Hinge-joint wire fence, commonly known as “Field Fence,” has been a part of the fencing landscape for many years. As one of the first woven wire options on the market after the introduction of barbed wire, “field fence” continues to be a mainstay phrase in conversations about building new fences and protecting your pastures, managing your pastures, and guarding your property.
There are features to choose from with your field fence options when you make your final purchase at your local farm store. If you have a Pasture Management dealer near you, we’ve made the decision easy with an improved standard field fence compared to other brands’ field fence (hinge-joint wire) options. While field fence is generally considered a price-point purchase, we have worked with our wire manufacturer to make a superior quality hinge-joint wire compared to other brands of standard field fence while maintaining a budget-friendly price.
What is Field Fence
As mentioned above, what we commonly call “field fence” is technically a hinge-joint wire. Hinge-joint wire is a type of woven wire. The hinge-joint knot is formed by wrapping a short vertical wire around each horizontal wire. It provides a stronger barrier than barbed wire. The woven structure of the wire prevents animals from slipping in between the strands of traditional barbed wire fences. Field fence is considered the budget-friendly option for building fences compared to its stronger counterpart fixed-knot wire fence.
How to Use Field Fence
Field fence can be used in a variety of settings. You will see it used as perimeter fencing and as an interior fence to divide larger tracks of land. Field fence is recommended for less heavily stocked spaces in a pasture management setting because the knot construction can only withstand high pressure for a short time before it starts to bend where the hinge comes together. Depending on what you plan to keep in or out of your land, you may consider using barbed wire or electric wire in conjunction with your field fence to prevent animals from rubbing on the fence or provide extra backup in high-pressure areas like small areas with larger animals or animals that like to rub on the fences.
When constructing a hinge-joint fence, you must consider post spacing to ensure you have the strongest fence possible. You need to place a wood post every 12 feet with field fences. This spacing helps sustain the structural integrity of the fence line.
A Better Field Fence Option for Your Next Fencing Project
When you start planning your next fence project and have determined field fence (hinge-joint wire) is the type of woven wire you want to work with, it’s time to consider the wire's features to ensure you have the highest return on investment on your wire purchase. Most field fence wire comes in the standard size of 10-47-6 (10 horizontal wires, 47 inches tall with 6-inch spacing between vertical wires).
From there, the differences begin between the different brands. You will want to pay attention to the type of steel, galvanization, and breaking strength of each kind of wire to ensure you get the strongest wire possible, which will create less headache later from stretched-out fence or, worse, broken fence.
When we talk about the type of steel, look at tensile strength and gauge. Tensile strength refers to the amount of carbon in the wire. The more carbon present, the stronger the wire and the less you will have to restretch your wire later. Gauge refers to the size/diameter size of the wire used to create the woven wire pattern. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the wire is in size. For example, 12.5 gauge wire is bigger than 14.5 gauge wire. Pasture Management medium tensile field fence is 64% stronger with a smaller wire than the standard low carbon field fence sold by other brands at a similar price point.
Next, look for the type of galvanized coating on the wire. Galvanization equates to the longevity of the wire. Remember - the higher the class, the longer it lasts. The different classes indicated the amount of zinc in the coating to protect the steel from rusting and corrosion. Class 3 galvanized wire is the industry standard for durability because it has substantially higher concentrations of zinc than Class 1. With class 3 galvanization, you can expect 20+ years of rust prevention compared to only four years with class 1 wire. All Pasture Management wire brand items, including the medium tensile field fence, are coated Class 3 and certified to meet the ASTM A116, 641, or 121 requirements. Consider the Pasture Management Field Fence wire option to save time and money and not replace your fence every four years. When installed and taken care of properly, Pasture Management Field Fence will last 3-5 times longer than other brands’ class 1 field fence.
Finally, consider the breaking strength of the wire used to build the fence. Breaking strength refers to the force that can be applied to wire before it stretches or breaks. While field fence, in general, is not typically considered the strongest fence possible on the market, Pasture Management Medium Tensile Field Fence can withstand 1.63 times more force than the standard field fence.
If hinge-joint wire, also known as field fence, is your choice of wire for your next fencing project, consider Pasture Management Medium Tensile Field Fence. You will have a stronger fence that stands the test of time at a price point that is friendly to any budget. Find your nearest Pasture Management dealer today to start your field fence project.