How to Install a Dig-Under Hardware Cloth Apron (18–24 Inch Spec)

Wall mesh alone does not stop diggers. Raccoons, dogs, foxes, and coyotes go under the skirt, lift soft soil, and enter the run while you sleep. This guide is the measurement-and-install path for an outward hardware cloth apron: how wide to cut it, how to attach it to the frame, and how to pin and bury the outer edge so a predator cannot peel it up.

You will leave with an 18–24 inch apron spec, two layout options (flat outward vs L-footer), fastener spacing, and a single roll choice that covers walls and the apron in one buy.

Who This Guide Is For

Use this when you are:

• Adding a dig barrier to an existing coop or run that already has wall mesh
• Building a new permanent run and want the apron planned before you staple walls
• Replacing a buried chicken-wire skirt that rusted out or got pulled up
• Closing gaps after a dig attempt (scratched soil, lifted skirting, tracks under the sill)

Skip this if your only problem is reach-through gaps in walls or vents—that is a cladding and mesh-size job, not an apron job.

Why Diggers Beat Wall-Only Mesh

Predators test the base. Soft dirt under a sill is easier than chewing welded steel. An apron works by forcing the digger to tunnel farther out than they will bother with, or by folding mesh into an L that blocks the tunnel path at the wall line.

Rules of thumb that fail without an apron:

• Stapling mesh only to the bottom plate, with the cut edge sitting on bare dirt
• Leaving a 2–4 inch soil gap “for drainage”
• Using chicken wire as the buried skirt (it bends and rusts; diggers pull it)

Spec: Width, Mesh, and Gauge

Spec	Target	Why
Outward apron width	18–24 inches	18" is the minimum for light dig pressure; 24" is safer for raccoons and dogs
Mesh opening	1/2-inch	Same workhorse opening as wall cladding; raccoons cannot reach through
Wire	19-gauge galvanized after welding when you can get it	Holds staples and landscape pins without tearing
Overlap onto wall mesh	2+ inches	Continuous barrier; no butt joint at the sill
Outer edge	Pinned every 12–18 inches, then buried or covered	Stops peel-up

Do not use 1-inch welded wire for the apron. Large openings still let a raccoon dig and reach. Do not use soft hex chicken wire as the buried layer.

Two Layouts That Work

Option A: Flat outward apron (fastest retrofit)

1. Cut 1/2-inch hardware cloth into strips 18–24 inches wide.
2. Attach the inner edge to the bottom plate or lowest wall framing so it overlaps wall mesh by at least 2 inches.
3. Lay the strip flat on the ground, radiating outward from the coop.
4. Pin the outer edge with landscape staples every 12–18 inches.
5. Cover with 2–3 inches of soil, gravel, or pavers so birds and predators cannot lift it.

Best when: you already have wall mesh installed and want a same-day retrofit with minimal digging at the sill.

Option B: L-footer (best at the wall line)

1. Cut strips about 24–30 inches wide (vertical leg + outward leg).
2. Fold a crisp L: roughly 6–12 inches up the wall face, 18–24 inches outward on the ground.
3. Fasten the vertical leg to framing with staples every 2–3 inches and screw-and-washer points at corners.
4. Overlap the vertical leg under or over existing wall mesh so there is no gap at the sill.
5. Pin and bury the outward leg the same way as Option A.

Best when: you are building new, or diggers have already scratched right at the sill line.

Step-by-Step Install (Flat Outward)

1. Measure the perimeter

Walk the full run and coop base. Note door thresholds, ramps, and corners. Add 10–15% length for overlaps and mistakes. A 36" × 100' roll of 1/2-inch mesh usually finishes walls and a backyard apron if you cut apron strips from the same roll.

2. Clear a shallow trench or surface bed

Scrape grass and debris 18–24 inches out from the sill. You do not need a deep trench for a flat apron—just a clean bed so mesh sits flat. For an L-footer, dig a shallow slot at the sill so the fold sits tight to the plate.

3. Cut strips with aviation snips

Wear gloves and eye protection. Cut clean lines; bent wires leave gaps. Label strips for each wall bay if corners are irregular.

4. Fasten the inner edge to wood

• Staple into solid framing every 2–3 inches
• Add exterior screws through fender washers every 8–12 inches on corners and high-traffic sides
• Overlap apron mesh with wall mesh by 2+ inches; fasten both layers

Never rely on zip ties or a few corner nails. The apron fails at the sill first when fasteners are sparse.

5. Lay, pin, and cover the outer edge

Pull the strip tight and flat. Drive landscape staples every 12–18 inches along the outer edge and at mid-span on long runs. Cover with soil, gravel, or blocks. Keep the cover continuous around corners—open corners are dig start points.

6. Treat doors and ramps as separate details

Do not leave a dig highway under a ramp. Either:

• Carry apron mesh under the ramp footprint, or
• Set the ramp on a hardware-cloth pad pinned to the apron

Door thresholds need a continuous sill connection; a kick gap under a poorly fitted door defeats the apron.

Fastener Checklist (Mesh Only Works If It Stays Put)

• Poultry netting staples for wood framing
• Exterior screws + fender washers for corners and peel points
• Landscape staples for the soil-pinned outer edge
• Aviation snips for clean cuts
• Heavy gloves

Common Apron Mistakes

1. Apron only 6–12 inches wide. Diggers clear that in one night.
2. Butt joint at the sill with no overlap. The gap becomes the entry.
3. Pins only at the corners. Mid-span peel-up is common on long walls.
4. Chicken wire buried as the skirt. It folds and rusts; replace with 1/2-inch hardware cloth.
5. Leaving the outer edge uncovered. Birds scratch it up; predators get a handhold.
6. Skipping corners and ramp pads. Digs start where the barrier is discontinuous.

How Much Mesh for the Apron Alone

Rough math for a rectangular run:

perimeter (ft) × apron width (ft) = sq ft of apron

Example: 10 × 20 ft run → 60 ft perimeter × 2 ft apron ≈ 120 sq ft. A 36" (3 ft) × 100' roll is about 300 sq ft—enough for that apron plus leftover for patches or a wall bay, depending on how you cut.

If you still need full wall cladding, buy the 36" × 100' 1/2-inch roll as the primary purchase and cut apron strips from it.

The One Roll to Buy for Aprons (and Walls)

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1/2-inch hardware cloth

This is the workhorse 1/2-inch roll for cladding and cutting 18–24 inch dig-under apron strips. Use 19-gauge-class mesh when the listing states it, fasten the sill like something will yank tonight, and pin the outer edge so it cannot peel.

Buy this when: you need one roll that finishes walls, run panels, and the outward apron without a second specialty product.

Quick Install Checklist

• Apron width 18–24 inches outward (or L-footer with the same outward leg)
• 1/2-inch hardware cloth, not chicken wire
• 2+ inch overlap with wall mesh at the sill
• Staples every 2–3 inches on wood; washers on corners
• Landscape pins every 12–18 inches on the outer edge
• Soil, gravel, or pavers covering the outer edge
• Corners, doors, and ramps continuous—no dig highways

Measure once, cut clean strips, fasten the sill hard, and bury the outer edge. That is the dig-under fix—not taller walls alone.