Measuring Chain Link Fence For Windscreens

What you will need:

Use a 100′ tape measure and a smaller normal metal tape measure. You can put a hook on the end of your tape measure. This makes it easy to measure the long pieces, up to 60′ with one person.

Use a smaller tape measure, 16′ or 25′ for example, with a metal blade. These make it easy to measure the gate and transom, which is overhead.

First take time to make your diagram. Draw a map of the tennis courts on a clipboard to record the locations of the pieces of windscreens to order. This map will be used again during installation.

• Start measurements at a corner of the the tennis court at the terminal post.
• Determine Height.  10′ fences typically have 9′ screens. Custom length windscreens are generally sold in 6’ or 9’ heights or custom made to any height.
• Begin height measurement “one fence diamond” from the top of the fence to allow for some exposed fence above the screen to attach. Allow at least one “fence diamond” exposed below the screen to attach screen and for air to flow. A 9′ screen on a 10′ fence will usually have one fence diamond above the screen and two or two and a half below the screen.
• Measure lengths of screen “inside tension bar to inside tension bar”. This means that the windscreen will be installed between the tension bars, so the measurements start and stop just within inside, allowing up to one fence diamond exposed to attach. 
  

  Red line shows where windscreen will be installed, approximately 2″ inside tension bar.

   

  If you measure from outside of the tension bars, you subtract 4″-6″ from each piece.

• Panels of windscreen should be 60′ in length or less. It makes it easier to handle, and one piece gets damaged you only have to replace the damaged section. Most tennis courts are 60′ in width at the ends, by 120’ in length on the sides, so the sides can be made from two 60′ panels.
• Measure gates and transoms. Like the other panels, the gates and transoms get measured inside tension bar to inside tension bar. The transom is the small piece above the gate. Tips
• Pull all slack out of the tape measure.
• It’s better you if measure the piece an inch too short than too long, to account for stretching or fabrication errors.
• Where two screens meet side-by-side, there should be a pole. Starting and stopping measurements on a pole looks cleaner that having them meet at a random point on the fence. Remember to leave a 3″ gap between the pieces “one fence diamond” exposed, for the hardware to attach the screen.
• MEASURE EVERY PIECE, Don’t assume that because the other side looks the same, it is the same as this side. Write down your measurements to the nearest inch. Don’t round off measurements.
• Put a hook on the end of the tape measure, so you can hook it to the fence and don’t need a friend to hold the other end.