How do you trench next to a fence?

How to Trench a Fence Line

  1. Hammer wooden stakes into the ground to mark each corner of the perimeter of your fence. …
  2. Paint a line on the ground that follows the string from stake to stake. …
  3. Dig a trench at least 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide along the outside of the paint line.

How close can you dig to a fence post?





The width of the post hole should be 3 times the width of diameter of the post. For example, if you are erecting a 6 foot high fence using 4 inch fence posts, the posts need to be 6 feet above the ground. 6 divided by 3 is 2, therefore the depth of the hole required is 2 feet.

How deep should a fence post be sunk?

The 2 ft Rule



Lawsons experts recommend you should dig a hole which has a depth of 2 ft (24 in / 600mm) to ensure you have a stable timber or concrete fence post.

How do you ensure a fence post is in line?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Your string line should always extend past your actual fence line on corners and ends at this location in the layout. We have a corner or 90 degree turn as.

What is the easiest way to dig a trench?

What is the Fastest Way to Dig a Trench by Hand?

  1. Water the soil for 1 hour the day before excavation.
  2. Use a trenching shovel to quickly excavate the trench.
  3. Use a pick mattock to dig up rocks and break through tough soil.





What can I use to dig a trench?

What is the Best Tool for Digging a Trench?

  1. The traditional trenching tool kit is: trench shovel, drain spade, pick mattock, and rake.
  2. If the trench must be dug on extremely rocky or hard ground, a walk-behind trencher may be required.
  3. For detailed borders, use a border trenching tool.


How deep should I bury a 10 foot post?

The general rule of thumb when setting a post is that the depth of the post’s hole needs to be one-third to one-half of the actual above-ground height of the post. So, a six-foot-high finished post ideally needs to be buried three feet into the ground.

Is 2 feet deep enough for fence posts?



The depth of the hole should be 1/3-1/2 the post height above ground (i.e., a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet).

How far from house should fence post be?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So to prevent this you had set a post up foot or two away from the house and then continued your fencing past a post to the house while leaving a gap an inch or two for expansion and contraction.

Can you put dry concrete in a post hole?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Because there is no mixing you simply pour it into the hole. Dry. Then add water when digging your post hole it is important that the diameter of the hole be three times the width of the post.

Does capping fence posts prevent rot?



Do Fence Posts Need Caps? Again, absolutely. Although seemingly insignificant, caps are vital tools in the fight against rot, fulfilling the crucial role of protecting fence posts’ vulnerable tops. Without fence post caps or, if you’re feeling fancy, finials, the tops of posts remain constantly exposed to the elements.

How do I keep my fence post straight when concrete is set?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Until you get nice and plump. And you get it plumb by maneuvering those braces backwards. And forwards once you get this post nice and straight this type of concrete.

How do you dig a trench straight?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Right at the very top. So make sure you dig down with a square edge get your level and pull straight back when you go back a second time go down again with a square edge a little bit deeper.

Can I use a chainsaw to dig a trench?

Yes! Chainsaws are great for digging trenches but there are some downsides so make sure you weigh all of your options before deciding what method will work best for this project.

Can you use an edger as a trencher?



An edger can be used as a trencher, but you won’t get the best operational efficiency. Specifically, your depth will be very limited, and the whole project will take longer to complete. However, it’s possible to convert an old edger into a mini makeshift trencher.

What is the difference between edging and trenching?

Trenching is the process of making a deeper hole to create a border on surfaces such as a lawn. If we compare it to edging, the main difference is that trenching creates a deeper hole while edging only excavates a shallow surface.

How deep can an edger trench?

Manual lawn edgers often have a limit of about 2 to 4 inches to the cutting depth, though this is still deep enough to cut through most root growth.

What is a bed edger?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: The zero turns steering capability makes it easy to create beautifully shaped flowerbeds and landscaping features now before you get started as with the safe operation of any power equipment.

Can I use a lawn edger to edge a garden bed?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And I'm able to do this in just a couple of minutes. And. If you look there despite the lawn being rough. And the bed being rough it really is doing a pretty good job to bring that bed back in shape.

How deep do lawn edgers go?

The appropriate depth adjustment can range from 0.5” to 3.5” for most machines. The maximum typical cutting blade diameter for an edger is commonly 9”, which produces a standard edge cut of about 3” when set to the lowest depth.