Chicken wire and hardware cloth are two very common types of security fencing used to keep poultry and other animals. Both of them can serve the purpose of enclosure and safety protection. But they also have many differences in shape, the purpose of use, durability, etc. Next, Wanzhi Steel will help you better distinguish between chicken wire and hardware cloth. You will learn which one is more suitable for your project. Keep reading to learn more details.

Chicken Wire

Hardware Cloth

Hardware cloth of different widths

What Is Chicken Wire?

Chicken wire is usually a hexagonal wire. It is a type of mesh fencing traditionally used to confine poultry. In addition to this, chicken wire can be used for a variety of fencing needs on farms. It is easy to use a material that can be adjusted to suit your changing needs. Below are the features and uses of chicken wire for your reference.

Features

Mesh structure: Chicken Wire is usually made of lightweight iron wire with a hexagonal mesh structure, which makes it have good permeability while maintaining strength.
Lightweight and durable: Hexagonal mesh is light in weight, easy to install and transport, and has high durability due to its material properties, suitable for long-term use.
Anti-corrosion treatment: Chicken Wire is often galvanized or further coated with plastic, which has good corrosion resistance and long service life, especially in outdoor or humid environments.
Versatile: It is often used for agricultural purposes such as making chicken cages and fences, and is also suitable for gardening, building protection, handicraft production and other occasions.
Economical: Due to its materials and manufacturing process, Chicken Wire is relatively inexpensive and a cost-effective choice.
Easy to process: The iron wire material makes it easy to cut, bend and shape, which is convenient for customization and installation according to specific needs.

PVC coated stainless steel chicken wire mesh

Stainless steel chicken wire mesh

galvanized Stainless chicken wire

Uses

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry: Poultry fences such as chicken coops, pigeon cages, rabbit cages, etc., and protective nets on farms, orchards or vegetable gardens to prevent chickens, ducks, rabbits, mice, badgers, and snakes from escaping or wild animals from invading.
Gardening and Landscape: Cover around plants to prevent insects and birds, and squirrels. Used to cover slopes or garden edges to prevent soil erosion while allowing water to penetrate.
Creative Decoration: As a garden fence or decorative screen, adding a natural or vintage style.
Building and Construction: Used as temporary fences on construction sites as a reinforcement material for lightweight concrete structures (such as small foundations or pavements). Used to protect ventilation ducts or building openings to prevent debris from entering.
Crafts and DIY: Lampshades, baskets, ornaments, or holiday decorations (Halloween spider webs). Model making, artistic creation.

Animal Control

Plant Fence

Garden Fence

What Is Hardware Cloth?

Hardware cloth is a metal mesh made of interlaced metal wires of various sizes. It is available in both welded and braided fabrication methods and is commonly used for animal cages, filters, and fencing materials. It is a flexible and adaptable wire product. Wanzhi Steel can produce hardware cloth in different sizes to suit any application. Below are the characteristics and specific uses of hardware cloth for your reference.

Features

Material and structure: Hardware Cloth is composed of woven or welded steel wires to form a square or rectangular grid structure. The materials include galvanized steel, stainless steel or bare steel, which is sturdy and durable.
Diverse mesh sizes: The mesh opening sizes range from 1/8 inch × 1/8 inch to 2 inches × 2 inches (square) and 1/2 inch × 1 inch to 2 inches × 4 inches (rectangular). The appropriate mesh specifications can be selected according to specific needs.
Flexible specifications: The product is usually provided in roll form, with a width ranging from 24 inches to 72 inches and a length of up to 100 feet, and can be cut and customized according to user needs.
Strong corrosion resistance: Galvanized or stainless steel materials give it excellent corrosion resistance, especially suitable for outdoor humid environments, and can maintain structural stability for a long time.
Economical: As a cost-effective material, it not only meets the basic protection needs, but also reduces installation and maintenance costs through modular design.
Convenient installation: Easy to cut and splice, support rapid deployment, easy maintenance and replacement, and significantly improve construction efficiency.

