Economical fencing along highway

[sassy_mare]

Here I sit - still pondering and no fence built!

I am looking for suggestions on a fence to parallel a highway. It will NOT be in contact with any livestock. It is simply one straight line along the front of our property 250' then our driveway (with 16' gate) then 400'. I've already sunk HUGE tele. poles as end posts.

The fence is to discourage dogs from the road. It is also to slow down any (heaven forbid) loose horse if they should get out of their pasture and head for the road.

I had originally started with 14 ga. welded wire and all t-posts 10 feet apart for line posts but it looked bad. I think I need something a bit stronger and perhaps a few wood posts?

Woven wire seems so expensive. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Anyone ever use chainlink with t posts?

I am in MN - so snow load is a consideration.

Thanks all!
Sheri

PS - I would like to eventually do each side of our property when $ allows.

[rambler]

High tensile would be nice looking, cheap. But, probably not much good for the dogs deal. Would do everything else for you & be least cost.

Otherwise, I think you have to pick between 'looks good' or 'is cheap'. You kinda have the different choices in your message already.....

Were you able to build on the easement line? In my county, a neighbor built a fence, then got a letter he needed to be back 15' from the easement line, so had to do it all over. Don't know why, seems the county is taking extra property for free, but anyhow a word to the wise.

If it were me I would go for 'looks good' as you & everyone else has to see it long after it is paid for....... 650 feet of woven is less than $300 - 2 rolls of woven, 1 barbed for the top, not that big a deal. pull it _tight_. Will be considered a legal fence for your insurance & so on, really helps....

--->Paul

[milkstoolcowboy]

I don't understand what sort of fence do you have around rest of property? If you don't have the rest of your perimeter fenced, fencing along the highway isn't going to keep it out.

It's nice to have a good perimeter fence -- that will keep your stock in and others out. Your exact costs may be different.

Here's some rough figures for that 650' feet of fence, materials cost only.

For $1200, you could put in 5" dia. (8 foot long) treated posts on 12 foot centers, the corner and brace posts, 39" high woven wire (6" vertical spaces, no. 9 wire on top and bottom, no. 11 filler wire), two barb wires above that, the wire clicks (ferrules), staples, brace wire and a good 16 ft. tube steel gate.

If you want 39" woven wire with two barbs above it fastened to steel T-posts on 16.5 foot (1 rod) centers, with the gate, addtl. wooden brace posts, hardware that will run you a bit over $700.

Here's a money-saving thought. There are literally thousands of T-posts sitting in the weeds waiting for some forgetful feller to run over them with a bush-hog. These can be had for somewhere between $0.10 and $0.25 a post. (Check local farm auctions or put a "Wanted Ad" in the local papers.) Used wooden posts about $5 apiece. Barb wire and netting lots of guys would probably give to you free or scrap price equivalent. Used netting is a royal PITA to work with, but I've used it many times. Lots of farmers just throw it on the pile of scrap going to the junk yard. Assuming you get the gate new, cost of this fence would be $200, but more of your time involved.

If you don't have all the tools you need for fencing, there's some extra expense. Every fence you put in will need repairs and upkeep, it's just a question of how soon. If it were me, I'd build it to keep large livestock in, so if you wanted to pasture or glean, you wouldn't have to add fence (except maybe insulators and electric fence wire).

[buspete]

For a free "redneck" fence:

650' of frontage would take 162- 4' pallets and probably 5lb of 16d nails.

Total investment: about $15

[sassy_mare]

I love the pallet idea, but it would take me quite some time to locate 162 pallets!

I've got the t posts - I was just wondering if I am not aware of or considering any other type of fence options.

I will be slowly adding to this fenceline (as $ allows) to eventually complete a perimeter fence...

Thanks for the suggestions!
Sheri

[jassytoo]

We put chain link fence along the front of our property also to keep out dogs and neighbors livestock that seemed to get out regularly. I then planted some evergreens along the inside of the fence. The shrubs have grown and hide the fence plus give us privacy from the road. If you plant some kind of hedge you could get by with a woven wire fence. No one will see it after the hedge grows and dogs won't be able to get through.