How to Keep Animals Out from Under a Deck with Hardware Cloth (L-Footer Skirting Spec)
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Run 1/2-inch, 19-gauge galvanized welded hardware cloth from the rim joist down to grade, then into a trench about 12 inches deep with the bottom 12 inches bent outward into an L-footer. Confirm nothing is living underneath before you close the last gap.
The buried-and-bent footer is the same principle UC IPM’s raccoon pest note gives for screening under porches and decks: bury the bottom edge of the mesh at least 6 inches deep, extend it outward 12 inches, and back-cover it with soil.
Lattice and decorative skirting boards are built for looks. Animals push lattice out at the bottom, pry thin panels, and dig under anything that stops at grade.
When You Need This
Use this when you are:
- Closing the open perimeter under a deck, porch, stoop, or low shed that animals are already using (or that you want to protect before they find it)
- Replacing lattice or skirting that skunks, opossums, or rabbits keep pushing out at the bottom
- Adding a dig barrier along the skirting line of a new deck before the lattice goes on
- Keeping the under-deck space ventilated (mesh breathes; solid boards trap moisture)
Skip this if the perimeter you are protecting is a chicken coop or run—the outward surface skirt for that job is the dig-under apron guide.
Why Deck Skirting Fails
Most deck skirting is built for looks, not exclusion. Lattice is nailed at the top and loosely tacked at the bottom, so an animal noses under the bottom edge and lifts it. Plastic lattice cracks in cold weather.
Skirting boards stop at the soil line, and a skunk or groundhog digs a short tunnel under them in one night. Chicken wire stapled behind lattice rusts at the soil line and tears where an animal works it. Gaps at stair stringers, corners, and utility penetrations are left open “because they are small.”
Rules of thumb that fail:
- Lattice alone “because it covers the gap”
- Chicken wire or poultry netting behind the skirting
- Skirting that stops at grade with no buried footer
- Burying mesh straight down 6 inches with no outward foot (animals dig just below the edge)
- Sealing the perimeter without confirming the space is empty
- Leaving stair, corner, and pipe gaps unmeshed
- Solid plywood skirting all the way around with no airflow
Spec: Mesh, Footer, Fasteners, Access
| Spec | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Default skirting mesh | 1/2-inch welded hardware cloth, 19 gauge, galvanized | Stops skunks, opossums, rabbits, groundhogs, and cats; stiff enough to resist pushing |
| Rodent upgrade | 1/4-inch welded mesh on the lowest course if rats or mice are the problem | Mice and young rats pass 1/2-inch openings |
| Skip | Lattice alone, chicken wire, poultry netting, plastic garden fence | Pushes out, tears, or rusts at the soil line |
| Above-grade coverage | From the rim joist (or skirting frame) down to grade, lapped 2–4 inches onto the wood | Gaps at the top let climbers in |
| Trench depth | About 12 inches down at the skirting line | Gets the bend below where most den-diggers start |
| L-footer | Bend the bottom 12 inches outward, away from the deck, flat in the trench floor | Animals dig at the wall, hit mesh, and give up instead of tunneling deeper |
| Shallow option | 6 inches down plus 12–18 inches outward where rock, roots, or footings block a deep trench | The outward foot does most of the work |
| Strip joins | 2–4 inch laps, tied through both layers every 4–6 inches | Same seam discipline—no butt joints |
| Fasten to wood | Galvanized staples every 2–3 inches plus washer-head screws or a batten strip along the top edge | Animals pull on loose top edges |
| Access | Framed hatch covered in the same mesh, latched, at least one per deck | Utilities and inspection without tearing the barrier open |
Do not seal before you confirm no animal is inside. Do not stop the mesh at grade. Do not use chicken wire as the barrier behind lattice.
Deck skirting vs coop apron vs raised bed floor
- Deck skirting: vertical mesh from deck framing to grade, then an L-footer trenched below the skirting line around a deck, porch, or shed
- Coop apron: a horizontal skirt laid outward on the surface around a chicken run in the apron guide
- Raised bed floor: mesh under a planting box in the raised bed guide
Install Path (Under-Deck L-Footer Skirting)
1. Confirm the space is empty before you seal
Walk the perimeter and mark every active hole. Loosely plug each one with soil, straw, or crumpled newspaper and check it for two or three nights.
If a plug stays undisturbed, the space is likely empty. If plugs keep getting pushed out, an animal is still using it: install a one-way exclusion door at that hole, or call a local wildlife control service.
For skunks, UC IPM’s skunk pest note describes a one-way gate made from 1/2-inch hardware cloth, hinged at the top, loose on the other three sides, and larger than the opening so it only swings outward. It will not work if the kits are too young to walk out on their own.
Avoid sealing in spring and early summer without checking carefully, because young may be under the deck and unable to leave on their own. Check your local wildlife rules before trapping or relocating anything.
2. Call 811 and plan the trench line
Before digging, call 811 (in the US) so buried utility lines are marked. Then snap a line along the outside face of the skirting. The trench sits directly under the skirting line, with the L-foot extending outward into the yard—not under the deck where you cannot reach it later.
3. Dig the trench
Dig a trench about 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide along the skirting line. Where footings, tree roots, or rock make 12 inches impractical, go 6 inches deep and widen the trench so the outward foot can run 12–18 inches. Keep the trench wall on the deck side as vertical as you can so the mesh lies tight against it.
4. Cut and bend the mesh
Wear gloves and eye protection. Measure from the bottom of the rim joist (or skirting frame) to grade, add 2–4 inches for the lap onto the wood, add trench depth, and add the foot width.
