Stopping a rodent incursion under the shed!

[Don2222]

Hello
Moth balls and Repel All work if they are not hibernating. Typically they start hibernating late October or November when it gets cold!
Under the shed is not a free shelter to all the homeless wayward chipmunks in the neighborhood! The first year the moved some stones in the back of the shed to create a small entrance so a few could sneak in! Last year they moved a lot more stones to create a larger side entrance for all their rodent buddies and pals!! No big holes for ground hogs or squirrels just chipmunks that can get through very small spaces!!
Basically I pried off the composite trim bottom board. Pull out the nails. Cut the hardware cloth to make 4 - 118” long pieces.
Staple it up and screw the trim board back with deck screws which will hold better over the screen mesh.
Note: Front composite board only that goes under the ramp.
I had to cut it on the front of the shed with a Sawzall because it went under the ramp. Then after the hardware cloth went up, I had to grind the edge of the front composite trim so it would fit back up with the screen going in between on each side of the ramp.
Parts for 10’ x 10’ shed
Aluminum flashing or Hardware Cloth can be used but Hardware Cloth still lets air circulate.
2 - 10 foot Rolls 36” wide for 4 10’ x 15” wide lengths on sale at Lowe’s $20 each total $40
Box of 1-5/8” long $5.00
Total $45.00
Tools used
Air powered shears
Air powered stapler
Pry Bar
Hammer
Phillips screw driver
Battery Drill Driver with drill bit
Battery Drill Driver with Phillips screw head
Sawzall - to cut composite trim boards
4” Grinder with flap pad for grinding composite board
Garden Gloves
Band-Aids - ouch that hardware cloth is sharp after cutting!!
Pic 00 - Hardware Cloth at Lowe’s
Pic 01 - Larger side entrance
Pic 02 - Pry off all bottom composite trim boards that were nailed on with a nail gun and pull nails out of sill board.
Pic 03 - shovel out stones on a blue tarp
Pic 04 - Tools Compressor pry bar etc.
Pic 05 - Cutting hardware cloth with air power shears
Pic 06 - Bend & Air Staple Hardware Cloth to PT sill board to cover space between cider block and 7” of ground to prevent chipmunk entry
Pic 07 - Cut additional piece of Hardware Cloth to go around electric wire pipes
Pic 08 - Using wire cutters - Cut and bend hardware cloth around electric pipes
Pic 09 - Drill pilot hole and using galvanized 1-5/8 deck screws to screw composite trim boards back up
Pic 10 - Cut additional pieces of hardware cloth to cris cross the ground on the corners to prevent hole digging.
Pic 11 - Shovel stones back

 

[Burnin Since 1989]

I wish the critters around here would hibernate. The chipmunks and mice drive me crazy. One year I trapped 18 chipmunks and "removed them". It took a few years, but now the population has recovered. I just bought two rolls of hardware cloth to help keep them out of places I don't want them. Good luck! We're about 25 miles southwest of you in MA.

 

[zrock]

You do know all those critters can chew through that right? I found the best way to keep them away is a electric trap. Where i live use to be infested with those critters, first night with the trap i killed 10 first week i burnt the trap out it caught so many and had to order another. One season with the traps and now in 8 years i have never seen another one around my place. THey are at the neighbours around me but not here as they know.. The electric trap is very humain as they are dead instantly no lingering death

 

[Don2222]

I know Hardware Cloth does not keep all rodents out but in my case I am battling chipmunks.
Here is my question and Google's AI response,.
Will hardware cloth keep chipmunks out
Yes, 1/4-inch hardware cloth will keep chipmunks out if used correctly, as the small openings are too small for them to squeeze through. To be fully effective, it needs to be installed as a physical barrier that is buried in the ground and extends past the perimeter, or used to cover and protect specific areas like bulbs, seeds, and vulnerable plants.

How to use hardware cloth to keep chipmunks out

• For gardens and flower beds:
  • Cover new plantings of bulbs and seeds with a layer of 1/4-inch hardware cloth.
    
    
  • Bury the edges at least 6-12 inches deep and extend the cloth at least 1-2 feet beyond the bed's perimeter to prevent digging underneath.
    
    
  • Secure the hardware cloth by covering it with soil or rocks.
    
    
  • You can remove the cloth once the plants are established enough to withstand the chipmunks.
    
  • Attach hardware cloth to the bottom of the raised bed frame and extend it 6-12 inches down and out around the entire perimeter.
    
    
  • Ensure the cloth is large enough for your plants to grow through, or create a separate cage for specific plants.
    

