Field Fence Guide South Africa

What is field fence?

Field fence is a roll of woven wire with horizontal line wires connected by vertical stay wires. It creates a continuous agricultural barrier while allowing visibility and drainage. The vertical gaps between horizontal line wires may vary through the height; the three-number pattern does not describe every opening.

It is commonly considered for stock camps and agricultural boundaries. The animal, pressure on the fence, height, base gap, wire specification and supporting structure determine whether a particular roll is suitable. A stock barrier is not automatically a security fence or a predator-resistant fence.

Field fence differs from welded mesh, where crossing wires are welded, and diamond mesh, which is woven into interlocking diamonds. A field-fence roll’s integrated stays do not replace structural posts, gate posts or bracing.

What does 13/188/30 field fence mean?

Read the numbers in order: horizontal line count / approximate height in centimetres / horizontal aperture / block width in centimetres. Thus 13/188/30 describes 13 horizontal wires, approximately 1.88 m height and approximately 300 mm horizontal block width. It does not state wire diameter, tensile strength, coating mass or roll weight.

The block width is measured horizontally between adjacent vertical stay wires. A vertical stay wire forms part of the woven mesh; a fence stay or brace is a structural diagonal support for a straining, corner or gate post.

Do not confuse horizontal aperture / block width with the vertical gap between horizontal line wires. A stated height is the roll height, not the total length of a post needed above and below ground.

How do line wires, stay wires and joints work?

Horizontal line wires carry longitudinal tension. Vertical stay wires connect those lines and help maintain the pattern. The top and bottom line wires may differ from intermediate wires on some products

A hinge-joint construction wraps stay-wire ends around line wires so the joint can accommodate movement. Other woven joint constructions behave differently.

Crimps or shaped bends in line wires provide a limited amount of movement as loading and temperature change. They are not a licence to overstrain a roll or a guarantee that a distorted fence will recover. Pulling until all crimps straighten can change the intended behaviour.

Is 15 cm field fence better than 30 cm?

Closer horizontal block width makes a denser pattern, not a universally better fence. Lambs, young stock, horns and animals that climb or push need an assessment of the complete opening, wire resistance and supporting fence. A denser pattern can still be unsuitable if it has the wrong height, diameter or bottom gap.

For the same nominal height, line count and roll length, do not assume equal mass between different ranges. Cost per metre is useful only after the required construction and durability have been established.

Which field-fence rolls are listed by WFSA?

The following options are currently listed in the WFSA online shop. All eight describe a 100 m roll and Standard galvanised (Class C) finish. Check current branch availability and

The Standard galvanised field-fence range has a Class C zinc coating. Heavy galvanised Class A alternatives are specified separately.

Use the pattern in the product title when ordering. Do not use the generic shipping Dimensions field as the installed mesh height or aperture; shipping and product dimensions serve different purposes.

How should Mzansi / Econo field fence be compared?

Mzansi field-fence wire specification

WFSA identifies the supplied Hendok Bafana specification as its Mzansi field-fence wire specification. The asterisk beside the first line-wire entry is retained because its meaning is not defined in the supplied extract. WFSA supplies Standard galvanised Class C and Heavy galvanised Class A coating options. For 2.00 mm wire, the supplied schedule gives minimum zinc coating masses of 80 g/m² for Class C and 170 g/m² for Class A.

Heavy-duty field-fence wire specification

Heavy-duty construction and Heavy galvanised coating are different specifications. Type 224 above is supplied as Standard galvanised Class C. The edge and line wires have a minimum tensile strength of 1,050 MPa; stay wires are specified at 350–575 MPa. Zinc masses shown are the minimums from WFSA’s supplied coating schedule for each diameter. Specify a Heavy galvanised Class A option separately and

Mzansi / Econo is WFSA’s commercial-value range for selected price-sensitive, general-purpose, hardware-store and lower-load applications. It can be appropriate when the required use and service-life expectation allow that specification. It is not an automatic substitute for a project requiring defined tensile properties, diameter, coating or certification.

Compare actual top, bottom, intermediate and stay-wire diameters; stated roll length; net roll mass; coating; joint construction; and manufacturing tolerances. The shop’s listed weights differ between standard and Mzansi rolls with similar nominal patterns.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, economy-range products are supplied without a general warranty on service life or long-term performance. This does not exclude statutory consumer rights where applicable. WFSA terms and conditions.

Which field fence should I choose for livestock?

For horses, consider visibility, entrapment and impact consequences before selecting any wire barrier. Wire and barbed-wire choices require particular care around animals likely to run into or become caught in the fence. A specialist animal-safe layout may be required.

Identify flood crossings, erosion channels, roads, public access and neighbouring boundaries. Confirm current provincial, environmental, veterinary and project-specific requirements where applicable.

What posts, standards and gates are required?

The mesh must terminate into suitable straining assemblies at ends, corners, gates and changes in direction. Use bracing, stays or anchors appropriate to the loads and soil. Intermediate standards support the span; they are not automatically anchor or straining posts.