Cut strips to that height across the roll, cutting flush to a cross wire so you do not leave sharp tails. Bend the L along a straight cross wire using a board edge as a brake so the corner is crisp.
5. Hang the top edge first
Set the strip in place with the L-foot in the trench pointing outward. Fasten the top 2–4 inches to the rim joist or the back of the skirting frame with galvanized staples every 2–3 inches, then add washer-head screws or a batten strip along the top edge. If lattice or boards are already on, mount the mesh on the inside face of the skirting frame so the lattice hides it.
6. Lap every strip and wrap the corners
Overlap neighboring strips 2–4 inches and tie through both layers every 4–6 inches, top to the end of the foot. At outside corners, cut a relief notch in the foot so it can fan around the corner without leaving a triangle of open soil; lap and tie the two foot sections. At stair stringers and posts, cut the mesh to wrap the obstacle and tie it closed—these are the spots animals test first.
7. Mesh the stair and utility gaps
Close the opening under stairs with a separate panel tied to the main skirting. Around pipes, dryer vents, and conduit, cut a slit and a hole just larger than the penetration, wrap it, and tie the slit closed.
Leave no gap wide enough for a finger. Never put mesh over the dryer vent outlet itself; lint clogs it and creates a fire hazard.
8. Frame an access hatch
Build at least one hatch from 2x2 or 1x4 framing covered with the same mesh, hinged or screwed in place, with a latch an animal cannot nose open. Its bottom edge needs the same buried L-foot, or a mesh flap that tucks into the trench when closed.
9. Backfill, tamp, and inspect
Backfill the trench over the L-foot and tamp firmly. Re-attach lattice or skirting boards over the mesh. Walk the line after the first heavy rain and again a week later: look for fresh digging at the skirting line (it should stop where the foot starts) and any top edge that has pulled loose.
How Much Mesh for Deck Skirting
Plan per linear foot of perimeter. Strip height = clearance + 2–4 inch lap + trench depth + foot:
| Deck clearance to grade | Strip height (12 in down + 12 in out) | Strip height (shallow: 6 in down + 12 in out) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 inches | ~32–34 inches (one 36-inch strip) | ~26–28 inches (one 36-inch strip) |
| 12 inches | ~38–40 inches (two courses lapped, or a 48-inch roll) | ~32–34 inches (one 36-inch strip) |
| 18 inches | ~44–46 inches (two courses lapped, or a 48-inch roll) | ~38–40 inches (two courses lapped) |
A 36-inch-wide roll covers decks up to about 12 inches of clearance in one strip with the shallow footer, or up to about 6 inches with the full 12-and-12 footer. For taller clearances, run a second course and lap it 2–4 inches. Perimeter example: a 12 × 16 ft deck against the house has about 40 feet of open perimeter (12 + 16 + 12), so a 100-foot roll covers it with plenty left for laps, stairs, and a hatch.
Required Hardware
This VEVOR roll is 1/2-inch welded mesh in 19 gauge, hot-dipped galvanized, 36 inches wide and 100 feet long. The 36-inch width is a practical fit for low-deck skirting with a bent L-footer, and 100 feet covers the open perimeter of most backyard decks with enough left for corners, stairs, and an access hatch. Cut it with aviation snips, bend the foot over a board edge, and staple it behind your lattice.
Use it when: you are closing the perimeter of a deck, porch, or shed against skunks, opossums, rabbits, or groundhogs and need stiff 1/2-inch mesh that can be buried at the soil line.
Common Under-Deck Barrier Mistakes
- Sealing the perimeter without confirming nothing is still living underneath.
- Relying on lattice or skirting boards that stop at grade.
- Burying the mesh straight down with no outward L-foot.
- Pointing the L-foot under the deck instead of out into the yard.
- Using chicken wire behind the lattice and watching it rust out at the soil line.
- Leaving stair stringers, corners, and pipe penetrations open.
- Skipping the access hatch, then cutting the barrier open for the first plumbing repair.
- Fastening only at a few points along the top so animals peel the edge.
FAQ
How deep should hardware cloth be buried around a deck?
A trench about 12 inches deep with a 12-inch outward foot is the standard spec. Where you cannot dig that deep, 6 inches down with a 12–18 inch outward foot works because animals start digging at the wall and stop when they hit mesh.
Is 1/2-inch hardware cloth small enough for skunks?
Yes. 1/2-inch welded 19-gauge mesh stops skunks, opossums, rabbits, groundhogs, and cats. Use 1/4-inch on the lowest course only if rats or mice are part of the problem.
Can I put hardware cloth behind lattice?
Yes, and that is the cleanest look. Fasten the mesh to the inside of the skirting frame or rim joist, run it down into the L-footer, then re-hang the lattice in front of it.
Will mesh skirting hurt ventilation under the deck?
No. Welded mesh keeps the under-deck space open to airflow, unlike solid boards or plywood. That helps the framing dry after rain.
What if an animal is already living under the deck?
Do not seal it in. Use the plug test, install a one-way exclusion door at the active hole, or call a wildlife control service, and be extra careful in spring and early summer when young may be present.
Quick Under-Deck Skirting Checklist
- Plug test done; nothing living under the deck
- 811 called; trench line marked along the skirting
- 1/2-inch 19-gauge welded mesh (1/4-inch lowest course for rodents)
- Trench ~12 inches deep with a 12-inch outward L-foot (or 6 in + 12–18 in)
- Top edge lapped onto wood; staples every 2–3 inches plus screws or batten
- Strips lapped 2–4 inches and tied; corners notched and tied
- Stairs, posts, and pipes wrapped with no finger gaps
- Latched access hatch with its own buried foot
- Trench backfilled and tamped; line re-checked after rain
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