 

[semipro]

You do know all those critters can chew through that right? I found the best way to keep them away is a electric trap. Where i live use to be infested with those critters, first night with the trap i killed 10 first week i burnt the trap out it caught so many and had to order another. One season with the traps and now in 8 years i have never seen another one around my place. THey are at the neighbours around me but not here as they know.. The electric trap is very humain as they are dead instantly no lingering death

Mind sharing which make/model of electric trap you used? We are at constant war with mice in our house and vehicles, but I really hate torturing them like so many traps do.

 

[zrock]

I just got the trap off amazon, this is the one i used but im sure it was much cheaper when i purchased it

NAMEK Electric Rat Trap for Home, Effective Humane Indoor Rats Killer, Mice Zapper, Upgraded Rat Traps, Instantly Kill Rodent with Powerful Voltage : Amazon.ca: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Find products from NAMEK at low prices. Shop online for barbecues, mowers, garden tools, generators, snow blowers and more at Amazon.ca

www.amazon.ca

 

[zrock]

I know Hardware Cloth does not keep all rodents out but in my case I am battling chipmunks.
Here is my question and Google's AI response,.
Will hardware cloth keep chipmunks out
Yes, 1/4-inch hardware cloth will keep chipmunks out if used correctly, as the small openings are too small for them to squeeze through. To be fully effective, it needs to be installed as a physical barrier that is buried in the ground and extends past the perimeter, or used to cover and protect specific areas like bulbs, seeds, and vulnerable plants.

How to use hardware cloth to keep chipmunks out

• For gardens and flower beds:
  • Cover new plantings of bulbs and seeds with a layer of 1/4-inch hardware cloth.
    
    
  • Bury the edges at least 6-12 inches deep and extend the cloth at least 1-2 feet beyond the bed's perimeter to prevent digging underneath.
    
    
  • Secure the hardware cloth by covering it with soil or rocks.
    
    
  • You can remove the cloth once the plants are established enough to withstand the chipmunks.
  • Attach hardware cloth to the bottom of the raised bed frame and extend it 6-12 inches down and out around the entire perimeter.
    
    
  • Ensure the cloth is large enough for your plants to grow through, or create a separate cage for specific plants.

Hopefully it works for you but chipmunks are in the same class as squirrels and they will chew through anything to get what they want.. Now in my outer sheds i run a few of those ultra sonic devices and see no signs of pests, Pretty good since i have toys out their on battery maintainers that generate a little heat.

 

[Don2222]

Hopefully it works for you but chipmunks are in the same class as squirrels and they will chew through anything to get what they want.. Now in my outer sheds i run a few of those ultra sonic devices and see no signs of pests, Pretty good since i have toys out their on battery maintainers that generate a little heat.

I talked to others who did this and had very good luck with the right hardware cloth. So far they are out and I will keep checking. I put 3/4” stone all over the hardware cloth and up to the white trim board. So if they move the stones again and get through, I will certainly see that.

It is a tricky problem and I got more information from google AI which helps
os
Short videos
Do chipmunks and squirrels chew thru chicken wire?

Yes, both
chipmunks and squirrels can chew through chicken wire, and it is not an effective barrier for keeping them out of a garden or chicken coop. Chicken wire is too thin and flexible for a determined squirrel or chipmunk, and its large hexagonal openings allow chipmunks to squeeze through without even needing to chew.

Why chicken wire fails

• Too flimsy: Squirrels and other rodents can easily chew through the thin wire strands. They are also known to chew through other materials like plastic and wood.
• Holes are too big: The large holes in standard chicken wire allow small animals like chipmunks to simply pass through without chewing at all.
• Burrowing: Even if you secure the sides, chipmunks and ground squirrels are experts at burrowing underneath fences and barriers to gain entry.

A secure alternative: Hardware cloth
To effectively protect a coop or garden, use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. Hardware cloth is a thicker, stronger, and more secure wire mesh with a smaller opening size.

Recommendations for use

• Mesh size: Use hardware cloth with a maximum mesh size of 1/2-inch to 1/4-inch to prevent chipmunks and squirrels from getting through.
• Gauge: For especially persistent rodents, use a heavier gauge wire, such as 19-gauge or 16-gauge.
• Install underground: To stop burrowing pests, bury hardware cloth around the perimeter of the coop or garden, extending it at least 6 to 12 inches underground.

 

[gzecc]

What worked for my shed was digging down 6" around the perimeter, then 12" out from the building. Put hardware cloth at 90 degree, nailed to building and covered with crushed stone. No more vermin for me. Lots of work but it works.