Separate strand-spacing droppers are usually unnecessary within a field-fence mesh because its vertical stay wires perform that spacing function. This does not eliminate intermediate structural supports. If separate plain or barbed wires are added above the mesh, assess their supports and spacers separately.

Do not apply one standard spacing to every field-fence job. Height, knot construction, tension, terrain, wind exposure, animal pressure and soil all matter. The WFSA approximately 30 m major-post / 3 m intermediate-standard practice described for certain welded and diamond-mesh systems must not automatically be transferred to field fence.

Gate posts need to support gate weight and operating forces as well as fence loads. Keep the gate opening, bottom gap, hinge side and latch side consistent with the containment objective. A sound mesh line can be defeated by a poorly detailed gateway.

How is field fence generally installed?

Start with the measured fence line and verified boundary. Mark separate straight runs, corners, gates and terrain breaks. Locate buried services and other hazards before digging or driving supports. Assess soil and drainage before choosing foundation and anchor details.

1. Build and check the straining, corner and gate assemblies before loading the wire. Confirm alignment, bracing and any concrete curing requirements with the installer.
2. Unroll with controlled handling equipment. Keep people and livestock away from rolling coils, wire ends and the tensioning path. Use suitable gloves, eye protection and footwear.
3. Use a suitable full-height straining bar or approved equipment to distribute the pull across the mesh. Pulling one wire alone can distort the pattern.
4. Apply controlled tension in manageable runs. Keep the intended crimp and joint behaviour; stop if posts move, the mesh distorts or equipment becomes unstable.
5. Fix to intermediate supports with compatible ties or clips. Avoid crushing wire, cutting its coating or locking movement where the system requires it.
6. Complete joins, gate interfaces and base detailing. Remove protruding wire and inspect the entire line before releasing animals or opening public access.

Joining methods must suit the wire construction and tensile grade. Follow the selected system’s joint detail; a short improvised twist is not automatically an adequate load-bearing splice. Avoid unsupported joints at heavily loaded corners.

On slopes, maintain useful clearance and the required animal barrier. Steep or changing contours may need shorter straining sections, stepped arrangements or a different mesh detail. Do not stretch a roll into a drainage channel and assume it will survive flood debris.

How should field-fence coating be selected?

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

Select coating for environmental exposure, project requirements and required service life. An inland address does not make a Standard galvanised coating suitable in every case: irrigation, persistent moisture, fertilisers, animal waste, industrial pollution and soil contact can increase corrosion exposure.

Standard galvanised (Class C) and Heavy galvanised (Class A) are different specifications. Zn/Al coatings are different again. A polymer layer is not interchangeable with zinc, and the substrate protection still matters. Compare the specified coating rather than appearance or wire diameter.

Coastal, humid and aggressive sites warrant consideration of enhanced corrosion-protection systems. Confirm available options with WFSA rather than assuming the currently listed Standard galvanised (Class C) rolls are suitable for every environment. Never infer a coating-life warranty from a range name.

How many rolls of field fence do I need?

For a continuous run, base rolls = round up (mesh-covered length ÷ usable roll length). Use the fence length excluding clear gate openings. Add the allowance required for joins, end fixing, terrain and damaged cuts before rounding up the purchase quantity. If separate short runs cannot share offcuts, estimate each run separately.

For example, 950 m of mesh-covered fence with 100 m rolls needs 10 base rolls. Adding 5% length allowance gives 997.5 m, still 10 rolls. Adding 10% gives 1,045 m and 11 rolls. These are estimating examples, not a recommended allowance for every site.

Count end, corner, intermediate and gate supports from the layout; the roll quantity alone does not provide them. Include suitable bracing, fixing ties/clips, joining material, gate hardware and any extra wire lines. Transport mass and handling equipment must suit the actual supplied rolls.

Use the farm-fence estimating tool as a planning aid and reconcile its assumptions with the actual design. Do not substitute an automatically calculated support schedule for the installer’s measured layout.

What should be checked after installation?

Inspect after initial settling and then at intervals appropriate to the site. Also inspect after fires, floods, storms, vehicle impact and unusual stock pressure. Look for loose mesh, moved posts, failed bracing, broken joints, corrosion and widened openings.

Repair the cause of damage before adding tension. Repeatedly tightening a fence on moving posts can worsen the failure. Re-tension only with suitable equipment and a clear working area. Replace damaged sections where repair cannot restore the required barrier.

Maintain vegetation and erosion control without damaging the wire. Keep gates aligned and their base gaps within the intended containment detail. Record repairs and any differences between ordered and supplied materials.

Ordering and project planning

Provide the application, species, mesh-covered length, heights, line count, horizontal block width, full opening pattern, joint construction, wire diameters, coating, required roll mass/tolerance and relevant project documentation. State whether Mzansi / Econo is acceptable or a specified range is required.

Send corners, gates, terrain breaks, soil and exposure information with the quotation request. Where a standard or certificate is required

Frequently Asked Questions

WFSA Field Fence 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.

15 cm and 30 cm mean horizontal block width, measured between adjacent vertical stay wires. They do not identify a structural fence stay. Where a two-dimensional mesh opening is listed below

Range and coating labels describe the listed product.

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