Concrete provides a strong foundation for wooden fence posts, but can rot them more quickly. Setting them in dirt, with or without gravel or crushed rock depending on your soil type, can help the posts last longer before going rotten. You can also use metal fence post anchors to prolong their life.
What size gravel is best for setting fence posts?
The ideal size gravel for fence posts is roughly three-eighths of an inch in size. You should find a happy medium between finer gravel, which provides good support, and larger-sized gravel that will provide good drainage and prevent the wood from rotting (or metal from rusting).
How do I keep my fence post from rotting?
How You Can Protect Your Wooden Fence Posts From Rotting
- Wet Rot Vs. Dry Rot. …
- Choose Rot Resistant Wood. …
- Dry the Fence Posts Out. …
- Consider Adding Posts to Concrete. …
- Apply Preservative to the Wooden Post. …
- Consider Staining Your Wood. …
- Start Digging. …
- Fill Up the Hole.
How do you keep fence posts from rotting in concrete?
Set in Gravel and Concrete
Fill the first three inches up with gravel so the end of the post doesn’t come into contact with the dirt. Gravel allows water to drain quickly away from the post and into the soil. Be sure to place the post in the center of the hole. Finally, fill the entire hole up with cement to the top.
How do I put a post in the ground without concrete?
Here’s the step-by-step process in detail:
- Step 1: Dig the Hole. The first step is selecting your fence post location and digging your hole. …
- Step 2: Fill the Base with Gravel. …
- Step 3: Position your Fence Post. …
- Step 4: Filling Hole & Tamping.
Should I put gravel in bottom of post hole?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So just to recap everything the gravel in certain soils like clay where the water does not go through the soil very fast could actually become a container like a bucket. And fill up with water.
Can you use pea gravel to set fence posts?
Setting wood or vinyl fence posts is a critical part of fence construction to make sure that the fence is sturdy. The use of pea gravel to help set posts provides good drainage and, when combined with concrete, results in a sturdy fence post installation.
Should I use concrete or cement for fence posts?
Concrete provides a strong foundation for wooden fence posts, but can rot them more quickly. Setting them in dirt, with or without gravel or crushed rock depending on your soil type, can help the posts last longer before going rotten. You can also use metal fence post anchors to prolong their life.
Should you cement fence posts?
It’s not to prevent rot. Most use concrete to create leverage. The main reason is the post length of choice for fence companies is often a 4″ x 4″ x 8′. As a result, the fence post is only two feet in the ground on a six-foot in height wood fence.
How do you protect fence posts in the ground?
Caulk Around the Fence Post Base
Apply high-quality exterior acrylic latex caulk, or silicone specifically designed to adhere to concrete, at the base of the post. Note: This will seal the gap between the concrete and post that’s caused by freeze/thaw cycles.
Do wooden fence posts need cement?
First rule, gang: Do not set wooden posts in concrete. Look, no matter what preventative steps you take (and I’ll get to those), eventually wooden posts rot, and eventually you’ll have to set new ones. Not only does burying them in concrete make for more work down the line, it actually can speed up the rotting.
What is the easiest fence to put up?
The quickest and easiest fence to install is with wood panels. The wood panels are not always the cheapest, but they save time rather than installing the rails and pickets separately.
How do you install wood fence posts in the ground?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: When setting wood posts for a split rail fence only the end corner. And gate posts must be set in concrete. The line posts can be set and compacted soil.
How do you fit concrete fence posts and gravel boards?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And then poured in one whole bag of post mix. And just dry mixed up together in the barrow. So left that to one side for a minute while we focused on lining up the fence posts.
Can you put dry concrete in a post hole?
Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there’s no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water.
How do you cement a 4×4 post in the ground?
Project Instructions
- Dig post hole so diameter of the hole is 3 times the width of the post (i.e., the hole for a 4” wood post should be about 12 inches wide). …
- Add about 6 inches of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel into the bottom of the hole. …
- Set the post into the hole and attach 2×4 braces to adjacent sides of the post.
What is the best concrete mix for fence posts?
Quikrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix
For a small to mid sized job I recommend going with premixed. The best concrete mix for fence posts I’ve found is Quikrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix in a 50 lb bag. It’s 4000 psi, easy to work with, sets up fast, and doesn’t need to be mixed. Just pour it in the hole and soak with water.
How long will a treated 4×4 post last in the ground?
How Long Will A Treated 4×4 Last In The Ground? (Explained) A treated 4×4 will last 20 to 25 years in the ground if the conditions in the soil and climate are favorable. That number could increase to 40 to 75 years if you install the treated 4×4 in a cement ring rather than the soil.
What concrete should I use for fence posts?
Fast-setting concrete
Fast-setting concrete is ideal for installing fence posts since it doesn’t need to be mixed in a bucket or a wheelbarrow. Once you’ve finished digging your post holes, add about three to four inches of gravel into the bottom and compact it using a post or a 2×4.
Is rapid set concrete good for fence posts?
Rapid Set Concrete is ideal for house jobs like setting pergola and fence posts, whereas Quick Set Concrete is a great choice for fence corners and structural supports where higher compressive strength is required.
How deep should a concrete fence post be?
Dig your hole to the correct depth, allowing for the height of the fence panel and the gravel board. As a rough guide the hole should be a minimum 1/3 the height of the fence, so a 6 foot fence would need an 8 foot post in a 2 foot deep hole. Similarly, the hole should be three times the diameter of the post.
