Trae Steel Wire Fencing Staples (250 pcs) 0.98" inch Galvanized U-Shaped Fasteners Nails for Wire Mesh and Woven Fencing

Why these staples ended up in my fence bucket

Good staples aren’t glamorous, but a fence is only as good as the fasteners holding it to the posts. I put the Trae galvanized fencing staples to work on a backyard fence refresh (welded wire on cedar posts) and a few small farm chores—patching poultry netting, tacking hardware cloth on a shed vent, and cleaning up a sagging garden trellis. After a few weeks of use, I have a clear sense of where they shine and where you’ll want to reach for something heavier.

Build, finish, and size

Each staple is about an inch long (0.98" to be exact) with a smooth U-shape and sharp points. The galvanization is even and consistent; the coating survived a week of rainy weather on the bench and several wet days after installation without any chalking or surface rust. These are not barbed fence staples, and the wire diameter is on the lighter side compared with the beefy barbed 1.5" livestock staples I keep for high-tension runs. I’d classify the Trae staples as a medium-light gauge suited for common residential and light agricultural tasks.

The points are properly sharp, which matters more than marketing copy suggests. Sharp legs start true and track straighter, especially on softwoods like cedar and pine, which reduces blowouts and the frustrating half-bent pretzel you get when a dull staple skates across the grain.

Installation experience

I installed roughly 50 feet of 14-gauge welded wire on cedar posts and pine rails using a 16 oz hammer. With a clean, square strike, these went in quickly and didn’t mushroom. On clear-grained cedar, I had almost no bending. On a few knotty pine spots, I noticed the legs were more likely to deflect if I rushed or struck at an angle. Switching to a 20 oz framing hammer kept the blows clean and reduced the urge to wail on them—ironically, a heavier hammer often bends fewer staples because you’re not taking as many glancing hits.

A few technique notes that helped:
- Start the staple with needle-nose pliers or a magnetic bit holder; you’ll bend fewer and save your fingers.
- Drive at a slight diagonal relative to the grain to reduce splitting.
- Don’t over-clamp the wire; leave a hair of wiggle so the mesh can move with seasonal expansion without sawing through the zinc.
- Pre-drill 1/16" pilot holes near knots or in dense species (oak, old PT). It’s a small step that pays off in fewer deformed staples.

One clarification: these are wood-post staples, not ground pins. They’re not designed to be hammered into soil or turf. If you need to pin landscape fabric or drip line, use steel landscape staples with chisel tips instead.

Holding power and compatibility

On welded wire and hardware cloth, the U-shape and length give reliable bite. I’ve had no creep or pullout on cedar and pine when staples were driven properly and spaced reasonably (about every 6–8 inches along rails and 3–4 per post per course of wire). For chicken wire and garden trellis work, they’re overkill in a good way—plenty of hold, clean install.

On woven field fence where you’re tensioning the mesh, they worked for intermediate tacks, but I switched to longer, barbed staples at terminals and corners. Smooth-shank, 1" staples are not the best choice for high-tension sections or for posts that get livestock pressure. If your project involves cattle, hogs, or taut hi-tensile runs, choose a heavier, barbed 1.25"–1.5" staple.

Durability and weather resistance

After several wet weeks—including two wind-driven storms—staples installed outdoors show no rust and no white oxidation. The zinc layer looks sufficient for typical backyard and garden environments. I wouldn’t choose plain galvanized in coastal salt spray or corrosive agricultural atmospheres; stainless would be the upgrade there. For standard suburban or light farm use, the coating quality seems appropriate for multi-season performance.

Workflow and efficiency

The 250-count box is a practical quantity. For planning, figure roughly:
- Hardware cloth on a small vent: 20–30 staples
- 50 ft of welded wire on rails: 150–200 staples depending on spacing and number of courses
- Spot repairs and garden odds-and-ends: a handful per task

I got through two medium projects and still had plenty left for repairs. The consistency is good—uniform legs and even arcs meant fewer toss-aways. Out of the whole box, I had two factory misshapes I discarded, which is perfectly acceptable at this price point.

Where they shine

• Light to medium-duty fencing on softwood posts (cedar, pine, fir)
• Hardware cloth on coops, vents, and raised beds
• Welded wire garden fences and trellises
• Quick fixes where corrosion resistance matters but stainless is overkill

In these scenarios, they drive cleanly, hold fast, and the galvanized finish shrugs off weather.

Where they fall short

• High-tension woven wire and livestock pressure zones
• Dense or knotty hardwood posts without pilot holes
• Any attempt to use them as ground pins
• Situations requiring barbed shanks for maximum grip

The length (just under an inch) and smooth shank are the limiting factors. They’re not flimsy for their class, but they aren’t meant to replace heavyweight, barbed field staples.

Tips to get the best out of them

• Use a 16–20 oz hammer and strike squarely. Glancing blows bend staples.
• Pre-drill near knots or in dense wood. A 1/16" pilot saves frustration.
• Angle the staple slightly with the grain to minimize splitting.
• Leave a sliver of clearance over the wire to prevent abrasion and future breaks.
• Store the box dry; zinc protects well but there’s no reason to invite corrosion.

Value and alternatives

For the volume and performance, the box delivers solid value. If you’re outfitting for a backyard fence, a coop build, or routine repairs, this single pack covers a lot of ground. If your use case is heavier—field fence under tension, livestock gates, or oak posts—step up to 1.25"–1.5" barbed staples. If you’re near the ocean or dealing with corrosive cleaning solutions, consider stainless.

The bottom line

The Trae galvanized fencing staples have earned a spot in my kit for everyday fence and garden work. They’re sharp, consistently made, and the coating holds up. Installed on softwood posts with reasonable technique, they go in straight and stay put. They will bend if you rush, hit knots, or try to make them do a heavier job than they were designed for, but that’s true of most smooth-shank, 1" staples.

Recommendation: I recommend these staples for light to medium-duty fastening to wood—welded wire, poultry netting, hardware cloth, and general garden fencing on cedar or pine posts. They’re reliable, weather-resistant, and the 250-count pack is the right size for real projects. If your fence will see heavy tension or livestock pressure, or you’re driving into dense hardwoods, choose a longer, barbed staple instead.