What is wire gauge, and why should I care about it?

What is wire gauge, and why should I care about it?

Wire gauge is essentially just a measurement of how thick the wire is. In terms of fencing here in the US, the LOWER the gauge, the thicker the wire. Thicker wire, of course, is sturdier and will provide more predator protection, because predators will be less likely to be able to tear through it. On the other hand, thicker wire will also be harder to manipulate, and will require a lot more work to affix to your run, coop, or fence posts... plus a lot more effort to cut through it! In addition, the thicker wire will be more expensive because it takes more raw material to manufacture.

Thin wire, such as you might find for chicken wire, bends and stretches easily, and is easy to cut or break. So it's easy to use---inexpensive, too!--but not especially secure. This is why you hear us warn so often about using chicken wire to keep out predators: it often doesn't. It's just too thin, and even small, weak predators can get through it. Chicken wire works to contain your flock, but not to keep predators (or rats!) out.

But there are some other fencing considerations you should know about before making your choice.

For example, you'll need to decide if you want twisted or welded wire. Twisted wire is generally less desirable because it is less strong than welded wire. Twisted wire like chicken wire is easier for predators to stretch and push through, while welded wire like hardware cloth has to break or be chewed through to misshape to the same extent.

You'll also need to determine if you want it to be galvanized or not---or if you want vinyl-coated wire fencing.

Galvanized: we'll just say it. YES. This is what will protect your fence from galvanic corrosion, a fancy way of saying rust. It will add years to the life of your wire. The way it works is that the zinc is a less noble metal. Zinc? Yeah, zinc is a commoner when compared to steel, so it will get corroded first. It's like a thin, sacrificial layer that protects the steel underneath. If the zinc gets scratched, or wears or corrodes away, eventually the steel will corrode, too. Just definitely get galvanized. It shouldn't add much cost in comparison to how much utility you're getting from it. It's a good deal.

Vinyl-coated: this is an additional protection you can get for your fence or wire, where---obviously, right?---there's a thin layer of vinyl covering the metal. This usually adds some cost, but the protection is great! And, in addition, it adds thickness to the underlying wire (galvanization doesn't add any significant thickness), so it adds effective gauge and strength to your fence.

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Galvanized Hardware Cloth 1/4 Inch 4in X 20ft 23 Gauge ...

This wire mesh is rough/sharp around the edges so protect your hands if you are accident prone :)

I used this to create a play enclosure for our rats. I already had a frame for the enclosure and this was the perfect fix to add panels of mesh to the walls to make it escape-proof.

After cutting the first panel with wire cutters, I learned that it was much easier to break off the wire mesh at the proper measurement than to actually CUT it. I measured the remaining pieces and then bent the wire mesh back and forth at the measured point until I could just snap that piece off.

It comes with a long roll of wire that you can use to "tie" the pieces down. I cut small sections of wire from the roll to attach the mesh to the framework. I used pliers to bend any sharp/rough edges away from where my rats would have any contact.

The mesh is strong enough that a small animal like a rat/mouse isn't going to get out. The mesh is thin enough to easily work with when assembling things. This was JUST what I needed :)

Additional reading:
The Ultimate Guide To the Industrial Woven Wire Mesh
How do I choose a packaging machine?"How do you choose hexagonal metal gabion baskets for a maker?
How to Choose Double Wire Mesh Fence: A Complete Guide

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