We Test 3 Ways To Set A Fence Post (1 Winner)

If you think I should've added water to the dry pack, here's your follow-up video: • Why Adding Water WON'T...
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Ever wondered which method is the best way to set a fence post? Today we test them all: wet set concrete, dry pack concrete, and fence post foam (along with a secret bonus method).
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[@SWiFence]

If you think I should've added water to the dry pack, here's your follow-up video 👉🏻 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5LbiGePlr6kbac You're welcome. 😁

[@removechan10298]

Me about to type, and then seeing the pinned tab... phew

[@ww6609]

I am not very confident in your fencing after observing this advertisement.

[@tonyennis1787]

If I was paying for a fence from you, how much would that metal-post fence cost me versus wood or chain-link fencing. If I am paying for a fence, I expect it to last a certain agreed-on amount of time and perform a certain task. Beyond that, I don't care what the costs of individual components are. Sure you can drive the metal post in 2 minutes. But I don't care; it isn't my problem. For 500' of fence, what's the total cost?

[@jen_vincero]

😂

[@Hizenbird]

Wish you had compared to straight gravel in there. I’ve built a fence using that method. Looks fine after 10 years, going strong.

[@althomas6496]

72 year old farmer here, if the post is permanent I put one bag of concrete in the hole and dump a bucket of water in, fill the rest with the dirt that comes out of the hole, I have a treated lumber fence that's 30 years old and is still in great condition.

[@ajediknight]

This is the difference between engineer best practices or best result and what works just fine. His might be stronger, but is that strength needed in normal use?

[@brandonbowerstx]

Stealing this trick. 😊

[@MariaGonzalez-vv9xk]

I agree 100% with you.

[@rodschmidt8952]

The MOST strongest would be to pour in dry concrete, pack it tight by ramming, cover w/dirt, and just let it absorb water naturally over time.

[@michaelcrawley2359]

If you want the wood to last tar everything that is below ground.

[@Matthew-vm7qi]

Why am I watching a 20-minute video about fence posts? Oh well, glad there are guys out there doing experiments to test best practices.

[@SWiFence]

Because... we're fun? 😁

[@Telephonebill51]

Naw, I watched because they're arrogant as HELL.

[@The_El_Guapo]

You never know when you're going to need to set a fence post. Best to be prepared.

[@ChickenJoe24]

Yes I second Matthew comment and the el guapos comment

[@NicholasHebb]

If you're like me, then it's because you're a guy and this looked cool. I asked myself the same question, and that's the only answer I could come up with.

[@marion-bs3qh]

Wooden posts nearly always snap at ground level. This is not only the point of maximum leverage but also where oxygen, soil and water all come together to promote rot. I always set the post in concrete, domed to shed water but also give the post lower part three coats of bituminous paint first, up to 6" above ground level to protect against rain backsplash. I also give the join between the post and the domed concrete an extra coat of bitumen after the concrete has gone off to seal it. Plus, I put a wooden post cap on the top of post to protect the end grain. 20 years service is possible here in the UK doing it this way. It depends on the quality of the post wood too though I supposed, there's more fast-grown post timber around nowadays, wide growth rings = lower strength.

[@tonyennis1787]

When I moved into my house, the owner had made a very attractive horse fence using PT landscaping timbers for posts. But those timbers are only PT'd to about 1/8" deep. After a few years, the centers rotted out leaving a very attractive but extremely fragile fence. One day we had a wind and they all came down.

[@libertyvilleguy2903]

Good information, thank you. I agree with you on the newer posts not lasting as long, because they’ve come from faster growth trees. I’ve used red cedar in outdoor applications (posts, decking, furniture), and I’ve noticed I don’t get as many years out of it as I used to.

[@claudiachiarini5161]

And that’s a great super well done work

[@BarackObama6483]

Current horse fence is 50yrs old and just now failing. PT wood in dirt. .6 treated wood will be good for 30 plus yrs in wet climate

[@SteveLeckie]

I just pack with gravel or stones. No rotting issues.

[@StringDriver]

A compliment coming from a craftsman…You are among the very very few people on KZbin who are not completely full of baloney and I totally appreciate the way that you have filmed, the way that you talk. And the fact that you’re actually working. All of it very well done thank you. Someone who has done work in the trades can easily identify people who know what they’re doing and they can identify people who don’t know what they’re doing. Please don’t become a self worshiping, KZbin rockstar, and then change the format of what you’re bringing. Keep it REAL. 👍🏼

[@jimstevens6612]

you shouldn't be setting any posts.

