Clipping Welded Wire to T-Posts on a Sloped Garden Fence: Posts Square to the Ground Uphill, Plumb Across the Slope, and a Fifth Clip at Every Low Spot

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Where the fence climbs the hill, drive each T-post square to the ground, not plumb; where it runs across the hill, drive the posts plumb. Hang the fabric on the uphill face of cross-slope posts and add a fifth clip at the bottom wire on every post that sits in a low spot.

How should T-posts be set when a fence runs up a slope?

Set them perpendicular to the ground on runs going up and down a slope, and plumb on runs going across it. Perpendicular posts resist overturning on steep ground, and the fence wires stay square to the posts. On cross-slope runs, put the fabric on the uphill side, where pressure is greatest.

The BC Ministry of Agriculture's wire fence construction factsheet says plumb posts on a steep slope are easier to overturn. It sets posts perpendicular to the ground on lines going up and down slopes and plumb across slopes, with the wire usually on the upslope side for fences along a slope.

The USDA NRCS Illinois fence practice specification says wires are attached to steel posts with manufacturer's clips or two turns of 14-gauge galvanized wire. It also places wires on the side of the post closest to the livestock.

Post Setting by Section on a 15% Slope

Section Grade Post angle Fabric side Clips per post
Uphill run, 48 ft. 15% Square to ground, about 8.5 degrees off plumb Either side 4
Cross-slope run, 32 ft. 15% side slope Plumb Uphill face 4
Low-spot posts Dip Same as its run Same as its run 5
Rise over 48 ft. of level run at 15% - - - 7.2 ft. of climb

The angle comes from the arctangent of 0.15, which is about 8.5 degrees.

Materials and Tools

  • T-post clip tool for wrapping clips on angled posts
  • 6-foot studded T-posts at 8-foot spacing and a post driver
  • 48-inch welded wire and about 5 galvanized clips per post
  • An angle finder or a speed square with a level
  • Gloves, safety glasses, and a string line

Clipping Steps

  1. Split the line. Flag where the fence changes from climbing the slope to crossing it.
  2. Set uphill posts square. Hold the speed square on the ground and drive each post at about 8.5 degrees off plumb, leaning uphill.
  3. Set cross-slope posts plumb. Check two faces with a level as you drive.
  4. Hang the fabric. On the cross-slope run, stand it on the uphill face of the posts.
  5. Clip the top first. Set a clip on the top wire about 2 inches below each post top.
  6. Work down. Add the bottom clip and two middle clips on every post.
  7. Find the low spots. Sight along the bottom wire and mark every post where the gap under the fabric opens past 2 inches.
  8. Add the fifth clip. Press the bottom wire down to the soil at those posts and clip the lowest wire there.
  9. Close each clip. Use the tool to wrap the clip end around the wire until it will not slide.

On steep pitches the fabric's vertical wires will lean with the posts, which is normal and keeps every horizontal wire in contact.

Slope Mistakes

  • Plumb posts on the climbing run tip downhill under fabric pressure
  • Fabric on the downhill face of a cross-slope run pops off its clips
  • Skipping the extra clip at dips leaves a crawl gap for rabbits
  • Clips set over two wires at once kink the fabric on angled posts

Driving at an angle is easier with the technique in driving 6-foot and 8-foot T-posts in clay and rocky soil. Posts lifted by frost on a hillside are fixed in pulling and resetting frost-heaved T-posts.

A mesh strip along the bottom closes small dips, sized from the hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide.

Lighter mesh on the same posts is tied on as in attaching hardware cloth to metal T-posts and pipe frames.

FAQ

Do I need to angle posts on a gentle slope?

The BC factsheet says it matters less on very slight slopes, so plumb is fine below a few percent.

Can welded wire follow a sharp dip?

Only a little. Cut and step the fabric or add a filler strip where the dip is deep.

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