Plant Protection Guard

Chicken Cage

Window

Uses

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry: Chicken coops, rabbit cages, birdhouses, cages or fences to prevent escape or animal invasion, used as feed storage, prevent rodents (rats) or birds from damaging, and prevent scattering.
Farm protection nets: As isolation nets for farm boundaries or specific areas to prevent livestock from getting lost or foreign animals from entering. Greenhouse ventilation to prevent insects from entering
Gardening and Landscape: Covered around vegetables, fruit trees or seedlings to prevent animals from gnawing and damaging.
Soil support: Used to reinforce slopes, garden edges or flower beds to prevent soil erosion while allowing water to penetrate.
Building and Construction: In concrete foundation or road construction, as a reinforcement material to improve crack resistance. At construction sites or construction areas, as temporary isolation nets to mark dangerous areas
Drainage system: Used to cover or filter drainage ditches or underground pipes to prevent debris from entering while keeping water flowing smoothly.
Industry and Storage: Screening and filtration, such as ore screening or chemical filtration. Covered around machines or equipment to prevent people from accidentally touching or debris from entering.
Home: Use as a protective net for yard fences or garden doors to prevent pets or small animals from entering. Install on windows to prevent insects or birds from entering.
Environmental protection and ecology: Use as an insect habitat in ecological gardens to provide a habitat and breeding place for bees and butterflies. Build a temporary shelter for small wild animals (hedgehogs, birds, squirrels) to protect them from natural enemies.

square welded wire mesh

Galvanized Welded Wire Fence

Welded Garden Wire

Different Materials of Hardware Cloth

1. Stainless Steel Hardware Cloth

Stainless steel hardware cloth is often used in 304, 304L, 316, and 306L series of steel. This type of hardware cloth has strong durability and corrosion resistance. However, stainless steel hardware cloth is expensive. Be sure to determine your budget before choosing.

2. Carbon Steel Hardware Cloth

It is an ideal material for making hardware cloth because of its high ductility. Carbon steel is available in high carbon, medium carbon, and low carbon. Variations in carbon content can change the properties of carbon steel and improve its sturdiness.

3. Galvanized Hardware Cloth

GI steel is the most common type of hardware cloth. Covering the hardware cloth with a zinc layer will make it corrosion-resistant. As a result, it also has a longer service life than ordinary carbon steel hardware cloth. Currently, it is also a hot selling product of Wanzhi Steel. This is because of its low price and good performance.

Hardware Cloth for Chicken Fence

Sieves

Garden Fence

Making the Right Decision

When building chicken coops and fences, you may be puzzled between chicken wire and hardware cloth not knowing how to choose. If you are experiencing this problem, then keep reading to get the answer.

1. Define Your Use

What are you buying them for, as a chicken coop or something else? If you just want to keep your chicks in a coop so they don’t run around, then chicken wire will suit your needs. And chicken wire is relatively inexpensive. But you need to be aware that chicken wire has relatively large openings through which many predators can get in. It can keep the chicken in but not the invaders out.

2. Choose According to Strength

Even though chicken wire is a strong material, it can still be easily broken and cut. The density of hardware cloth, on the other hand, makes it a more substantial means of protection. Compared with chicken wire, hardware cloth is stronger and less prone to tearing. Even in the event of a strong impact, hardware cloth can still hold its shape firmly. If you want to keep large animals in captivity, then hardware cloth is a better choice.

Chicken Wire Mesh for Sale

Galvanized Hardware Cloth Factory

Automatic Hexagonal Wire Mesh Weaving

Conclusion

The above will give you a better understanding of them. Both of them can provide safety protection for poultry. At Wanzhi Steel, we offer chicken wire and hardware cloth in different sizes and materials, including galvanized and stainless steel. You can be completely assured of having Wanzhi Steel as your partner. If you are still struggling with which one is more suitable for your project, don’t hesitate to contact us now to get a solution.

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Wanzhi Steel is an ISO 9001-certified steel factory located in Hebei, China. It has been specializing in the production of Poultry Netting, Chicken Wire Mesh, Hexagonal Wire Mesh, Field Fence for Sale, stainless steel wire mesh, Garden Wire Mesh, and Holland Wire Mesh for 14 years, with a monthly output of 1,800 tons. With high-quality products and good services, its products have been exported to more than 120 countries around the world.

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