# Field Fence Wire - King Ranch, Red Brand vs Statite Brand High Tensil



## SilentH (Aug 27, 2014)

Hello,

I'm upgrading all my fencing from electric to Field Fence Wire. I'm looking for advice on brands of whether to go with high tensil Wire or not. The high tensil is a 12 gauge and non is 9 gauge. The claims is high tensil is better? Also, the choice of Class 3 over Statite zinc coating.

In addition looking Staytuff is claiming 25 feet spacing between wood post? I'm going with 5" x 8 treated post 10 feet apart and either 8" x 10 deadman however one fence guy recommend 10" tops x 10 foot corner post with 8" to make the deadman?

Anyone recommend a fence person down near Wallis Texas?

Thanks for the help!

Mark


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## reede (May 17, 2010)

Going with the wider post spacing on the high tensile, fixed knot wire will save a lot in post cost. It would more than make up for the difference in price.


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## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

I have recently rebuilt/repaired a few miles of fence the past months that got flooded with alot of debris. My observation is pipe corners are probably best, but telephone pole corners seem to hold up good too. As for line post on high tensile heavy guage like staytite I think 10 foot spacing on good 6.5foot tpost is more than enough. Even with flood debris 5 foot wide on entire fence the tpost seem to only bend a little as the wire holds the fence together. A tpost is much easier easier to straiten out than a cedar/wood post. As you have to pull it over and retamp. Also tpost seem to outlive cedar post and installing them is way easier. I have been using a gripple tool to tighten repairs along with crimps. Otherwise repairing netwire fence is a chore. A good 12.5 guage netwire like staytite is amighty strong fence. Once had a unexperianced tractor driver on a 4wd 50hp kubota drive strait into a staytite fence and broke a cedar post but the wire stoppedthe tractor with all tires spinning. Had to replacethe cedar post but just used a chain to straiten the tpost. So i am saying spend money on good heavy wire get it tight and save money and workload and just use tpost. Save that wood line post energy on clipping that lower barbe wire on the bottom(no fun) and put a barbe wire like 1-2 inches above the top of the net wire fence so cows wont push it down.


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## jr in va (Apr 15, 2015)

Class 3 galvanized Sta Tuff is what I bought last.I have used Gaucho and would again if I could find it without hinge joints here.

Some hi tensile barb we strung in 1985 is still rust free.


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

I have used Redbrand, but freely admit that it is cheaper than the other brands. Mine has been in place for 10 years with no problem. My wire is stretched on 4-6 inch pressure treated fence posts, 16 feet on center with no issues. I have not driven a tractor into it, but deer pile into it with no issues.

I would put a strand or two of electric wire on the inside though. When I co-grazed sheep and cattle, I had one cow rake his horns along it and take out the fencing while a single strand of electric would jolt the animals, and keep them from doing that. That is not the brand of fence wire though, but the style.

I always figured fencing at a 30 year life span here in Maine, so I am happy thus far. I am 1/3 of the way through its expected life and coating wise it has held up well. I see no reason why it cannot last 20 years more based on its current condition.

...

I do not have all of this, but figure the "perfect" fence would be Field Fence (called Page Wire here in Maine) 48 inches high with smaller horizontal strands lower on the bottom then the top, then about 1 foot up or so on the inside, a strand of off-set electric to help zap livestock, then a strand of barb wire placed at ground level to deter coyotes from digging under the fence. (Maine has some of the biggest and most prolific coyotes in the US).


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

I use H-braced corners, with 8 foot long (4 feet in the ground) posts, 8 inches in diameter. The biggest thing I think with this design is to use ratchet style tensioners on the diagonal wire braces and NOT winding sticks. You may not experience this because you have no frost in Texas but here in Maine frost plays havoc on the posts. That means sometimes I have to tighten the diagonal wire bracing. It is impossible to tighten winding sticks after field fence has been stapled on, but ratchets allow me too.

I strongly recommend using 1-1/2 double barbed staples. At first I did not do that, and that first winter drifting snow tore lots of it off the posts. Again, in Texas that might not be an issue, but 1-1/2 inch double barbed staples are cheap insurance.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

If you go the metal T-post route look at these wire clips, I bought a case of them last year and I love them, easy to work with and the sun & weather hasn't bothered them yet.

Here most use phone poles for corners, 5' deep with galvanized pipe for the top & cross brace along with ratchet tighteners & high tension wire..

https://www.lockjawz.com/


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## saferguson (Jul 2, 2021)

Well, as I read on a previous commentary, it is important to know what kind of animals you are keeping inside the fencing and also the kind of climatic conditions, as well as the ground’s consistency in your area. I’m not a big expert in the technicalities of building a resistant fence but I’ve got some sheep that were always finding a way to tear the fence down, when I decided to call some fencing services it turned out that the land’s previous owner used this space for chickens which didn’t require as much resistance as it is required now. In the end we used some t-posts and allowed ourselves a bit more spacing between them, it’s been working quite well so far. If it’s useful for you I can leave here the link ( walshlandscaping.co.uk ) of the services I’ve used.


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## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

Be easier to say if you told where your territory was. What animals are you keeping in or out?


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