Installing a high tensile fixed knot wire fence is one of the best investments you can make. It is durable, strong, and lasts longer than any other wire type. When installing Pasture Management’s high tensile fixed knot wire fence, some tools are needed to ensure the installation process runs smoothly. Because this type of fence is high tensile, it is sturdy and not easy to bend with bare hands. Be sure to use the tools listed below to help you successfully build your fence.
Key terms to know before you get started:
Fixed Knot: This type of knot ties the wire together. There are different types of knots that combine wires, but a fixed knot is the strongest type of wire knot you can use for your next project.
High Tensile: when we say “high tensile,” we are referring to the strength of the wire. When the steel used to make the wire has more carbon, it is stronger. High tensile wire has a minimum 0.28% carbon content, is made from high carbon steel, and has a 960 lbs. to 1,345 lbs. minimum breaking strength depending on fence type or knot. This means it is the strongest wire for fencing. High tensile wire is 2-3X stronger than low carbon, only stretches up to 4% (compared to 14% in low carbon), requires the least number of line posts, and does not require re-stretching.
Now, let’s get started building your high tensile fixed knot wire fence.
You will need the following equipment to get started in addition to your fixed knot high tensile wire.
- 2 Stretcher bars
- 2 Stretcher bar pullers
- Crimp sleeves
- A Crimping Tool
- Staples
- T-clips
- Wood posts
Now that we have all the tools to install our fixed-knot wire fence, we can begin installing it.
Step #1: Prepping the Wire
First, we will position the roll of wire so it is ready to roll to the other end of the soon-to-be fence. Begin unrolling the wire, but make sure to stop when we get to the midline of the fence.
Once we cut our wire at the midline of the fence, we will begin to pre-strip the wire. When doing this, we highly recommend putting down wire stakes in the ground to hold it down, so it won’t roll up on itself because high tensile wire is springy.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Now that your first piece is cut, you will want to overlap it with the second piece of fence that will continue to roll further down the fence line. Now, you are ready to pre-strip the wire.
To pre-strip the wire, we will nip the horizontal wire running through the middle of the knot, take a pair of flat pliers, twist up on the knot (untwisting it from the vertical wire), and mash down on the knot (making the point meet the tail end of the wire) to be able to pull it off of the end of the wire. This will have to be done again once you make it to the end of your fence line.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Step #2: Securing the Wire to the Post
In this part of the process, eye protection is critical. Whether sunglasses or safety glasses, they must be worn to prevent one from getting injured by the tails of wire sticking out from the fence.
Once we have unrolled the wire to the end of our fence line and pre-stripped the wire, we will take our staples and a hammer and hammer in the staples directly on top of each knot into the post.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Try to keep the fence straightened up on the center of the post.
Now, we can wrap the stripped wire end around the post and secure it to the fence with a t-clip. T-clips are not needed; many fencing professionals will tie strong termination knots instead. However, fencing professionals are, well, professionals. If you are building your own fence, make sure you know how to tie proper knots before attempting this. Better yet, make your life a little easier by using the T-clips. T-clips do allow some flexibility when adjusting the wire wrapped around the post and are a time-saver.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
We have secured the fence with t-clips to both H-braces at the beginning and end of the fence line. It is time to go to the center of the fence to begin our center pull to tension the fence. Make sure you bend back and clip the ends of the wires so animals do not injure themselves.
Step #3: Tension the Fence
Now that we are at the center of the fence, we will work with the two wire sections that meet at the midline.
First, we will put the stretcher bars underneath the fence wire and place the wedges through the bar gaps, ensuring the wire is between the wedge and the stretcher bar. This is critical in making sure the wire is held securely to the bar.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Once all five wedges are in place and holding a piece of wire, we will hammer them in tightly to ensure the wire is securely held between the wedges and the stretcher bar.
Repeat this step for both sections of the fence.
Now it's time to connect the stretcher bar pullers to the stretcher bars and begin tensioning the wire. Connect one puller at the top of the fence and another at the bottom of the fence. The stretcher bar pullers walk the chain to help tighten the fence.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Start by cranking the stretcher bar puller while the stretcher bars lay flat on the ground. Once a couple of cranks have tightened the tension, stand the stretcher bar pullers up vertically. Before beginning to crank again, check the fence posts on both corners to make sure the wire is forming how we want.
If the wire forms how we want it at the corner posts, we will begin cranking the stretcher bar puller again.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
It is important that we only pull out around 50% of the tension curve when we add tension to the fence. A tension curve is a sign that the wire is under pressure, and high tensile wire is not made to be overstretched. We don’t want to overstretch the wire, so when the weather changes, the wire is able to expand and contract. We also want to make sure that when the fence comes under pressure, the tension acts as a shock absorber to prevent your fence from failing.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Step #4: Joining the Fence
Now that the fence is under proper tension, we are going to prepare the wire for joining the two sections together with crimp sleeves. We will remove the excess wire once we have lined up where the fence overlaps in the middle.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Then, we will insert each end of the wire into the crimping sleeve, joining the two pieces of wire together. When you are ready to crimp, grab the crimping tool and crimp the crimping sleeve. If you link it up correctly, it should take three crimps to make the sleeve flat. Crimp it in the middle of the sleeve, and then, crimp on both sides of the sleeve. This should be done on each sleeve so it can hold its maximum capacity.
View the Building Fence 101: Installing High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence
Once we install all of our crimp sleeves, we will detach the stretcher bars and stretcher bar pullers. You have your newly installed fence!
Pasture Management’s High Tensile Fixed Knot Wire Fence is the stronger, longest-lasting wire on the market, and now you know how to install it. Still want to learn more about the installation process? Head to our YouTube channel to get started!