Cattle Panel Creations

Cattle Panel Arbor

Over the years, we have come to realize that the term "Cattle Panel" was far to narrow of a description for the welded metal wonders most often used for fencing.  When we first acquired our cattle panels, we naively used them for their intended purpose - fencing panels.  They proved much tougher than run-of-the-mill field fencing and corralled even the orneriest milk cow.  With years of use, they became bent but maintained their usefulness.  We found that they could be used as support for pole beans, as a sturdy enclosure for our sun room and as a make-shift, movable grazing pen.  But that was just the beginning.....

Last spring, Maid Elizabeth and I fashioned a cattle panel arbor in front of our door, creating the perfect muse for our Virginia Creeper.  Then, my folks built a "Conestoga Wagon" from a trailer topped with domed cattle panels covered in tarps (NOT the blue ones!) to create a movable firewood trailer.  It was perfect.  They towed their trailer to the spot they were cutting wood, filled the trailer and moved it to the next location, stacking wood as they went.  When the trailer was full, they backed it next to their porch and had a handy wood supply all winter.

This year, Sir Knight and I decided that we wanted to keep our shed (attached to our Shouse) free from wood so that we had plenty of room to store generators, chargers and our rolling stock (4-wheeler, motorcycle, bikes and lawn mower).  Because we needed another place to store firewood, we put our thinking caps on and came up with a variation of my parents "Conestoga Wagon" idea.  Once again, cattle panels to the rescue.

We made our "Wood Hut" out of three cattle panels.  First, Sir Knight and Master Hand Grenade pulled three, beat up cattle panels from our stash and laid them side-by-side in the field where we wanted the hut.  Next, they lay two 2x6 end to end (spliced with another section of 2x6) and put the end of the cattle panel  on top.  After placing two 2x4's on top of the cattle panel, Miss Serenity proceeded to run screws into them about every four inches, securing the cattle panels between the 2x4's and 2x6's.  After securing both ends of the panels in this fashion, Master Hand Grenade and Sir Knight rolled the panels into a domed, upright position.  Once upright, Sir Knight screwed a 2x4 onto the back and the front of the hut, stabilizing the structure considerably.  After it was all together, we picked it up and moved it into position and started filling it with firewood.

Miss Serenity and Master Calvin

Master Calvin assisting Sir Knight

Sir Knight and Miss Serenity working together
(securing the panels with tie wraps)

Putting the finishing touches on the front of the hut

Princess Dragon Snack handing wood to Sir Knight
(notice her pink, lace hat!)

Right now, our "Wood Hut" is little more than a wire cage filled with firewood.  We have tarps on order (pretty green ones!) and will cover the hut, and secure it with re-bar once they arrive.  I'll keep you posted on our progress, and let you know if our experiment is a success or a failure.  Wind is a huge concern where we live, so the quality of the tarps may well be the difference between a great wood storage system and a winter of burning wet wood.

We have found cattle panels to be so versatile that I cannot imagine any homestead complete without them.  We love our Cattle Panel Creations!