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

Well I would not hire you if you think anything like this is something to compliment. You never EVER put a wood post directly into concrete. Not pine, not oak, not pressure treated. Never ever. If a contractor ever tried to suggest that when putting in fence posts I would throw him off the property. You place ABS Pipe into the concrete, pour gravel the bottom of the pipe 3" then place the wood or metal posts in ABS pipe through a glued pipe cap and silicone the post to the cap. That is the MINIMUM and will last the normal required 50 years, the shortest amount of time any household or commercial project should last.

[@Stars333Bright]

My house was built in 1996 and the fence posts were drilled and set with a pre-mixed concrete. I have replaced the fencing four years ago and all the posts were still solid and therefor used again. My (engineer) neighbor was not keen on the dry mix but is now happy we went that way due to cost savings and long life. No screws or nails were added. Great video full of very good information. Thanks.

[@jeffbguarino]

I put my fence in in 1985 and used 1/4 down limestone, crushed rock. Everyone in Canada uses it for wooden posts. It gets as stiff as concrete and you can break it up and pull out the posts. I use a car jack and pull the post out, so you can do this in a confined space. How do you get a concrete set post out of the ground ?

[@gregs9187]

We do a combo between dry set and wet set. We pour the dry concrete in the hole to about 4 to 6 inches below the ground level and add about 1 or so gallons of water per bag of concrete. No mixing required and sets up beautifully

[@thebordernow]

How deep is the hole? Do you pack a few inches of gravel at the bottom for drainage? How many bags of concrete per hole?

[@njfile]

I do that every time. Mix as you pour.

[@se1501]

@@thebordernow We do 2 foot holes with two 50 or 60 lb bags per hole depending on where we get the mix. We have heavy clay soil.

[@johnhorner5711]

If you are doing "dry pack", this is the way to go. I don't understand why the creator didn't pour some water on the concrete mix after putting it in the hole.

[@greenfire6924]

@@johnhorner5711 I don't understand either.

[@pollodustino]

I'm astounded at the engineering and technology behind fence posts now. When I replaced my back yard fence I did the wet-mix method of pouring in a bag of redi-mix and adding water while I held the post steady. Worked fine but I see there's room for improvement. Thanks for showing the different methods, it's been very informative.

[@OGstonerD]

Haven’t heard the term “dirt clod” in 40 years. Dirt clod wars ruled my childhood. Thanks for the memory trip.

[@tracy419]

Mine too! We lived in a neighborhood still being built with big piles of dirt everywhere. Get cleaned up and ready for school, head out to wait for the bus, and totally destroy each other before the day began 😂

[@Clearanceman2]

Yeah we used to throw them at each other all the time in the 70s and 80s. One time before a baseball game me and this other kid were doing this and we were a long way away from each other and I threw one just right and he didn't move he had all sorts of time and it hit him in the mouth and busted his lip. I was sort of in trouble but he was throwing them too and he didn't move. Now days, I'd have been in real trouble, it probably would have been assault and battery. But back then, the parents said "stupid kids!" But he had to go get stiches.

[@rustyicepick8462]

Same here. In my neighborhood there was an empty lot that grew 12" to 16" grasses. After a rain it was easy to pull up a handful of grass with a nice clump of dirt clinging to the roots. These could be flung either under or over hand for a good distance and hopefully right behind the barrier the 'enemy' had erected for protection. So glad I was a kid in the '50s.

[@HickLif3]

@@Clearanceman2 I did it in the late 90s early 2000s. we would go play on the dirt mound by the local coliseum that they used for rodeos. We would bean each other till someone cried and wanted to go home lol

[@davidlentz4618]

Helped build a 10ft tall privacy fence around a salvage yard all the 8x8 posts were set with pea rock nothing else!!! Fence is as straight as the day we put it up and that's in South Dakota wind!!!

[@willierants5880]

One of the best options is stone pack around the post. Step 1. Place the post Step 2. Pour in the stone (angular, jagged stone) Step 3. Tamp it down Step 4 done and your posts will last 2x as long because the water drains away. Concrete acts like a sponge holding the moisture up against the wood.

[@kenbrown2808]

yep. line crews here, set their power poles with gravel. any posts I set, I just backfill and pack it.

[@ashzole]

If you do this way, aren't you supposed to water seal or treat the wood . Coat the part that's in the ground and a few inches above the ground with something????

[@gimbosometimes]

Just use pressure treated posts.

[@gimbosometimes]

Not to mention when you want to replace or remove the post, you can just pry the it out, and scoop the gravel out. We usually use pea gravel.

