Chain Link Fence Specs and Care

For a typical Austin backyard: 11.5 gauge wire, 2 inch mesh, galvanized or black vinyl coating, four to six feet tall, posts set in concrete. Heavier gauge and smaller mesh cost more and last longer.

Before the specs: is chain link the right call?

This page assumes you have decided on chain link and need to get the specification right, and a site estimate is free if you would rather have it done on the ground. If you are still weighing chain link against wood or iron, our chain link trade-offs page covers where it works and where it does not.

For a wider comparison, material options by climate weighs every common option against Austin conditions, from heat and storms to clay soil.

Wire gauge

Gauge is the thickness of the wire, and the number runs backwards: a lower number means thicker wire.

• 11.5 gauge: the residential standard. Fine for backyards, pets and boundary marking.
• 9 gauge: noticeably heavier. Worth it for large dogs, long runs, or anywhere the fence takes knocks.
• 6 gauge: commercial and industrial. Overkill in a back yard, and priced accordingly.

If you are containing a dog who throws weight at the fence, spend here before anywhere else. The mesh is what fails first when a fence is undersized.

Mesh size

Mesh size is measured across the diamond. Standard is 2 inches, and smaller diamonds mean a stronger, harder-to-climb fence at a higher price.

• 2 inch: the default for residential runs.
• 1 3/8 inch or 1 1/4 inch: small pets, small children, or anywhere you want to make climbing difficult.
• Larger than 2 inch: rural and acreage boundaries where the job is marking a line rather than containing anything.

For dog containment, match the mesh to the animal rather than the budget. A small dog goes through a 2 inch diamond more easily than owners expect, which is why our dog containment fences guide recommends sizing down.

Coating

Two options, and the choice affects both looks and lifespan.

Galvanized is bare zinc-coated steel, the silver finish most people picture. It is the cheapest and it handles Austin humidity well, though the cut ends and any scratches are where rust starts.

Vinyl-coated adds a PVC layer over the galvanized wire, usually black, dark green or brown. It costs more, lasts longer because the coating seals the steel, and it disappears into a yard far better than silver does. Black in particular reads as much less industrial from the street.

If the fence is visible from anywhere you care about, vinyl coating is the upgrade worth taking.

Height

• 4 feet: boundary marking, small dogs, garden enclosures.
• 5 to 6 feet: the common residential range, and enough for most dogs.
• 8 feet and above: commercial yards, sports courts, and properties where climbing is the concern.

Before going tall, check the City of Austin’s Fencing Regulations page, which sets out when a permit is needed, including fences over seven feet. HOA fence limits are the other check worth making before ordering.

Framework: posts, rails and tension

The mesh gets the attention, but the frame is what holds a chain link fence up.

• Terminal posts go at ends, corners and gates. They carry the tension and are thicker than line posts.
• Line posts sit between them, typically about ten feet apart.
• Top rail runs through the line post caps and keeps the fence line straight.
• Tension bars and bands grip the mesh at terminal posts so it stays taut.
• Bottom tension wire is optional and worth it: it stops the mesh being pushed up from below by a dog or wildlife.

Every post belongs in concrete, and depth matters more here than in milder places, because Austin clay swells and shrinks through the year. Our post setting depth guide covers what your ground needs, and posts leaning is usually a depth problem rather than a mesh problem.

Gates

Gate frames are welded tube, and the gauge should match the run. Three decisions:

• Width. Measure what needs to pass through, then add room. A mower, a wheelbarrow and a trailer all have different answers, and widening later means a new gate.
• Swing or roll. Swing gates are simpler and cheaper. Rolling gates suit wide openings and drives where a swing arc would foul a slope or a parked car.
• Hardware. Self-closing hinges if a pet is involved, and a latch you can operate with full hands. For drive gates, our gate installation service covers automation options.

Add-ons

• Privacy slats weave through the mesh vertically. They add screening and block toeholds, though they also add wind load, so the framework needs to suit.
• Mesh inserts and windscreen do a similar job with fabric or finer mesh.
• Barbed or anti-climb tops belong on commercial perimeters rather than back yards; commercial security fencing covers those.

Looking after it

Chain link asks for less upkeep than any other fence, but not none:

• Rinse it once or twice a year, and after storms. Dirt holds moisture against the coating.
• Touch up rust early. Spots start at cut ends, at the bottom of terminal posts and anywhere the coating has been scraped. Wire-brush, then use a zinc-rich paint.
• Check the tension annually. Mesh that has gone slack sags and then gets caught, and retensioning is a small job compared with replacing a section.
• Keep vegetation off. Vines look charming and hold water against the steel until it rusts.
• Lubricate gate hardware. Hinges and latches take the most use and seize first.
• Walk the line after storms. Wind pushes mesh loose at the bands before it takes a post out.

What it costs to get wrong

Two specification mistakes account for most of the chain link repairs we are called to. The first is undersized mesh or gauge for the animal: a fence that would hold a terrier gets stretched and pushed by a shepherd until the diamonds deform, and deformed mesh cannot be retensioned back to straight. The second is shallow posts, which show up as a leaning terminal post a year or two in, usually at a corner or beside a gate where the load is highest.

Neither is expensive to avoid at the quote stage. Both are expensive to fix afterwards, because the mesh has to come off to reset a post, and replacing a section of deformed mesh rarely matches the weathering on the rest of the run.

Common problems and what they take

Frequently asked questions