# Landing Board Material Question



## Frank A (Jan 9, 2009)

Planning on starting my loft soon. Is there anything wrong with using 1/4" hardware cloth for the landing board as opposed to wood? I've seen several pictures of landing boards made out of hardware cloth and was wondering if hardware cloth is hard of the birds feet especially when landing. Using hardware cloth would allow me to bath the pigeons in the aviary without messing up the loft.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

my avairy is made of 1/4" hardware cloth
its good for exactly what you stated about the bathing
the one thing I did do was add a peice of plywood on top of the avairy for the landing board.
about 4 feet wide
I was going to leave my landing board just wire but was talked out of it.
The birds do like landing on the wood more than the wire.
sometimes thier nails get caught up in it and it makes it a little hard for them walking.
you want them to land and walk into the loft as fast as possible

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z136/StoN3d420/?action=view&current=DSC02281.jpg


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## Deluhathol (Jan 26, 2009)

I used 1/4 " hardware cloth for the bottom of my loft and the bottom of the sunning area. My birds seem to walk around on it just fine. Althogh if you were to use it as a landing area I would highly recoment you make some sort of frame for it to keep the cloth nice and tight.  If you take a look at my loft album you can see what I did for my sunning area in the front, should be the same concept. Good luck with your loft and get some photos up when you start.


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## Frank A (Jan 9, 2009)

Deluhathol, I was thinking about using 1/4" hardware cloth on the floor of my loft also. Most fliers around here use expanded metal but I'm concerned about rat snakes that we see around here all summer long getting into the loft. I know you can't walk on hardware cloth but i'm thinking about putting down a plywood walk way down the center. How did you do yours? Will 1/4" keep out mice? Thanks, Frank A.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

1/4" cloth should keep out the mice rats and snakes


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## Deluhathol (Jan 26, 2009)

well I only made my loft 4' deep and put a 2x4 across the center for extra support. I just walk on that and on the 2x4 outer frame. Just have to be careful so I dont put my foot through the bottom . I have pictures in my album if you want to take a look, should help you get an idea.


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