# Is this fine with my Fencing



## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

I am going to go 2 strands of rope wire with the first wire at 2 ft then the 2nd wire at 4 ft. Then I was gona go at 4 ft 6 with a 1x6 all the way around the top. How far apart do the post for the 1x6's need to be? I now the rope can be further apart than the 1x6's though. I guess I can go 12 or even 16 ft apart for the roping right?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't think I would go any farther apart than about 10 feet. Just for the simple fact that if you have a sudden wind come up, it would be fairly easy for a 1x6 to be broken if it is a long way between support posts.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

is 1 foot fine for the post depth? I will be using either a 4x4 or something a little similar in size. Maybe a little bit smaller as I saw home depot had 8 ft post, rounded edges for $3.97 each while the 4x4's most other places I checked were near 6 bucks. The ones home depot has might be slightly smaller than a 4x4 but they are good sizes, I think they are just rounded edges but they are not the older type round wood posts though. I might also used t post but more than likely it will be the wood post cause I want to put the 1x6's around the top; at least for the front side and corners near the house. I might actually not put 1x6's around the whole thing.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Depending on your frost line in your area may determine depth, regardless I would not go less than 3 ft into the ground and typically 4'


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

churumbeque is exactly right. 

Standard rule is at least 1/3 of the post's length should be under ground. 

Sinking them 1 foot will virtually guarantee that the posts will lean and fall over.

I would not go smaller than a 4" x 4" post either; something smaller will not support the weight of the 1" X 6". I'd recommend you go with 8' between your posts. You might get away with 10 or 12', but if you look at the cost of lumber; it might actually be cheaper to do 8' centers and 16' boards. This is also a more secure configuration than a having a join on every post.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Those rounded edge 4x4s is what I have a lot of and use on a lot of my fencing. I agree though that 1 foot isn't deep enough. Your main problem with that would be whenever it rains, the ground gets soft and soggy down farther than that and you posts would end up leaning and sagging. I would suggest taking it about as deep as you can but no shallower than 2 feet. That's about as deep as I can ever take mine because my place sits on a rock shelf and it is nearly impossible to go much deeper than that without dynamite LOL. I occasionally have a problem with saggy posts but it's usually only when a horse has been leaning on the fence.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

For a 4' fence, you need a 6' post (2 feet in the ground, 4 feet above.) For a 4' 6" or 5' fence, you need an 7 - 8' post. The great thing about using 8' is that you then have a little room for error and can trim the tops of the posts to be even without compromising on height.

I also think the 4" rounds work great, especially for the electric rope or electrobraid fencing where you want the wire to be able to move or slide on the post


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> churumbeque is exactly right.
> 
> Standard rule is at least 1/3 of the post's length should be under ground.
> 
> ...


If I am going with T post along the back side of the pasture and the side thats gona be near the woods, is it the same rule of thumb as far as how deep to knock them in the ground? I will get probably 8 ft t post and i guess go 3 ft in the ground? Or if I get 7 ft ones, then 2 ft


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

1/3 of 7 feet is 2' 4"; 1/3 of 8 feet is 2' 8". 

If you're going to use T posts for a long straight run of fencing, consider sinking a 4" wood post every 5 or 6 posts for extra stability and support.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> 1/3 of 7 feet is 2' 4"; 1/3 of 8 feet is 2' 8".
> 
> If you're going to use T posts for a long straight run of fencing, consider sinking a 4" wood post every 5 or 6 posts for extra stability and support.


u mean sinking them right next to the t post for bracing?


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

No, I mean 5 T posts in a row, then one wooden one, then 5 T posts in a row, then one wooden one, etc.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> No, I mean 5 T posts in a row, then one wooden one, then 5 T posts in a row, then one wooden one, etc.


gotcha. The length is going to be about 162 ft on the back side where the t post will be and If I am correct, the rope electric wire's post can be 25-30 ft apart so I wil only need about 7 t post.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

which of these 3 types of grass I should possibly plant. I was thinking of Bermuda, Bahia, or Rye. The area I am building is going to be about 120-130 x 100 and the backside will be about 162 ft. It will be divided in the middle so that I can let one area grow while he grazes one part. I will also have a seperate stable area also. There is some field grass in part of the area that I am going to pasturize and I was thining of probably getting somethign that will grow year round. I think the Rye is the one that will grow year round and was thinking of going with that. 


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

> the rope electric wire's post can be 25-30 ft apart so I wil only need about 7 t post.
> 
> That is not a very stable or secure fence. I wouldn't run any fence on 25 - 30' centers, and certainly not electric wire or T posts. How big is the area you plan to fence?


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> > the rope electric wire's post can be 25-30 ft apart so I wil only need about 7 t post.
> >
> > That is not a very stable or secure fence. I wouldn't run any fence on 25 - 30' centers, and certainly not electric wire or T posts. How big is the area you plan to fence?
> 
> ...


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

You're talking between a quarter and a half acre inside fence. While I think you're on the right track talking about splitting it up and grazing first one side and then the other; you won't be able to keep any kind of grass on that area unless you lock the horses off it 20 hours per day. Horses with limited forage lots of free choice hay and very, very sturdy fence. 

If those measurements are accurate, you might want to rethink this plan a bit.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> You're talking between a quarter and a half acre inside fence. While I think you're on the right track talking about splitting it up and grazing first one side and then the other; you won't be able to keep any kind of grass on that area unless you lock the horses off it 20 hours per day. Horses with limited forage lots of free choice hay and very, very sturdy fence.
> 
> If those measurements are accurate, you might want to rethink this plan a bit.


yeah i was going off of the whole electrobraid stuff since the rope I am going to use is similar. I watched the video that came with the packet they sent me and they did mention possibly the need to stretch the rope with another thing you have to purchase. I won't be purchasing that stretcher thing and instead will just rely on muscle lol. Me and my dad will put it up. I will go 10 ft apart with the post and like you said put a 4x4 every 6th post.


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## nyg052003 (Oct 11, 2010)

maura said:


> You're talking between a quarter and a half acre inside fence. While I think you're on the right track talking about splitting it up and grazing first one side and then the other; you won't be able to keep any kind of grass on that area unless you lock the horses off it 20 hours per day. Horses with limited forage lots of free choice hay and very, very sturdy fence.
> 
> If those measurements are accurate, you might want to rethink this plan a bit.


would 24 inches be fine for the lower strand since I am only running 2 strands? I am running a 1x6 along the whole 130 ft front and along the 100 ft side as well. I will only run the 2 strands along the other side and the back though. I was going to run the bottom strand at 24 inches, and the 2nd at about 1 ft 9 inches from that , then 4-5 inches above that will be the 1x6. Total height for the front and that side would be about 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 ft. Post will be 5 ft and along the back and other side, I will run T post with the 6th post being a 4x4


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