[@thomashannah1828]

@@gimbosometimes pea gravel is like millions of ball bearings, and never locks together. Seems like one-quarter-minus quarry rock would be a better choice.

[@janetbent2339]

Personal experience by an old lady DIY. I'm north of the Pacific Northwest on Vancouver Island in BC Canada (think pretty warm/pretty moist). I sunk 4" pt posts in a well drained area and used wet concrete, leaving a 4" collar at the top that I filled with dirt. They were good for about 20 years but eventually rotted off. The fence in the front, same posts/concrete leveled to the ground and they're still solid after 35 years. Gotta take all the different conditions into consideration. Thanks SWiFence, I enjoyed watching the experiment!

[@actontreadway1168]

This is great feedback. I really wondered how long posts last if done right. I've gone a little overboard after digging up some posts that weren't done well on my property. I now pour the concrete without the post and finish it off about 5" above the ground with threaded rod embedded in it. I think this method, while a little more work, will last a very long time and the wood can be replaced without pouring another concrete pad. I made a bunch of wood molds to pour the concrete in a nice square shape above ground. Downside is there needs to be some kind of triangulation to keep the posts rigid, however.

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

Correct. You never EVER put a wood post directly into concrete. Not pine, not oak, not pressure treated. Never ever. If a contractor ever tried to suggest that when putting in fence posts I would throw him off the property. You place ABS Pipe into the concrete, pour gravel the bottom of the pipe 3" then place the wood or metal posts in ABS pipe through a glued pipe cap and silicone the post to the cap. That is the MINIMUM and will last the normal required 50 years, the shortest amount of time any household or commercial project should last.

@@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf I installed wood 4X4 fence post in wet concrete mix and never had any issues. that was over 24 years ago, they've survived Hurricane Ike, Rita, Harvey, and Beryl, still standing strong.

[@stringlarson1247]

I had some good friends in Sooke long ago. Ever hear of the artists Jan Johnson? I loved going there.

[@bushwackcreek]

A old fence builder who has since passed hand-dug all his corner post holes to 4 feet... in caliche (here in Texas). He had a special shovel he'd inherited from his father called a "telegraph spoon". Use a digging bar, post hole digger, a sardine can and finally that telegraph "spoon", he could dig and clean out a 12" diameter hole. He'd set the post with tamping alone and they've been doing fine for 40+ years. Here in the Texas Hill Country, caliche soils are superb for road base and long-lasting fences.

[@lpdirv]

Live in an area where frost line for code is eight feet, we have had frost in compacted areas to 12 feet. We find screw-piles work best and for deck posts we use sona tubes to keep the outside of the concrete smooth. Have also used elephant feet with sona tubes for larger point loads and have never had any issues. Farther north we have to deal with permafrost, buildings will sink into the clay. Fun fun.

[@Matasky2010]

Corner posts are braced from 2 directions so there is little concern about them moving, it's the ones in between that need to be more secure.

[@danhunik7949]

I recently mixed over 50 bags of that concrete mix. The number 1thing i found to get a consistent mix is to measure your water volume. This gives you a perfect mix every time. Also if you have any amount to mix get a small mixer and it will save you a lot of time and effort.

[@davidg8032]

I've mixed a lot of bags where I would use the hose to add water several times until I got it to the consistency I wanted. Like you said, measure your water to get a consistent mix. Plus, it's much easier to mix when you initially add the total amount of water needed as opposed to a little at a time. The instructions on the bag for the correct amount of water are very accurate.

[@hddoug72]

If aggregate plus cement... 3 scoops rock plus water first then cement and 2 parts sand and the add sand to proper consistency. This is what's works best for me

[@spacefightertzz]

Yup, measure the water volume. I had bought some concrete water measuring cups made in china... All I know is that I had to add extra amount of water than what is recommended as labeled on the concrete mix bag... And I was using a small eletric concrete mixer, I measured the water in my chinese measuring cups in the american pints, but there was still dry concrete powder at the mixer was spinning... So I had to measure and guess the extra water of how soupy it should be back from my previous experience of building concrete house foundations. (I measured out the amount of water specified. I don't know if it was liters or pints, but specs were the same wether it was liters or pints... There was still dry concrete powder after I added what was labeled on the chinese concrete measuring cup. And I had to correct the water measurement. It wasn't twice the amount of water but it was near)... If the concrete mix recommended an amount of gallons then that would be so easy to measure from.

