# H-Brace Wiring Question



## meloout831 (Oct 12, 2016)

I recently spread wood posts to 160 ft. and finished building my H-Braces. When I wired both sets of braces, I ended up installing the diagonal wire towards same direction (left post, wire at bottom - right post, wire on top). will this hurt my fence over time? Is there a need for the diagonal wires facing opposite directions (H-Brace 1: like picture below; H-Brace 2: left post, top wire; right post, bottom wire)? Both H-Braces were installed as the picture below (identical - see wire setup). I hope I'm not confusing anyone. 

Thanks.


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## greybeard (Oct 12, 2016)

Are we talking about a straight line fence with an H at each end--or a fence corner, with 2 H 90 degrees perpendicular to each other?

If straight line, this would be correct:


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## meloout831 (Oct 13, 2016)

Yes, greybeard! It's a straight line fence, H at each end... I do not have the H's like your picture. Both H's were installed the same like my image posted. Should I fix it before stretching wire? Or, will it be OK if I leave it the way it is? Thanks!!!


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## Bruce (Oct 13, 2016)

I'm no expert but I would reverse the one that is wrong, as shown by @greybeard. The purpose of the brace wire is to keep the wire fence from pulling the top of the "inside" post toward the fence line. If you have it reversed it isn't doing anything of value and the post will be pulled in a direction you don't want. This of course ASSUMES you plan to put a fair bit of tension on the fencing as most people do to keep it tight. If you are just attaching it hand tight, it won't matter. But then you wouldn't need the "outside" post either.


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## greybeard (Oct 13, 2016)

meloout831 said:


> Yes, greybeard! It's a straight line fence, H at each end... I do not have the H's like your picture. Both H's were installed the same like my image posted. Should I fix it before stretching wire? Or, will it be OK if I leave it the way it is? Thanks!!!


Yes, you should fix it before stretching the wire, and it's easy enough to do. Leave both the diagonal wires just as they are, but add one diagonal wire in the opposite configuration to the end that is wrong, forming an 'X' on that particular end. I sometimes do the 'X' if a gate is installed in the middle of a straight run. When done, your fence should look like this:




How I sometimes do the diagonals if the 'H' is in the middle of a run or if a gate is in the middle of a run--this ensures there is no post movement in either direction:


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## meloout831 (Oct 13, 2016)

Thank you so much!!! I will definitely, do the "X" as there will be a 4ft. gate to hang. I'm so glad you guys responded. I like doing things right!  I have not done fencing in a while and had my doubts. Thanks again, and for for the images.


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