36" Galvanized Tension Bar

Despite its simple appearance, a tension bar is one of the most essential components of installing a chain link fence, as it is what keeps your fence fabric rigid and secure—providing it with tension so that people and animals cannot easily remove/crawl under the fence. Please note: before installing tension bars and fabric, your fence's terminal posts need to be fitted with tension bands. After you have installed your terminal posts, line posts, and top rails, it is time to attach the chain link fabric. When ready, unroll the fabric and stand one end of it up so that it's parallel to a terminal post. Hold the fabric in place and carefully slide a tension bar vertically through the tension bands as well as every triangular end—or "knuckle"—in the fabric. Install another tension bar on the opposite end of the fabric, using the same method. Having tension bars installed and rigged to the terminal posts will help keep the fence fabric stretched. Two tension bars are needed for every stret