RESOURCES - HOW DO I STRETCH THE FABRIC ON A CHAIN LINK FENCE?

Fence fabric should be stretched from the terminal post already attached to the terminal post at the other end of the line – or – at stretches less than two hundred feet.

  1. Install a tension bar around five feet away from the end of the unattached fabric, with the fabric being secured at the terminal post.
  2. buildingachainlinkfence-14.jpgAttach a chain link wire rake to the tension bar while it is still on the ground, following the illustration.
  3. Place the hook at the end of the cable jack onto the center of the wire rake. Release the cable so that the cable hook wraps around the middle of the terminal post, and use one of the tension bands to secure it in place.
  4. Begin cranking the cable jack gently to apply tension on the wire. As you continue to crank, lift the fabric up against the post and pull the bottom of the fabric approximately 6 inches away from the post to prevent it from falling over. Note that on windy days or with taller fabric, temporary ties may be needed or the fabric may need to be pulled further away from the fence line.
  5. Once the fabric is standing up and the cable jack is taut but not overly tight, pull the fabric away from the cable jack by lifting, shaking, and pulling it toward the cable jack, starting from the far end of the fence line. Repeat this process every ten feet.
  6. Maintain tension on the cable jack while lifting and pulling the fabric, and slowly crank the jack.
  7. Repeat this process as needed until the fabric is properly tensioned. Proper tension is achieved when the fabric can be squeezed together with one hand with just a ¼ inch of give.buildingachainlinkfence-15.jpg
  8. buildingachainlinkfence-17.jpgNOTE: Please note that any deformities or irregularities in the fabric will be permanent once it is stretched. To avoid this, ensure that the fabric is at the desired height before and during stretching, as it is difficult to remove these deformities once fully stretched.
  9. After fully stretching the fabric, tie it for height every ten feet to prevent it from forming waves and falling over. Tie the fabric so that a half knuckle remains above the top rail.
  10. While the fabric is still under tension from the cable jack, pull the unattached end firmly past the terminal post to determine where to remove a wire weave to tie the fabric into the terminal. Remove the weave, tie the fabric for height 6 inches from the end, and align the fabric with the tension bands. Slide the tension bar through the evenly spaced tension bands and fabric simultaneously.
  11. Once tied in, gradually release the tension on the cable jack. Remove the tension bar that was used to hold the cable jack.
  12. Please note that for short stretches of 10 feet or less or to assist in tying in a longer stretch, a Pul-jak can be used.