[@cerberus50caldawg]

@@spacefightertzz everything's smaller in China!😆

[@danz1910]

@@spacefightertzz same happened to me. Followed the amount on the bag and my first batch was just way too dry, it also set really dry and rough. I still look at it to this day because it's my woodstove base and it's nasty hahaha. Then I went by feel and added too much water (I guess) but at least it did a better job, though I had to remove some water sweating at the top with towels.

[@blh3741]

I set 3) PT 4x4 posts in concrete for a quick fence/screen at my own home. Within 3-4 weeks, the posts twisted almost 45 degrees and tore the vinyl fence panel brackets right of the post/rails. Last time I used wood posts. Lesson learned. Thanks for the videos!

[@davidsprague6385]

I remember having an unexperienced contractor install a ceded fence post. Within a year, it had twisted about 45°. And made closing my gate a pain in the rear. My guess is that it's more expensive to buy dry wood, treated or not. Then, to lose a multi dollar fence project to twisting.

[@evetsegap]

@@davidsprague6385 It's the way the wood is treated these days and there not really anything a contractor can do to stop it.

[@ifandwhen-kl2cr]

When wood changes shape post-installation most of the time the sun is to blame. I have built many decks and suffered a few callbacks to fix squirrely lumber. Those problems ended once I started using a finishing product with UV protection in it, something stains and water-seals don’t have. Now I use it on all outdoor wood, including fence posts.

[@normanherrick3283]

I love that this randomly showed up in my recommends

[@kennethkline7794]

Same

[@MnktoDave]

Thanks for the interesting video. I'm just a DIY home owner in freezing MN and had to dig all my holes by hand, but when I built almost 250' of my wood fence almost 40 years ago, I used 2 string lines for alignment (1 for total post height, and 1 across the top face of the 4x4 posts) then I dug 8" wide post holes as close to 48" deep as possible, and added a 6-8" thick compacted layer of 1-1/2"to 2" crushed granite rock (no fines) under each post. The posts were set directly on top of the crushed granite to provide water drainage, then packed tightly with dry concrete while adjusting the posts to match the string lines, then I finished by pouring about 2-1/2 gallons of water over each post hole, and letting it slowly soak in. I kept the concrete about 4" below the grass line so the water had plenty of room to sit while soaking, and there was no need to support any of the posts to grade, because the dry packed concrete did that for you. Later I topped the holes off with back dirt, and the grass filled in nicely around the posts. Since I'm always working by myself, I've found this is the easiest way to make all of the posts come out right on the money, and the concrete is always very strong and solid. None of the posts I set this way has failed, and the fence is still strong, and looks great to this day. But you HAVE to add water over the dry concrete in the holes (and let it soak in) or else it takes a LOT longer to harden, if you simply depend on the rain. And the 4' deep holes with concrete, keep the frost from moving anything around.

[@G1ZQCArtwork]

We planted lots of Wooden post fencing, never used Concrete its a pain to remove when the post rots off.! Instead you use small stones, and a good heavy tamper to solidify the soil around it in stages. Lasts for years and allows for drainage. The wood still rots off in the same time, but no old Concrete to have to remove. The results are just as sturdy. Makes replacement easy.

[@FireflyHill24]

We also use small stone when setting posts. You’ll never see our company using concrete or foam only small angular stone. Also dry cement dust is bad for your health.

[@shenaniganguy]

I've installed a lot of sign posts and I don't use concrete. Here, in Canada frost will pop concrete out of the ground unless you only put it in the bottom of the hole. Best bet is well-tamped pea gravel. Even sand if it's pounded down really well.

[@jpotter2086]

Easy enough to avoid posts rotting ... don't use wooden posts!

[@NahtShure]

This is the only way to do it.

[@jasonm.7358]

@@jpotter2086yep. That telephone post will never rot, but I doubt you can even buy anything treated with the same stuff. We wet-set wooden posts around the pool as a kid, and I watched someone replace the fence years later when the posts all rotted off even with the concrete. If you’re using concrete, you better use steel.

[@davehiebert7061]

Here in BC Canada I've always dig the hole 36"-42"and put about 6" of 3/4" clear crushed in the bottom of the hole, set our post then using a long 2 x 4 as a ram we pack the post with 3/4" clear,. Always provides the most study post and if the frost moves it, it's very easy to shake and pack it back into place. I've removed 30 year old treated fence post installed this way and the post just about always comes out in tact with very minimal decay. Much easier method that provides lasting results

[@stevothegreat]

What method did you use dry or wet concrete ?

