ESSFF Pet & Garden Safeguard - 15.7IN x 32.8FT Roll - Black Plastic Netting, Multi-Use Decorative Fencing for Poultry, Dogs, Rabbits,Chicken and Snake Barrier

A roll of plastic mesh doesn’t look like much, but the ESSFF netting has quietly become one of those utility items I reach for again and again around the house and garden. At 15.7 inches tall and 32.8 feet long, it’s sized for small jobs—think gaps, edges, and temporary partitions—rather than perimeter fencing. Within those constraints, it’s surprisingly capable.

What’s in the roll

Out of the box, the black mesh has a clean, matte finish and enough stiffness to hold a line when tensioned without feeling brittle. It cuts cleanly with household scissors or snips, and the included zip ties and gloves are a thoughtful touch. The ties are fine for light-duty strapping, but I’d plan on having extra, especially UV-rated black ties for outdoor use. The gloves are basic but keep your hands from catching on cut edges while you’re working.

The height is the first thing to internalize: 15.7 inches is not a fence in the traditional sense. It’s a skirt, a guard, an infill panel, a topper—great for closing gaps that animals exploit or for adding a lightweight barrier where a heavier material would be overkill.

Installation and setup

Installation is about as straightforward as it gets. I’ve attached the mesh to:

• Wood fence rails using a staple gun and washers for a broader bearing surface
• Metal railings using zip ties
• Garden stakes using twist wire and landscape staples
• PVC and metal gates to fill bar gaps

The mesh wants two things to look tidy and stay effective: anchoring and tension. Anchoring prevents pets from nosing under or wind from working an edge loose; tension keeps the panel from sagging. For ground-level runs, I’ve had the best results by:

• Creating an L-shaped apron: run 6–8 inches along the ground toward the protected side and secure it with landscape staples every 8–12 inches. This stops diggers.
• Tensioning the vertical section with a simple top line: a run of paracord, garden wire, or a bottom fence rail keeps the top edge straight.

For railings and balcony infill, zip ties every 6–8 inches provide a neat, drum-tight result. Trim the tails and it blends in well, especially against darker backdrops.

How it performed in real use

• Balcony infill for a small dog: I used the netting to close the gap under a glass balcony wall. It installed quickly with clear adhesive-backed cable mounts and ties. The black mesh is visually quiet—noticeable up close but easy to ignore at a distance—and, more importantly, it stopped a curious terrier from probing the opening. After a hot, windy month, no loosening or fraying.

• Garden rabbit barrier: Around raised beds, the 15.7-inch height is nearly ideal. I staked it with 3-foot garden stakes at 2–3 foot intervals, stapled the apron into the soil, and left the corners slightly overlapped. It has held up through rain and sprinklers, and it’s much easier to reposition than hardware cloth. Rabbits haven’t breached where the apron is well-secured.

• Gate and fence gap fixes: Zip-tying strips to a picket gate to close 3–4 inch spaces took minutes and prevented small pets from squeezing through. It’s a much cleaner, less obtrusive look than improvised plywood or heavier wire panels.

• Temporary enclosure top: As a stopgap, I used a panel of netting as a soft “lid” over a low dog pen. It handled light paws without stretching and discouraged climbing. I wouldn’t trust it for a heavy or determined dog long-term, but for a small pup phase, it did the job.

• Squirrel/rodent deterrent with an overhang: The mesh is light enough to mount as a small outward overhang. When angled out from a fence top, it makes climbing critters think twice—climbing upside down is harder for them than going up and over. You need proper support sticks or brackets, but it’s an effective trick.

• Cable guard behind furniture: A leftover strip slid neatly between a wall and an entertainment unit to keep a rabbit from reaching cables. It’s flexible enough to wedge without scratching surfaces, and the small openings allow airflow while blocking curious noses.

Durability and maintenance

Plastic has a major advantage over metal mesh outdoors: it won’t rust. After weeks of sun and rain, the material remains intact, and the black color hasn’t chalked. That said, lightweight plastic has its quirks:

• Edge memory: Unreinforced edges can start to curl or “give” where animals repeatedly test them. A few extra staples or a top/bottom tension line solves this.
• UV exposure: The mesh feels reasonably UV-stable, but ties are not always. Use UV-rated zip ties outdoors or they can become brittle.
• Impact and load: This is a barrier, not a load-bearing net. It discourages and redirects; it doesn’t restrain force like welded wire would.

Cleaning is simple: a quick hose-down removes mud and pollen. Because the openings are generous, it doesn’t cake with debris.

What it is and what it isn’t

The ESSFF netting works best as a versatile, low-visibility barrier for small animals and garden protection. It’s ideal for:

• Closing gaps on gates, fences, balconies, and deck railings
• Protecting raised beds from rabbits
• Creating dig deterrents with a ground-level apron
• Quick, reversible projects where heavy wire is excessive

It’s less suited for:

• Primary perimeter fencing, especially for medium to large dogs
• Areas where animals can get a strong bite or push—heavy chewers will deform plastic
• Guaranteed snake exclusion: without a specified aperture size and a buried trench, you shouldn’t count on it as a true snake-proof system

In other words, it’s a smart utility mesh, not a substitute for a robust fence.

Practical tips

• Plan your anchors: Have landscape staples, a staple gun with 1/2-inch staples, and UV-rated zip ties on hand. A handful of small washers helps keep staples from tearing through the mesh on wood.
• Overlap seams: Where two runs meet, overlap by at least one grid cell and tie at multiple points to prevent a wedge gap.
• Add tension: A simple cord or wire at the top edge prevents long runs from scalloping or sagging.
• Use an apron: For diggers, the L-shaped ground apron is the difference between “worked for a week” and “worked all season.”
• Consider height: At 15.7 inches, you may need to stack strips for taller coverage. If you do, overlap the joint and zip-tie every 4–6 inches.

Environmental fit and aesthetics

The black mesh is more discreet than bright safety orange or metallic wire, and it pairs nicely with dark fences and railings. Against light siding, you’ll notice it more. Because it’s thin, it doesn’t cast a heavy visual line, and plants grow around it without snagging as much as they do on sharp metal edges.

Value

For a single roll, you get enough length to address several small projects, and the time savings compared to cutting and handling hardware cloth is real. If you need rigidity or long-term structural reliability under pressure, metal still wins. If you need speed, safety (no sharp wires), and flexibility, this netting is the easier answer.

The bottom line

I recommend the ESSFF netting as a versatile, low-maintenance solution for small pet and garden barriers, provided you match it to the right jobs. It’s easy to cut, quick to secure, and visually unobtrusive. Used thoughtfully—with proper anchoring, tensioning, and a ground apron where needed—it punches above its weight. I wouldn’t rely on it as a primary fence for strong or determined animals, and I’d be cautious about claims of snake-proofing without additional measures. But for gap-closing, rabbit-proofing, balcony infill, and temporary containment, it’s an affordable, fuss-free tool I’m happy to keep on hand.