Razor Wire Price in Kenya: Per Coil, Per Metre and With an Electric Fence

Razor wire in our shop costs KSh 1,600 per coil for 450 mm double galvanised concertina wire and KSh 1,900 per coil for green PVC-coated razor wire. Stretched to about 9 metres, the galvanised coil works out at roughly KSh 178 per metre of wall, before fixings and labour. The rest of this guide explains how far a coil really goes, how to work out the number you need, and when razor wire on its own is enough versus when to pair it with an electric fence.

How far does one coil of razor wire go

Concertina razor wire is sold as a compressed coil that you pull out like a spring. How much wall a coil covers depends on how far you stretch it, and stretching it further makes the loops wider apart and the barrier easier to push through. So "metres per coil" is never one fixed number.

For our 450 mm galvanised coil, the product listing gives a stretch of up to 10 metres and notes that going beyond about 9 metres reduces its effectiveness. In practice, plan on 9 metres per coil, and less if you want the loops tighter on a stretch that is likely to be attacked, such as a wall beside a footpath or an empty plot. Each coil weighs about 6 kg, so they are easy to carry onto a wall.

The green coated wire listing gives a range rather than one figure, because coated coils are made in several diameters: commonly 450 mm to 960 mm across, stretching to roughly 8 to 16 metres depending on size. Confirm the coil diameter and stretch with us when you order so you buy the right number.

Worked example: a 50 by 100 ft plot

The standard Nairobi 50 by 100 ft plot is about 15.2 by 30.5 metres, a perimeter of roughly 91 metres. Leave out a 4 metre gate and there are about 87 metres of wall to cover. At 9 metres per coil that is 9.7 coils, so 10.

These figures are the wire only. Brackets or anchors, tie wire and installation labour are extra and depend on the wall: its height, its condition, and whether there are trees, gutters or a neighbour's structure in the way. To work out your own number, measure the wall length you want covered, divide by 9 for the galvanised coil, and round up. For a wall that is the only barrier on a busy road side, consider two lines or tighter stretching on that side only.

Galvanised or green coated

Double galvanised wire has a zinc coating that protects the steel from rust. It is the cheaper option, and the bright silver finish is highly visible from the road, which is part of the deterrent.

Green PVC-coated wire has a galvanised steel core with a polymer layer on top. Its listing describes the two layers as giving extended protection against moisture and salt air, and the colour blends into hedges and garden walls. People choose it for residential estates where the silver look is too harsh, and it is worth considering on the coast, where salty air is hard on bare metal.

Both are sharp. The coating does not make the blades any safer to handle.

Wall-top or ground level

• Wall-top. The usual use in Kenyan homes. The coil is fixed along the top of a masonry wall on brackets or anchored tie wire so it cannot be lifted off in one piece. Keep it continuous at corners and where the wall meets the gate pillars, because gaps there are where people climb.
• Along a chain-link or palisade fence. Fixed along the top or run along the foot of the fence and pegged down, it stops people climbing over or digging under.
• Free-standing at ground level. Laid out on open ground, or stacked with two coils side by side and a third on top, it forms a barrier on its own. This is more common on farms, construction sites and commercial yards than at homes.

On any installation, keep the wire within your own boundary and away from footpaths, so it does not catch passers-by or overhang a neighbour's land.

Razor wire vs electric fence

Razor wire is a cheap, power-free physical barrier. An electric fence is a monitored barrier: it tells you when someone tries it. Many compounds use both, with razor wire covering low or awkward sections and the fence covering the rest, or both running on the same wall.

Combining razor wire with an electric fence

If you already have, or plan, an electric fence, these are the parts we stock and their prices. For full installed costs by perimeter length, see our electric fence installation cost guide.

The fixed core of the system, the energiser, siren, light indicator and one 50 m roll of undergate cable, comes to KSh 24,900 before any wire, posts or insulators. Those depend on your perimeter length and the number of strands.

The one rule when combining them: razor wire must never touch the live strands. Contact shorts the pulse to earth, the energiser alarms, and the fence voltage collapses along that section. Mount the razor wire on its own brackets with a clear gap from the electric strands, check it after strong wind, and keep climbing plants and branches off both. The light indicator makes a short obvious from the house, because its flashing slows when voltage drops.

Handling and safety

• Wear heavy leather or cut-resistant gloves, long sleeves and eye protection. A coil can spring back when its clips are cut.
• Keep the coil clipped until it is in position on the wall, then release and stretch it a section at a time with two people.
• Keep children away during installation and store offcuts safely; loose pieces in grass are a hidden hazard.
• Do not stretch past the recommended length to save a coil. The barrier is only as strong as its widest gap.

We supply and install in Nairobi. Razor wire and fence parts are delivered anywhere in Kenya for a flat KSh 300 per order with cash on delivery; for installation in your town, call or WhatsApp us to discuss your site. Send your wall measurements on WhatsApp at +254 718 811 661 or through the contact page for a coil count, or browse the electric fence and razor wire range.