An anti climb fence, sometimes called anti climb security fencing or anti scale fencing, is precisely what it is named – a fence you cannot climb. These security fences prevent Intruders from achieving grip and footholds by employing tightly spaced welded wire, wire mesh, expanded metal, perforated metal and/or narrowly spaced palisades as the infill material between posts and rails. This design creates an unclimbable fence or unscalable fence.
Some anti climb fences are designed with an outward curved top section that creates an impossible angle to overcome. Several anti climb palisade fences use this outward curve atop the fence along with a pointed spear-like end to further deter intruders. Many of these fence systems also offer additional security options like Concertina razor wire and barbed wire as well as motion detectors and security lighting.
Welded wire is professionally referred to as “welded wire mesh” and this inclusion of the term “mesh” is where confusion begins. Welded wire consists of perpendicular or orthogonal steel wires that are connected at their cross sections/intersections using resistance welding (or electric resistance welding). This process uses a strong electric current to heat up the two metal components until they melt at their resistance points (where the wires intersect) whereupon pressure is applied to forge them together. This forms a very strong grid of openings, or apertures, that can be sized according to need and design. When welded wire is used for anti climb fencing, the apertures are extremely tight or small to prevent foot and hand holds as well as protect against compromise by breaching tools.
Woven wire mesh, often shortened to “wire mesh”, adds to the aforementioned confusion since both materials can be called “mesh”. Wire mesh is made from individual steel wires literally woven like cloth into an interlocking pattern. Generally, depending on the gauge (thickness) of the wire, woven wire mesh is more flexible and less resilient than welded wire.
Expanded metal is a process where small cuts are made in a sheet of metal and then the entire piece is stretched (expanded) making larger, pre-determined apertures. Like welded wire, these small apertures prevent scaling and breaching.
Perforated metal is a similar process in that the metal sheet has shapes (holes) punched out in various patterns and sizes.
Many palisade fences are anti climb fences depending on how close together the “pales” are spaced. Pales are similar to pickets, the vertical bars or square tubes one often sees on wrought iron fences. Pales, however, are much stronger because they are made from roll formed steel and attached directly to the strength of the horizontal fence materials.
Originally, palisade fences were made of wood and were called stake fences because the pales were imbedded in the ground. A perfect example of this is the stockade forts of the old US West that used sharpened logs buried vertically in the ground to create a palisade fence.
Today’s modern steel palisade fences incorporate horizontal rails to affix the pales so they are not buried in the ground as an anchor point. You can find the best palisade, anti climb fences instantly using the Protogetic Filter.
While there are consumer rated anti climb fences suitable for residential properties, more typically one encounters this level of security at high value target locations such as nuclear and electrical power plants, airports, chemical and petroleum storage facilities and military installations. A no climb security fence not only keeps intruders out, but it also can keep people within their required confines like prisons and psychiatric facilities as well as bridges and overpasses at risk for accidents or suicide attempts.
In short, no. A security anti climb fence is not necessarily designed to prevent a Hostile Vehicle Attack (HVA). However, some manufacturers do make anti-scale fencing that is anti-ram. For an anti climb fence to qualify as an anti-ram barrier, the perimeter fencing has to be tested just like an anti-ram vehicle barriers using ASTM F2656 criteria. You can find one of these special fences instantly at Protogetic.com.
An anti climb security fence prevents human compromise of the protected perimeter. The very small aperture of the infill material prevents scaling by eliminating hand and foot holds. These infill materials are typically steel and include: palisades, welded wire mesh, expanded metal and perforated metal. They are extremely robust so they can further slow or even thwart attempts to cut or breach the fence itself. This also makes most anti climb fences penetration resistant, sometimes simply called an anti-cut fence.
Not at all but many are because penetration resistant fencing can be achieved by creating a very small aperture in the infill material – in simple terms, this means the spacing of the mesh or welded wire is so small that it prevents tools from fitting in the openings and thus cannot exert any leverage or bite to cut the wire infill. As such, it also prevents climbing. Some of these infill systems have such small apertures that they even limit or completely screen visibility should complete privacy be required.
Similar to blast resistant doors, many anti scale fences are also customizable in their sizing as well as security options which include, spike toppers, Concertina razor wire, barbed wire, ballistic shield, motion detectors, infrared sensors and security lighting.
Anti climb fence heights, like regular residential fencing, vary by location and security levels. Research indicates that security fencing should be no lower than 2.1 meters or 6’ 10 inches high. Quite obviously, the higher the fence – the more difficult it is to climb. Exactly how tall your fence needs to be to provide optimal security is also a function of budget as well as building and zoning codes. Many anti climb fences can be custom made or come in predetermined panel heights ranging from 8 feet to 20 feet. The Protogetic Filter helps you find the right height fence for your project instantly.
Most commonly, an anti scaling fence is made from steel, galvanized steel or stainless steel. This includes the vertical fence posts and the horizontal rails. The infill material, whether welded wire, wire mesh, perforated metal, expanded metal or palisades, is also usually steel though they can be made of aluminum, copper, brass and titanium.
There are unclimbable fence types that are non metallic and thus non conductive. These security fences are made of special fiberglass composites or fiberglass reinforced polymers. Installing a non conductive, non climbable fence is critical when securing unique locations like power generating facilities and sub stations where some metal fences could accommodate current leakage and flashover voltage (where a high voltage electric current is accidentally discharged) thereby creating a dangerous, if not deadly, result. If your needs require a metal anti climb fence to surround a sub station or power plant, you need to make sure it complies with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) grounding standards.
A non-conductive fence is also best installed where radar is active, like airports. A metal, non climbable fence can reflect radar, creating more interference patterns compared to a non-conductive fence. Protogetic has non-conductive fences from leading manufacturers. Tired of searching the internet? You can instantly find an anti climb, non-conductive fence using the Protogetic Filter for free!
An anti climb fence utilizes infill material that is stronger, tighter spaced and less flexible than a chain link fence. More material that is higher quality of course costs more. Some anti climb security fencing relies on engineering to curve the upper portion of the fence outward as well as make connections and hardware inaccessible to cutting or being used as a foot or hand hold. These added security designs also add to the cost, making a no climb security fence more expensive than traditional chain link or picket fencing. At Protogetic.com, you can inquire about price quotes instantly by directly messaging the manufacturer representative with one easy click. It could not be simpler. Stop burning up your work day endlessly searching for high security protective design products and get your project done faster with Protogetic.
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