Chicken wire is an inexpensive way to fence a lot of ground. However, the chicken wire doesn’t have a ton of substance or character and therefore is a bit of an eyesore.
Take your chicken wire fence from an eyesore to an “I want to see more” with some creative DIY projects. Each project can be customized to better match your yard’s style and size.
Keep reading to learn more about how to make your chicken wire fence look great and find not only a description of how to complete each project but a video helping you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
1 .Wood or Vinyl Elements
Although chicken wire stands easily with a few small posts or even on its own, it looks weak and boring. You can give your chicken wire fence some extra strength and character by using it in combination with wood or vinyl fence elements.
Start by choosing the type of fence you want to use for this project. Chicken wire fencing is best used in combination with picket fencing, rail post fences, as well as with some custom fence designs.
Build the fence in the desired style and then line it with chicken wire. Attaching the chicken wire to a wooden fence gives it a clean, farm-like look that will remain standing for quite some time.
Another benefit of this method is that you can space out your posts and rails. Instead of doing three or four rails and chicken wire, build the fence using only two rails. The chicken will fill in the gaps and animals will be kept out (or in depending on the fence’s purpose).
Watch how to build a similar type of fence in the following video.
Although this video uses garden wire, the same can easily be done with chicken wire for a lower cost.
Another wood and chicken wire fence technique is to build individual fence panels. This method allows the wire to be stretched easily and the fence constructed a bit easier.
Watch this video on how to stretch chicken wire for fence panels!
2. Use it as a Trellis
Trellis fencing is a beautiful way to continue your garden from the ground up into the air.
Because of the many holes in chicken wire fencing, there is plenty of grip for plants to grab onto as they grow.
As the plants stretch up your chicken wire fencing, it will hide much of the boring hexagons and give the fence a mystical feel.
Not only will this method give your chicken wire a bit more character, but it will provide plants with some support to grow. This will result in stronger, taller plants.
Unsure of what plants to grow on your chicken wire fence? There are plenty of options to choose from!
Another plant that will benefit from a chicken wire fence trellis is pea and bean plants.
The following video will show you how to plant pea plants along your chicken wire fence for the best results.
If growing vegetables on your fence don’t give the desired look or seem like it will take too much maintenance, plant some low-maintenance, fast-growing vines on your chicken wire fencing.
3. Paint it a Bold Color
Standard chicken wire is either a dull gray or a shiny silver (that will eventually become a dull gray).
Although simple chicken wire is a nice look for chicken coops and gardens, if you want to have a classier-looking chicken wire fence, silver and dull gray just won’t cut it.
The good news is, there is a simple fix to this problem. Paint your chicken wire a bold color!
Because there isn’t much material to chicken wire, the bolder the color the better it will look. Bright colors will subtly stand out giving your chicken wire fence a unique look.
Click here to learn how to paint your chicken wire the perfect color for your next fence from Home Steady.
Be sure to paint your chicken wire before putting it on the fence in order to keep the paint off of the rails or posts. Unless of course, you plan on painting the entire fence this new color, in which case, paint away!
Need a better idea of what painted chicken wire will look like before you start in on your fence? Watch this video to see how painted chicken wire looks in arts and crafts projects.
See how well the color takes to the chicken wire? You can paint the chicken wire any color to create a great accent throughout your fence.
If painting each section of the fence sounds like it will take too much time, there are also some stores that sell pre-colored chicken wire.
Another comparable option would be to purchase poultry netting. Just as durable and effective as regular chicken wire, poultry netting is already sold in a variety of colors.
4. Fence Cups
Currently trending are what people refer to as “fence cups.”
It all started with the use of actual Solo cups used to decorate or write messages on fences. However, it has become so popular that manufacturers now make cups or clips specifically for decorating fences.
Watch this quick video to see how limitless fence cup art can be!
Although currently, chicken wire fence cups are not an easily found product, you can do similar artwork using yarn or string weaved throughout the fencing.
For some more inspiration check out this fence artwork from the Whittlesea Community Festival.
5. Lace Fencing
Another creative project similar to fence cups is lace fencing.
We have all seen intricate lace patterns on needle points, dresses, or pillows, but have you ever seen one on a fence?
Lace fencing allows you to create intricate lace designs on a much larger scale than was possible before. Not to mention it is a fun arts and crafts project to occupy yourself with on a beautiful summer day.
See an example of this fencing technique in the following video.
This method is not only used on household fences but can also be seen on a much larger scale in the world of art.
Grab some string and a template and get started decorating your chicken wire fence with a beautiful lace fencing design.
6. Hang Gems or Marbles
Part of what makes chicken wire fencing look so boring is that the wire is so thin it is practically invisible.
An easy, colorful way to fix this issue is to hang some gems or marbles throughout your chicken wire fence. These colorful little orbs will give onlookers something to focus on other than the thin wires of the fence.
The hardest part about this decorative technique is wrapping the individual gems and marbles securely. If done improperly the gems and marble will either fall out of their wraps or off of the fence itself.
Watch the following video–primarily used for jewelry making–to learn how to wrap your marbles and gems securely to later be attached to your chicken wire fence.
This technique provides you with a secure hold on your marbles and gems as well as giving you a spot to anchor them to the chicken wire.
Space out your gems and marbles in a consistent pattern for a classier look. Or if you are willing to take the time, put a marble in every hexagon for a fuller look.
7. Have a Creative Gate
If decorating your fence doesn’t create the desired look for your chicken wire fencing, an architectural approach may be the better choice.
Draw attention away from the chicken wire in your fence and make the whole thing look more like a cohesive unit by installing a creative gate.
I suggest implementing this tactic with another method mentioned above, such as combing a wood element throughout the fence or using the chicken wire as a trellis.
If there are vines and plants growing throughout the chicken wire fence, then the gate should incorporate this as well.
Construct an archway above the fence’s entryway and then plant some vines on it. As the vines spread off the arch, on the gate, and across the fence, the chicken wire will no longer be an eyesore but will be a necessary piece of a beautiful fence line.
In the following video you will see the easiest, and cheapest method for constructing an archway over your fence gate.
Another creative gate entrance a bit easier for plants to grow on is a pergola. Learn how to build a gate pergola in the video below.
Put some chicken wire on top of the pergola to keep vines from hanging down into the walkway.
If you chose to do a chicken wire fence that incorporates wood or vinyl in some way, be sure to do the same with the gate.
This is especially important if the fence is meant to keep critters in or out. If the gate leaves any space for an animal to slip through.
Line the gate with chicken wire to keep the same look throughout the entire fence and keep animals where they belong!