Netting keeps birds off berries, butterflies off brassicas and cats off seedbeds, but only if it reaches the ground on every side. Nets bought by the frame size alone are almost always too small.
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Enter your frame size and the sides you want to cover. The calculator gives the size of a single net to drape over the whole frame, a cut list if you prefer separate panels, the total area and the number of clips or ties.
drape net length = frame length + 2 × (height + skirt) drape net width = frame width + 2 × (height + skirt) top panel = (length + 2 × overlap) × (width + 2 × overlap) side panels = (length + 2 × overlap) × (height + skirt + overlap) end panels = (width + 2 × overlap) × (height + skirt + overlap) clips = ceil(total seam and frame edge length ÷ clip spacing)
A one-piece net drapes over the top and falls down every side, so it needs the height and skirt added on both sides in each direction. With one end open, only one end drop is added along the length. A top-only cover adds the overlap on each edge so it can wrap around the frame.
A 1.8 × 1.2 × 1.2 m fruit cage covered on the top and all four sides with a 15 cm skirt needs a single net of 4.5 × 3.9 m. As separate panels with 10 cm overlaps, that is one 2.0 × 1.4 m top, two 2.0 × 1.45 m sides and two 1.4 × 1.45 m ends: about 12.7 m² of netting.
Add twice the height plus twice the ground skirt to both the length and width of the cage. A 6 × 4 ft cage that is 4 ft tall with a 6-inch skirt needs a net of about 15 × 13 ft.
For a flat cover pegged to the ground, add at least 15–30 cm (6–12 in) on every side. For a frame, add the full height on each side plus the skirt.
Use fine mesh, commonly around 7 mm or smaller, and make sure it is sealed at the ground; butterflies find gaps easily.
Leave a skirt of net on the ground and hold it down with pegs, boards or bricks so there are no gaps at the base.