[@lovetrump1088]

Agreed!! And yet sadly, while treated posts I have removed from 30 years ago, are fine, many post installed only7/8 years ago are useless. That's all due to our glorious WEF leader Bush Jr decided to remove all the good stuff out of our treated lumber so it's pretty useless (yes, even ground contact treated lumber). I assume it's the same with Canadian Treated lumber as well - such that newer posts do not last very long Compared to your Older Treated Posts as we are all part of the Same Global Experiments.

[@joeshmoe7967]

@@stevothegreat No concrete...ever! If using wood posts concrete is early death of the post. I have posts placed exactly as described by davehiebert7061, with the fill a bit more of the dirt and some sand/gravel mixed in. A few are from 1964. made of cedar. The rest of the posts are various age, but all over 10 years.

[@d3ltabrav0]

Had to replace the 3 year old fence posts in my yard, HUGE pain breaking and digging up all that concrete by hand, the concrete did a great job of holding the water next to the wood and rotting it quickly. Midwesterner here, and hoping the gravel i used to pack the new posts provides drainage because I do not want to do that job again! ​@joeshmoe7967

[@SanchoPanza-wg5xf]

This post reads like is was written by a poorly programmed AI. "In tact" does not mean the same thing as intact.

[@chargermopar]

The fence I put up at my lot in the late 1990's used surplus U-channel from street signs. It is still standing today. As you said, wood does not belong in the ground unless it has roots.

[@SWiFence]

💯

[@cerberus50caldawg]

Lived in Lakewood near Tacoma, Washington for about ten years and I knew right away they need to stay away from wood post stop sign and street signs up there, but they still use them. They replace them way too frequently due to rot. Must be a job security thing.🦧

[@bugmanmech]

Built metal post fence in an area with salt water occasionally salt water flooding. All post broke within 3 years. Replace with wooden post with concrete beveled at top. 12 years old. No rot at ground. No one fix for all

[@dhgmllcshea5038]

Sometimes they drill the wood post a free inches above the dirt for breakaway when a car hits it. It can save lives​@@cerberus50caldawg

[@demonsun]

@@cerberus50caldawg They often do that because the posts are less dangerous when hit by a car. The metal posts can sometimes do nasty things. And replacing a wood post is often cheaper than a new metal post.

[@ifandwhen-kl2cr]

Where I live the frost line can get as deep as 4 feet. Here’s the process: 1. Auger 12” holes to a depth of 6 feet. 2. Pour 3 bags worth of mixed sakrete in the empty hole. (The purpose of the concrete is to prevent downward settling.) 3. Drop in the post. 4. Fill the rest of the hole with gravel while tamping. Done. The gravel acts as a sleeve, allowing the ground to heave without taking the post with it.

[@Clearanceman2]

six feet wow, our fencepost holes are about 2 feet but the ground is all clay and rocks. Six feet would take forever to dig.

[@jake1021]

Life long fencer, chain link cemented in, wood posts tamped, vinyl, t post barbed, 2 inch square pounded, we do it all. I have never seen a post lifted out from frost, ever. And I'm as cold as it gets in United States.

[@ksingleton101]

While working for a Concrete Foundation contractor 45 years ago, I was tasked with pouring a footer for a Basement. On Friday we set the forms in the bottom of an eight foot deep hole. On Saturday and Sunday it rained and fill the hole and turned it into a pond. On Monday morning we were tasked with pumping all the water out before the Cement Trucks arrived at 10:00 AM. We got all but 2 feet out and the trucks pulled up. We poured the Concrete where we set the forms which were under water. On Tuesday we finished pumping out all the water and there was the Footer full of Cement and Hard. I was 18 years old and was amazed that the concrete had set up under water. My boss told me Concrete will get harder if it is kept wet while curing, thus the reason Concrete is Mixed with Water. Using No Mix Concrete does not mean not to use water, it only means you do not need to mix.

[@user-dl1cf4xr6t]

@@ksingleton101 Spot on I would say...

[@yesthatsmyrealname]

Look up the tremie method

[@born_again_torinos]

I learned as a kid that the romans developed concrete and were pouring it under water 2,000 years ago.

[@kalleklp7291]

Exactly! If you lay a concrete slab you also want to sprinkle it with water now and then. It gives the concrete time to settle and harden evenly. Pouring a slab in hot and sunny weather without sprinkling it is a recipe for cracks in your finished product.

[@YeshuaMessiah7]

Pool builder here. We wet our concrete (gunite or shotcrete) shells everyday for 10 days after they are shot. If you can do it for 30 days, even better.

