass at the actual wire diameter; enhanced zinc/aluminium coatings are separate systems and must be specified as such.

Mzansi and Light netting are commercial-value options for selected applications. Where diameter is omitted from the listing, it is unconfirmed: a stated aperture, height or roll length does not establish the wire thickness, coating mass or containment performance.

WFSA product tiers: Mzansi / Econo and specified ranges

The WFSA Mzansi / Econo range is a commercial-value range for selected price-sensitive, general-purpose, retail, hardware-store and lower-load applications where a project-specific certified or warranted specification is not required. Select it for the intended use; it is not an automatic substitute for heavier-duty, fully specified or standards-compliant material.

Depending on the product, differences can include actual wire diameter, coating level, mass, steel content and manufacturing tolerance. Compare the individual specifications rather than height, mesh opening or purchase price alone.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, economy / VL / LD products are not supplied with a general warranty on service life or long-term performance. This does not exclude statutory consumer rights where applicable. Read the WFSA terms and conditions and Do not use economy material as a substitute for a required structural or certified specification.

What is hexagonal wire netting?

Hexagonal wire netting is a flexible woven mesh with a six-sided opening pattern. It differs from welded mesh, whose crossing wires are welded together, and diamond mesh, which forms interlinked diamond openings.

Start by identifying what must be contained or excluded. Opening size, wire diameter, height, coating and the frame or support system all affect the enclosure. The product’s name is a starting point for discussion, not a guarantee that it will suit every animal or stop every predator.

WFSA netting specification table

These are the WFSA online descriptions reviewed in October 2026. The Mzansi and Light labels do not establish a wire diameter.

How to read a netting description

Chicken / Netting / 1.2m / 25 / 0.70mm / 50m describes the named range, 1.2 m roll height, 25 mm nominal aperture designation, 0.70 mm wire diameter and 50 m roll length.

Do not confuse aperture with diameter. Height describes the mesh width across the roll when installed upright; roll length describes the amount running along the fence. Ask how the nominal hexagonal aperture is measured if exact opening size is important.

What do 13, 25, 75 and 90 mean?

These numbers identify nominal mesh-opening sizes in the relevant product descriptions. Smaller openings can address smaller-animal containment requirements, but wire strength and enclosure detailing must also suit the use.

Bird, chicken, jackal and pig netting describe different product groups. Use the aperture, wire diameter, height and roll length to identify the material required. A familiar animal name is not a guarantee of containment: suitability depends on the animal, support system, ground clearance and complete enclosure design.

Bird and chicken netting

WFSA lists 13 mm Bird and 25 mm Chicken products with 0.70 mm wire. Select opening size for the animals’ size and behaviour, then check the frame, door gaps, roof openings and fastening arrangement.

Containing poultry and excluding a determined predator are separate requirements. Fine netting is not automatically a high-strength security barrier. Consider whether a stronger mesh or additional barrier is required at vulnerable areas. Keep sharp wire ends inaccessible to animals and handlers.

Jackal and pig netting

WFSA’s listed Jackal products use 75 mm openings and 1.80 mm wire; the specified Pig products use 90 mm openings and 1.80 mm wire. Confirm the requirements of the whole fence before selecting either.

Names such as Jackal do not guarantee a predator-proof installation. Ground gaps, erosion, burrowing, gates, corners and height can undermine an otherwise suitable netting product. A Pig label similarly does not establish suitability for every size or type of livestock.

Netting, welded mesh or diamond mesh?

Choose for the actual load and enclosure requirements rather than appearance. Read the Welded Mesh Guide and Diamond Mesh Guide for those systems.

Gross area per roll

Gross area = roll height × roll length. This is not usable coverage after seams, overlaps, buried or turned edges and offcuts. Cutting a roll into panels changes usable layout, not its original gross area.

How many netting rolls do I need?

For one continuous vertical layer, start with ceiling(required running length ÷ usable roll length). Add the actual lengths required for joints, gate details, overlaps and waste before rounding.

