Anti Bird Netting

Written and reviewed by Elaine Bliss, Technical Manager, PestFix
Last reviewed 1 October 2026

Bird netting installation: supplied by EnviroGuard, fitted by our recommended installer

Bird netting is one of the most effective ways to keep pigeons, gulls, starlings and sparrows out of roofs, loading bays, canopies, plant areas, building facades and the undersides of bridges. EnviroGuard supplies the netting, fixings and tools for the job. We do not install it ourselves: if you would like your netting fitted, you can request an installation quote and we will arrange it through our recommended installer, JG Pest Control, a sister company in the Tyro group. If you would rather fit it yourself, this page explains what the job involves and links every part you need.

What a bird netting job involves

1. A survey of the site

Every netting job starts with a look at the site. The surveyor will identify which birds are using it and where they roost or nest, measure the area to be netted, check what the net will be fixed to, and work out how the installer will reach it safely. All wild birds are protected, and active nests must not be disturbed, so the survey also confirms whether netting can go in now or needs to wait until the young have left. Our page on bird control and the law explains the rules.

2. Safe access at height

Most netting is fitted at height, so access is often a large part of the job. Depending on the site, your installer may use a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), a scaffold tower or a full scaffold, and will prepare a risk assessment and method statement before work starts. On sloping roofs, roof mounts lift the net clear of the tiles so it does not sit on the roof surface.

3. Fixings chosen to suit the surface

Every net hangs from a tensioned wire perimeter. Corner fixings carry the load wherever the wire changes direction and at every 10 metres along a straight run, and intermediate fixings hold the wire close to the structure in between. The right fixings depend on what you are fixing into:

You can browse the full range under corner and intermediate fixings.

4. The right mesh size for the bird

The mesh has to be small enough that the target bird cannot push through it. These are the netting grades we stock:

All of our nets are knotted, UV stabilised polyethylene that does not absorb water or stretch. Pre-cut nets come in stock sizes up to 20m x 20m, and cut-to-size netting is made to the nearest whole metre for larger or awkward areas. Where people or combustible materials could be at risk, such as over fire escapes, under canopies and in warehouses, flame retardant netting shrinks away from a flame, limiting falling molten debris. It is black with a red strand so it can be identified once fitted.

5. Tensioning, attaching and finishing

The perimeter is Steel Wire Rope 2mm, tightened with Barrel Strainer Turnbuckle Wire Rope Tensioners and terminated with 2.5mm Copper Ferrules or Wire Rope Grips M3. The net is then fixed to the wire with Hog Ring Staples, with a Netting Corner Tie at each corner. A net that is slack or poorly tensioned can trap birds rather than keep them out, so the finish matters. Netting Access Zips let you reach lights, gutters or plant behind the net, and Bird Scape Humane Netting Escape Funnels let birds from sparrow size up to pigeon size that get behind the net find their way out.

Get your bird netting fitted

We supply the products. We do not install them. Netting is the least forgiving system to fit badly, because a sagging or poorly tensioned net traps birds rather than excluding them.

Not sure who covers your job? Our bird control installers page sets out which group company fits what.

JG Pest Control surveys and installs bird netting and is the group’s bird division. For commercial proofing and guano clearance, Integrum Services covers that work, and Vergo covers bird control nationally. If you are fitting it yourself, everything described on this page is in stock and ships next day.

Fitting bird netting yourself

If you have safe access and are confident working at height, you can fit netting yourself with the same products professional installers use. Our netting installation guide (PDF) covers the full process with diagrams. In summary, for a 10m x 10m net:

1. Fit the corner fixings. Drill and install a corner fixing at every corner of the area, and at every 10 metres along a straight run.
2. Fit the intermediate fixings in a straight line between the corners: every 1m for 50mm and 75mm mesh, every 0.5m for 40mm and 28mm mesh, and every 0.3m for 19mm mesh.
3. Run the wire rope through the fixings along one side.
4. Secure one end by looping the wire through the corner fixing and fastening it with two copper ferrules or two wire rope grips.
5. Fit a barrel strainer to the opposite corner fixing, thread the free end of the wire through its eye, pull it tight and secure it the same way.
6. Tension the wire by tightening the barrel strainer, then repeat steps 3 to 6 for the other three sides.
7. Attach the net at the corners with a netting corner tie around the mesh and the corner fixing.
8. Hog ring every mesh to the wire, keeping the net tight and square, then trim off any surplus net.

For nets larger than 10m x 10m, the main difference is that you need corner fixings every 10 metres to spread the weight of the net, and you may need extra cross wires to stop it sagging in the middle.

Everything you need is in our bird netting range, our netting fixings and straining wire and tensioners, and our netting tools. If you are starting from scratch, the Standard Netting Tool Kit includes a hog ring stapler, netting shears, wire cutters and a nut spinner, and the Professional Netting Tool Kit adds a Ferrule Ratchet Crimp Tool for crimping ferrules in place of the nut spinner.

Bird netting installation FAQs

How much does bird netting installation cost?

Every netting job is priced on survey, because the cost depends mostly on the site rather than the net. The main things that affect the price are the size of the area, the height and the access needed to reach it (a MEWP or scaffold adds to the cost), the surface the fixings go into, the mesh size, whether flame retardant netting is needed, whether roof mounts are needed to lift the net clear, and whether fouling has to be cleaned away first. JG Pest Control offers a free, no-obligation survey, so you can request an installation quote and know the cost before any work starts. If you are fitting it yourself, every net, fixing and tool is priced on its product page.

How long does bird netting last?

Our nets are UV stabilised, and as an indication they are likely to resist UV degradation in average UK sunlight for more than 10 years. Our netting guide gives the same indication for the stainless steel fixings and wire rope in our professional range when they are installed correctly; galvanised fixings cost less but have a slightly shorter life. A net that has been snagged or damaged can be patched with Netting Repair Twine or Netting Repair Clips 50mm rather than replaced.

Do you install bird netting in London, or near me?

EnviroGuard does not install netting itself, but our recommended installer does. JG Pest Control operates throughout the UK, so if you are looking for bird netting contractors in London or anywhere else, you can request an installation quote and we will arrange it. Our bird control installers page also lists the other group companies that cover bird proofing.

Can damaged netting be repaired?

Yes. Small holes and tears can be closed with repair twine or repair clips, and the clips can also join two nets together. If the damage is high up or extensive, an installer can assess whether a repair or a replacement net is the better option.

Can I net an area where birds are already nesting?

No. All wild birds, their active nests and their eggs are protected by law, so netting must not shut birds in or block access to an active nest. Wait until the nest is no longer in use, and check behind the net before you close it off. See bird control and the law for more detail.