Tips for Building a Proper Corral Fence

Having a high-quality corral fence is the best way to keep your animals safe and where you want them to be, but first, you need to know how to build a proper corral fence in Utah. Fencing is an investment that should pay off over time, if you take the time to use high-quality materials and do it right. Don’t make the mistake of investing a lot of time and money into a substandard corral fence—you’ll just end up having to redo it sooner than you should.

Here are our best tips for proper corral fence building in Utah:

• Get the best posts you can find: The most important factor in your corral fence is to get the best, sturdiest fence posts you can find. Even if you end up cutting corners elsewhere to save money, invest in strong posts. They’re the foundation of your fence, and will do the bulk of the heavy lifting. Your post diameter can range from 2 7/8” to 3.5” for the fence, and 4.5” for the gates. You’ll need to place the posts at least three feet in the ground, and deeper if the ground is usually soft or damp.
• Always use a top rail: Top rails not only look good, but they can help protect your fence and deter animals from jumping on it. The bigger and thicker your top rail, the more protection and visual deterrent you’ll get. A cow might jump on a fence without a top rail and seriously damage it, but fences with top rails tend to withstand jumps. You’ll only see minimal damage, if any at all.
• Put the rails on the side of the fence that gets the most pressure: Cows are incredibly heavy and powerful animals who can destroy a fence with little effort at all. Placing your rails on the side of the fence that gets the most pressure means that their force will push the rails against the posts, which are secure, rather than pushing the posts against the rails and potentially dismantling the fence.
• Space and finish your rails properly: The closer together your posts, the stronger your fence will be. Never space posts more than 10 feet apart. You’ll also need to finish your rails where they end. Sand or otherwise smooth them down to keep your animals from getting scraped up on the fence.
• Use cement for extra strength: Finally, use cement to keep your fence secure. Most ranchers prefer to cement everything in feedlot corrals, but only gate posts and high-pressure areas in ranch corrals. Driving the posts deep and cementing them will fortify them against anything your livestock throws their way.

The better your fence, the less likely you’ll have to repair or replace it prematurely. A well-constructed corral fence can last decades.

To get high-quality bulk wooden posts for your corral fencing, call the team at Huberwoods today. We have years of experience sourcing the best wood for corral fences and more, and can fill you in on more tips for proper corral fence building in Utah.

Categorised in: Wooden Fence Posts

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