[@jonjohnson3027]

Where I live, I can get a "5/8 minus" driveway mix made of crushed basalt with a lot of fines. It's an excellent material for packing around posts, better than the local soil which is damp and squishy most of the time. (It helps that the gravel yard is next door.) For tamping, I have a piece of 3/4" steel water pipe 7 feet long with a cap on one end; it's the perfect length and weight. I pack in "lifts" rather than filling the hole all at once then tamping. I'm in an old riverbed, my soil has a lot of rocks up to cantaloupe size (who needs metric measurements?). Sometimes digging holes, especially in dry season, they'll blow out in a cone narrow at the top, don't want to be putting that much concrete down the hole! The posts end up being set just as solidly as with concrete, but can still be removed and reused when your fencing needs change, and the semi-porous nature allows it to dry better in the dry season. But, I can see where wet mix concrete can be a labor savings, making it a wash or possibly cheaper to use concrete versus packed material. Also, not everywhere has a suitable gravel mix for packing.

[@papparocket]

I used a similar commercial "paver base" I set 16 4x4 posts for my big garden. I used a big solid steel wrecker bar like they have in the video to tamp it. The big advantage is as you say, the aggregate lets the water drain quickly away from the top 2"-3" which is where there is enough of both water and oxygen to support biological growth that is what causes posts to rot. If I had access to commercial equipment, I would get a pneumatic tamping rod with at least a 6' rod and a ball end. A two person team would go pretty quickly. One person shoveling in aggregate into the hole from a wheelbarrow while the other runs the pneumatic tamper. Pour and tamp in about 6" at a time and in a few minutes the hole is fully packed. Beside long life for the post, the other great thing for a commercial operation is absolutely no cure or set time. So once you have the posts set you can immediately start with building the rest of the fence. Plus, when comparing to wet set, there is no mixing time or cleanup at the end.

[@IowaKim]

As a kid my dad used gravel to pack. He was pretty old school.

[@6453bianchi]

I know it’s a dry pour but aren’t u still suppose to water it at the top some?

[@davypig571]

Yes. If you let a bag of cement get wet enough it will do what its supposed to. I was surprised they didn't add water. Perhaps they should have done one with and one without water to show what happens.

[@rossk4864]

I assumed he was using the dry redimix same as insitu backfill, but that would be very expensive dry backfill. I have set a number of posts with dry redimix and then went around numerous times with a 5 gal bucket of water, adding just enough water each time to make the surface moist. Eventually, the whole volume of redimix is minimally saturated and theoretically cures the same as if it was mixed in a wheel borrow and poured in wet.

[@robbieroche6779]

🤫

[@njfile]

I agree, but add water with the mix, when you pour the dry mix in!

[@jwbuys1]

you're supposed to wet the ground well, then spray it wet through every 7-9 inches, then tamp, so not totally fair on dry pour. Strength might not match wet pour though: still prefer a wet pour but I've used dry pour before where strength is not a major concern. But I like the steel post, I might use that on my next fencing project.

[@pvbarbell1904]

As a farmer I've put in a lot of posts. For a heavy fence or gate I use a 6x6 post in a 12 inch auger hole 4 feet deep. I use 2x4's to create an 18 inch square form at the top, 4 inches above ground level. Fill it with concrete to the top of the form and slope the concrete away from pole so water drains away. Never had frost heaves or other issues, and it looks good. I would never put dirt around a wood post as it will rot away with the bugs in the soil, especially with the new "pressure treated" crap they sell nowadays. One of my fences is over 35 years old with no issues.

[@kameljoe21]

I have a really good way to make super strong gates. I know people who have put in huge concrete for gate posts only for them to bend. While my idea does cost some money and some time to do it does work. You got to decide how big of a gate you want and type of fence you are connecting. Then you trench out a hole 2 feet wide 3 feet deep. Then build your gate posts with a H brace about 8 foot long and then connect the H braces via rebar in the trench and fill with concrete. We have welded these gates up at the shop with some cross braces to connect over the top of the gate to prevent twisting. A few we have done the tall cross bar. Set it in the ground on bricks. This will keep the rebar up and out of the dirt. Which is why you go down 3 foot. The fill up the trench with concrete Leave about 6 inch left in the hole and cover with gravel. Gravel will allow you to keep grading the road and repairing it over time. The other way to to install a cattle guard. Yet you have to build them right. No one ever does and I watch cattle jump them all the time. You have to make it at least 8 feet wide and the fence post needs to be a V shape. This forces the cow to have to jump clear over 8 feet and not about 4 or so feet when they stand at the single post and jump that tiny gap. This also allow you better access to clean out the guard are from under it.