An illustrative 120 m run plus 5 m of planned allowance requires 125 m. At 50 m per roll this gives 3 rolls. The allowance is an example, not a recommended overlap. If additional layers or separate panels are required, include them individually.

Gross-area arithmetic can mislead when roll height does not match the frame. Draw the panel layout, identify where offcuts can be reused and check the ordering height before purchasing.

Support, edges and joins

Provide a suitable frame or fence support arrangement so the netting is held consistently without excessive distortion. Secure the edges and join separate lengths using the project’s approved method. Do not pull flexible hexagons out of shape to make an undersized panel fit.

Check door clearances, bottom edges, corners and roof junctions. Any buried apron, turned edge or ground treatment must be designed for the enclosure and site; no universal burial depth or fixing interval is prescribed here. Avoid digging without locating relevant services.

How should a netting enclosure be planned?

Draw every face of the enclosure, not only the perimeter. Include doors, roof or overhead protection where needed, corner returns and the base detail. Birds can escape above a wall; predators may enter through a weak door or floor interface rather than through the netting itself.

Choose apertures for the smallest animals concerned and check entrapment risks as they grow. Pig netting with a 90 mm label is not an assurance that piglets cannot pass; bird netting with a 13 mm label is not an assurance of suitability for every small bird. Species and behaviour require assessment.

The flexible mesh needs edge support and compatible fasteners. A 1.2 m roll with part used at the base does not leave 1.2 m above ground.

Opening measurement depends on the hexagonal pattern and product convention. Do not replace a specified square mesh aperture with a similarly numbered hexagonal opening without checking suitability. Woven netting is also not a substitute for structural gabion or rock-retention mesh merely because both can have hexagonal openings.

What is a practical netting installation sequence?

2. Measure each face and opening; plan joints and cuts without relying only on gross roll area.
3. Locate services and establish the frame, supports and any approved base treatment.
4. Unroll under control, position without stretching the openings out of shape, and attach edges using suitable compatible fasteners.
5. Join lengths and finish cuts so there are no exposed sharp ends, loose seams or unwanted gaps.
6. Inspect doors, corners, base and roof junctions; establish a maintenance and repair plan.

For predator-sensitive stock, include regular inspection after rain, erosion and digging. A secure seam should not create a sharp edge accessible to animals. Do not infer a fixed tie spacing or burial depth for every netting system.

Read Farm Fencing and Farm Gates for layout and opening considerations. The Field Fence Guide explains a different woven construction; the Supports Guide explains component roles.

Coatings and service conditions

Ask for the coating type and actual specification where corrosion resistance matters. Product names and a silver finish do not provide coating mass or a lifespan. Coastal exposure, persistent damp, soil contact, animal waste and chemicals can all affect selection.

Keep the selected coating compatible with the enclosure environment and fastenings. Plan access for inspection and repair. Our Galvanized Fencing Wire Guide covers coating terminology.

Handling and inspection

Wear suitable gloves and eye protection, control the roll as it is opened, and cut with equipment appropriate to the wire. Secure or remove protruding ends and keep offcuts away from livestock, children and vehicle routes.

Inspect ties, gates and bottom edges regularly. Repair damaged openings and check for erosion, vegetation loads or impacts that have pulled the mesh loose. A small break can become a larger containment gap when animals push against it.

Shop the listed WFSA netting products

What to include in an enquiry

State the animals or intended use, required aperture, wire diameter, roll height, roll length and number of rolls. Add a layout showing gates, corners and vulnerable ground edges, plus the site exposure and delivery branch.

Store prices apply to Centurion; contact Bloemfontein or George for their branch availability and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

WFSA Wire Netting Supply Range

WFSA supply range: Available from WFSA — request a quotation. Contact WFSA for current branch availability, lead time and the exact combination required. A listed range does not mean every branch holds every item at all times.

Current online products: Shop links identify published online listings. The online shop shows only part of the WFSA supply and manufacturing range; additional range items can be ordered by quotation.

Range and coating labels describe the listed product.

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