Hardware Cloth & Wire Mesh for Pest & Gopher Control
Gophers tunneling into your raised beds? Rats in the soffits? Squirrels in the attic vents? The fix is almost always the same: a sturdy metal barrier with openings small enough that the critter can't squeeze, chew, or dig through. Howard Wire has stocked galvanized hardware cloth, welded wire, and screening for exactly this since 1938 — cut to the size you need, shipped nationwide.
Match The Mesh To The Pest
The single most important choice is opening size. Too big and the animal slips through; unnecessarily small can restrict drainage and airflow. Use this as a starting point, then confirm the target pest for your area — regional species and juveniles vary.
| Opening Size | Commonly Used To Exclude | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4" | Mice, snakes, small rodents, most insects (larger bugs) | Vent & soffit screening, drain guards, fine exclusion |
| 1/2" | Rats, chipmunks, squirrels, voles | Gopher baskets, crawlspace barriers, coop walls |
| 3/4" – 1" | Gophers, moles, larger rodents | Raised-bed liners, root-ball baskets, tree guards |
| 1" – 2" | Rabbits, gophers, birds, cats | Garden fencing, run enclosures, orchard barriers |
General guidance only — confirm the opening size for your specific pest and region before ordering. When in doubt, size down.
What People Build With It
Gopher & Root Baskets
Line raised beds or wrap individual root balls so gophers and voles can't tunnel up from below. Galvanized hardware cloth is the go-to; stainless lasts longest in wet soil.
Critter Barriers & Skirting
Bury an L-shaped apron of welded wire along fences, decks, and sheds to stop digging animals. Larger openings for rabbits, tighter for burrowing rodents.
Cages, Coops & Runs
Predator-resistant walls and floors for chicken coops, aviaries, and small-animal hutches. 1/2" hardware cloth is the workhorse — raccoons can't reach through it the way they can chicken wire.
Soffit, Vent & Drain Screening
Seal attic vents, foundation vents, gable ends, and drain openings against rodents and larger pests. 1/4" keeps out mice while still breathing.
Galvanized, Stainless, Or Insect Screen?
Three quick rules of thumb for picking material:
Galvanized
Zinc-coated steel — strong, affordable, and the default for most garden and exclusion work. Great for baskets, coops, and barriers in ordinary soil and dry climates.
Stainless (304 / 316)
For coastal air, constant moisture, or a barrier you never want to redo, stainless resists rust far longer. 316 is the pick for salt-spray environments. Worth it for permanent installs.
Insect Screen
Rodent mesh won't stop bugs. For flies, mosquitoes, wasps, and no-see-ums, use woven insect screen (fiberglass, aluminum, stainless, or bronze) over windows, vents, and enclosures.
Tell Us The Pest & The Size
We cut galvanized and stainless mesh to your dimensions and ship anywhere in the U.S. Quote-only, no guessing.
Explore The Right Material
Hardware Cloth
The classic galvanized exclusion mesh — 1/4" and 1/2" openings for baskets, coops, and vents. Browse hardware cloth ›
Welded Wire Mesh
Heavier, rigid welded grids for barriers, runs, and larger fencing where strength matters. Browse welded wire ›
Insect Screen
Fine woven screening to keep bugs out of vents, windows, and enclosures. Browse insect screen ›
Coastal or permanent install? See stainless woven mesh: 316 stainless woven wire ›
Common Questions
What mesh keeps out gophers, rats, and mice?
As a general rule: 1/4" hardware cloth stops mice and snakes, 1/2" handles rats and squirrels, and 3/4" to 1" works for gophers and moles. Rabbits need something in the 1" to 2" range. These are starting points — confirm the size for your specific pest and region, and when unsure, choose the smaller opening.
Galvanized or stainless for buried gopher baskets?
Galvanized hardware cloth is the standard and works well in typical soil. If you're near the coast, in constantly wet ground, or want a barrier you'll never have to dig up and replace, stainless (304, or 316 for salt air) resists corrosion far longer. It costs more up front but outlasts galvanized underground.
Will hardware cloth keep insects out too?
Not reliably. Rodent mesh openings are far too large for most bugs. For flies, mosquitoes, wasps, and gnats you want woven insect screen — we stock fiberglass, aluminum, stainless, and bronze. Many folks layer both: hardware cloth for structure and rodent exclusion, insect screen for the fine bug barrier.
Do you cut mesh to size?
Yes. Everything is cut to your dimensions — that's how we work. Tell us the opening size, material, and the width and length you need, and we'll quote it and ship nationwide from Hayward, California. Call (510) 887-8787 or request a quote.
Why hardware cloth instead of chicken wire for a coop?
Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but it doesn't keep predators out — raccoons can reach through or tear the thin twisted wire, and rats chew right past it. Welded 1/2" hardware cloth has smaller openings and stronger joints, so it stands up to determined animals much better on coop walls and floors.