[@DadbodsNthingZ]

Me and my wife just got into house flipping. The first task was putting up a 6' privacy fence. I did use stakes for bracing since it's just me doin all the work. I would not use any bracing with extra hands. In certain situations I do think it is necessary to use bracing. When your working by yourself, pouring crete in the hole, the bracing helps keep you in the vicinity of plumb.

[@joewenzel5142]

That's a great idea make a mark on the shovel handle to denote depth. I'm gonna steal that.

[@longlost8424]

for a 4:30am sunday morning random watch, what an informative and entertaining watch.... great video.....

[@SWiFence]

Hey thanks!

[@jasmineruiz2179]

Thank you so much for your informative content!!! I learned from it!!

[@recumbentrocks2929]

I spoke to a fencer a few years ago and he said most people make the hole too big. He recommended just a couple of inches around the post and he used a very narrow spade so he did not desturb the surrounding soil. Some gravel in the bottom and very little concrete is needed. I've used this method a few times now and it really works. Great video by the way, very interesting and well presented.

[@Dbb27]

I just started using one of those spades for setting hedges and am about done with a regular shovel. Excellent tool. Cuts through roots much faster than a shovel.

[@IowaKim]

When I was a kid and we set posts, dad used gravel & packed it. Probably just as good as dry pack you demonstrated.

[@evetsegap]

I worked on a farm with an old guy who had built every kind of fence for decades. We used pea gravel, tamped it and then tamped dirt on the top 6" or so. In his experience the posts were less likely to rot off because there was a some drainage.

[@dblake58]

I've used gray gravel, 3 inches in the bottom and tamped tight around the post. It's really sturdy , stays in place and will be so much easier to put up if needed, and drains any moisture away from the post.

[@michaelschmitt5413]

Back in 1963, I worked for a fence company called Anchor Fence. Their residential chain link fence posts were anchored with a galvanized steel shoe bolted to the post about 6” below the grade. Two galvanized steel angles were driven at 45 degree angles into the ground. After they were driven, the galvanized shoe was tightened to the post. It was a much stronger hold and allowed us to install a fence completely in one day.

[@kenthalpin1657]

Explain

[@warpigz666]

In 1968 I started workin 4 a fence company & I saw where improvements could be made, bt I didn't give them my ideas as I was 14yo. I got paid alotta money on my right angle post leveler & I used surgical rubber tubing for the stretch fastener cause they didn't make rubber bands long enough bak then. I also used the same principle of a jack-hammer on a steel plate jig attached 2 an arm on a backhoe 2 drive the metal pipes in the ground. Plastic wasn't a big item bak then, bt I developed method of melting plastic & dipping 4x4's into the melting vat & coating the ends of the 4x4's so they wouldn't rot underground. I'm 70yo now & in my time, installed a cargo ship full a fences of all sorts & never bothered 2 use concrete whatsoever ! I built an iron jig which pounded a hole in the soil. The hole will start 2 close in 10 minutes, so I had 2 be fast @ puttin the plastic coated 4x4's ends in the holes. I used sections of bedframes 2 help hold the wooden panels in place on the 4x4 posts similar 2 that of a floor joist hanger. I'd cut those pieces w/a actyl-oxy welding torch. I learned 2 use wire coat hangers 4 welding other metals together. I also invented the pneumatic palm hammer when I was 19yo. Inventions pay money like BIG TIMEY BUX. I also invented LADDER IN A BOX so deer hunters could scale a tree 4 a deer stand. I invented the electric mouse trap which electrocuted rats & mice. I'm still inventing items 2 improve people's lives...WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER.

[@portnuefflyer]

An old mason taught me years ago, NEVER use a shovel to mix concrete, but a hoe, it's way easier and quicker.

[@danygraph2910]

Back in the day, I used to be a fence builder around Dallas. It is good to listen to new ways of doing things. With the foam and dry packing and such. Thanks. One thing I will add, for what it is worth. About 50 years ago an old farmer hired me to drill some holes and set fence posts. He insisted on "yellow cedar" or "cypress" set in pea gravel. His reasoning was the Texas heat. In the summer concrete and wood, will shrink away from each other, allowing water to enter the crack between the two. Pea gravel would allow the rain water to dissipate and would allow the pea gravel to readjust around the post, keeping it tight and straight. Later, I learned the crack between the post and concrete (in residential fences) would allow fertilizer to rot the post over time.

[@SWiFence]

I do agree that wood and concrete don't mix. I didn't address it well in this video--but we never mix wood and concrete in our business.

[@craigb6446]

I’m curious why do you test the dry pack without adding water. The instructions in the quickcrete bags we use suggest adding water. Testing the dry pack without adding water defeats the purpose of testing the dry pack doesn’t it?

