Fence Wire Installation

[Ramblin Wreck]

I've been looking at some university Ag/Coop sites on fence building, and they recommend installing barbed wire from the top strand down. That seems wrong, because the top wires would be "in your face/way" as you worked down the post. For those who have installed barbed wire fences, did you go from top to bottom or vice versa? Here's one of the links (University of Missouri) that indicates going from the top down but there are others. They just don't say why you should do it that way.

http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplo...gin/g01192.htm

[tyusclan]

We've always gone bottom to top. Don't guess it would really make any difference, but I agree with you that it seems the upper strands would be in you way if you went top to bottom.

[VALENT]

We always go top to bottom. When we lay the next strand of wire for pulling, it never tangles with the lower ones if they are not there.

[Ramblin Wreck]

Originally Posted by VALENT

We always go top to bottom. When we lay the next strand of wire for pulling, it never tangles with the lower ones if they are not there.

Yeah, I can see where entanglement might be an issue...now that you mention it. Thanks.

[agmantoo]

When building a new fence, the posts are less stable since they were just set. The movement of the posts is greater as you move farther up the post from the ground. When the top strand is installed there is a tendency for the post to become more stable as the end posts are pulled into position. When the lower wires are added the movement is lessened as a result of the corners being tensioned by the top strand.. Working from the top down on a barb wire installation will result in the wires being more taut.