Joining 7.5-Foot Poly Deer Netting to a 3-Foot Welded-Wire Rabbit Base on a Garden Fence with Hog Rings

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Run a 36-inch strip of 1 × 2-inch, 14-gauge welded wire along the bottom of the posts, hang 90-inch polypropylene deer netting from a top line at 82 to 84 inches, and lap the netting 12 inches down over the welded wire. Join the two with 3/4-inch galvanized hog rings every 6 inches along that lap, and ring the netting to its support lines on the spacing Purdue publishes.

How do you attach deer netting to a welded-wire rabbit fence?

Lap the bottom 12 inches of the deer netting over the top of the welded wire on the outside face, then close a 3/4-inch galvanized hog ring through one netting strand and one horizontal wire every 6 inches. Ring both layers at every post, and stake the welded wire, not the netting.

Purdue Extension's plastic mesh deer fence guide (FNR-486-W) is built around hog rings. It sets the top monoline 82 to 84 inches off the ground for standard 7.5-foot (90-inch) mesh, spaces posts no more than 25 feet apart, and rings the mesh every 2 feet on the top line, as close as possible on each side of every post, and every 3 to 4 feet on the middle and bottom lines.

That spacing holds a free-hanging net. A seam between netting and steel carries more load, because a deer pushing at chest height pulls the plastic away from the wire, so the lap row gets a ring every 6 inches instead.

Cornell Cooperative Extension's guide to reducing deer damage in garden plots names an 8-foot woven-wire fence as the only reliable complete barrier, says 5 to 7-foot fences don't always exclude deer, and recommends adding finer mesh such as 1 × 2-inch welded wire at the bottom to stop rabbits and woodchucks.

Why a Two-Material Fence

Zone (from grade) Material Job Fastener spacing
0 to 6 in. outside Welded wire bent out flat Stops rabbits digging at the base 12-inch J-stakes every 4 ft
6 to 36 in. 1 × 2-in., 14-gauge welded wire Rabbit and woodchuck wall; poly netting gets chewed here Tied to posts every 12 in.
24 to 36 in. (lap) Netting over welded wire The seam 3/4-in. hog ring every 6 in.
36 to 82 in. Poly deer netting Height Middle line ringed every 3 to 4 ft
82 to 84 in. Top monoline Carries the netting Ringed every 2 ft and both sides of each post

The welded wire takes the chewing and the digging. The netting only has to supply height, which is what it's good at.

Layout for a 40 × 50-Foot Garden

Item Quantity Note
Perimeter 180 ft Minus one 4-ft gate
Posts at 20-ft spacing 9 line posts plus 4 corners and 2 gate posts Purdue's maximum is 25 ft
Welded wire 180 ft of 36-in. roll Bend the bottom 6 in. out
Deer netting 180 ft of 90-in. mesh Laps 12 in. over the welded wire
Hog rings on the lap About 360 One every 6 in.
Hog rings on the lines About 150 Top at 2 ft, middle at 3 to 4 ft, plus posts

Order rings in bulk. The 300 that come with a pliers kit cover the lap on about 150 feet, not the whole fence.

Materials and Tools

  • Straight hog ring pliers with 3/4-inch galvanized hog rings, plus extra 3/4-inch rings to reach about 500
  • 90-inch polypropylene deer netting
  • 36-inch, 1 × 2-inch, 14-gauge galvanized welded wire
  • Monoline or 12.5-gauge smooth wire for the top and middle lines
  • 8-ft or longer T-posts or wood posts, set at least 2 ft deep
  • 12-inch J-shaped rebar ground stakes
  • Fence pliers, aviation snips, and a tape measure
  • Gloves and safety glasses

Build Sequence

  1. Set posts. Space line posts 20 feet apart, never over 25, with corners set first. Fasten the wire to them the same way you would when attaching mesh to metal T-posts.
  2. String the top line. Fix it at 83 inches on every post so it can slip and tension evenly.
  3. Hang the welded wire. Unroll it outside the posts, bend the bottom 6 inches outward, tie it to each post every 12 inches, and pin the flap with J-stakes every 4 feet.
  4. Hang the netting. Hook the top row over the top line with about 2 inches above it and let the bottom drape over the welded wire.
  5. Ring the top. Close a ring every 2 feet along the top line and one on each side of every post.
  6. Make the seam. Pull the netting down until it laps 12 inches over the welded wire. Starting at a corner, ring one netting strand to the top horizontal wire every 6 inches, then add a second row at the bottom of the lap.
  7. Ring the middle line. If you strung one at about 54 inches, ring the netting to it every 3 to 4 feet.
  8. Walk the seam. Push the netting out at chest height between posts. If it lifts off the wire anywhere, add a ring in that gap.

For a smaller bed where deer aren't the issue, a 24-inch hardware cloth garden wall with an L-footer is the lighter build. If you later swap in 1/2-inch cloth for the lower band, size it with the hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide.

Seam Failures to Watch For

  • Netting ringed only at posts: it billows out and a deer pushes under at the lap
  • Rings through the netting edge cord only: the cord tears free
  • Netting hung inside the welded wire: rabbits chew it through the gaps
  • No outward bend at the base
  • Lap under 6 inches: rings tear out of the plastic

FAQ

Can I ring netting straight to a chain-link or field fence instead?

Yes. Lap it over the top wire the same 12 inches and ring every 6 inches. The existing fence becomes your base.

What about tears in the netting itself?

Purdue says small tears can be repaired with string, zip ties, or wire. A hog ring closing the two torn edges together works too.

Do I still need the top line if the netting is tied to tall posts?

Yes. Without a line between posts the netting sags in a scallop, and the sag is where deer test.

Quick Deer Netting Seam Checklist

  • Posts 20 feet apart, 25 at most
  • Top line at 82 to 84 inches
  • 36-inch welded wire outside, bottom 6 inches bent out and staked
  • Netting lapped 12 inches over the welded wire
  • Lap ringed every 6 inches, two rows
  • Top line ringed every 2 feet and both sides of each post
  • Middle line ringed every 3 to 4 feet

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