[@thedivide3688]

There are many companies that just pour concrete mix in and tell the customer the rain will set it over time no need to worry. Dry pack means pouring in dry. Adding water after the fact unless you trickle water for many hours will not soak through. The dry mix before it begins to absorb water is hydrophobic (afraid of the water and will not mix). When people grow plants we have this same scenario. They say oh we watered for 5 minutes daily or poured a couple buckets of water on the plant. Then you come dig up the plant and they never ended up watering more than a couple of inches of soil and the plant is dead.

[@kayvan1225]

If you pour it dry then build your fence there are no gaps from pounding on your fence when you built it. after dry tamped in cement fence build wet it down make a pyramid top so water go's away and rain will do the rest in the right climate. If you build it with wet cement then water gets in because you pounded on the fence when it was being built it moved the fencepost and created a gap after the pour unless you wait 30 day for it to set up most people build it one day after they've pour it. Concrete will not be hard yet and you are making a gap between the post and cement for water to get in for fast rot.

[@markrainford1219]

@@thedivide3688 The stuff we use requires half gallon water in hole first. Then pour dry pack bag contents in the hole. Add more water if necessary. Sets solid in ten minutes. Cement needs water for the chemical reaction to take place.

[@thedivide3688]

@@markrainford1219 Doesn’t mean people do it though.

[@PeterRoscoe]

@@kayvan1225 A good point. I always mixed my concrete a bit soupy. And I'd put the fence in the same day. (at least the stringers) I know that drier concrete is stronger but we're not pouring grade beams here. A soupy mix means no voids and a longer working time.

[@markstipulkoski1389]

Engineer here, but electrical, not construction. But I take some issue with saying dome'ing the concrete won't make a difference because soil will build up anyway. That may be true for an unmaintained fence, but what about a homeowner who makes sure his fence posts are high and dry because he doesn't want to build another damn fence ever again. So if I hired someone who didn't set the concrete above grade and sloped it away from the post, he would be a rookie, even if he didn't brace his post!😂 Also, I would have plumbed and braced the foamed post ahead of time and not wiggled it, which would weaken the bonding. Also would have shaved away the foam to create a slope away from the post. You can see in your video that the expansion of the foam created a nice bowl around the post for rain to pool.✌️

[@SWiFence]

That's an excellent point about the foam bowl--we can agree on that. If this were a permanent job you'd want to trim that off. 👍🏻

[@ScienceBitch123]

Most people don't want to see concrete mounds in their yard, and if you aren't using a form the water will drain away anyway and not the post

[@brianyeager8535]

For my cedar posts or wood, I paint bottoms with wood preservative. Add 4 " of tamped pea gravel. Scoop of ant poison. Drop post in hole. Repeat and keep tamping on way up forcing gravel into sides of hole. Finish with dome of gravel. Any vibrations will just tighten post more If ever need to remove use a shop vac to suck everything out. Can then reuse what's in vac to reset. Also pour melted canning paraffin over tops to seal pores. Wrap tops temporarily with duct tape to create lip or dam.

[@jennacoryell4160]

The foam could be worked "wet" to create the cone. That way you're not removing the non-porous "skin" once it sets. Sunlight will still destroy it within years of not covered with dirt.

[@markstipulkoski1389]

@@jennacoryell4160 True. Maybe to protect the foam, you could paint it gray to look like concrete or skim coat it with cement. More $. I have a little fence I have to do in a few weeks. I plan on pouring a couple of inches of dry concrete at the bottom of the hole for the post to sit on. Then pour wet concrete to above grade and slope away from the post. The dry cement should consolidate with the wet and keep the bottom of the post out of the mud. We have a high water table here in Florida.

[@professorg8383]

Haven't wet set a post since I was a kid and you made your own concrete before ready mix bags became common. (along, long time ago! Always watered after it was in the hole! I have set countless posts this way and they last and last. I've seen posts rot inside wet poured concrete. It can actually trap water. I have used foam several times. It works great but isn't cheap. More and more utilities are using it because it saves time and holds up very well in all kinds of soil. It bonds very well to round steel posts too.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

Agree, I water the dry fill concrete as well as pile it to above grade to protect the post from sitting in a pool of water.

[@ItsDaJax]

I watched a guy build a fence and he put tar on the part of the post to be put in concrete, and anywhere two pieces of wood, would touch.

[@professorg8383]

@@ItsDaJax It helps and there is a membrane you can wrap the post in. Pretty much the same material they us to seal windows, doors an roofs. Treated lumber helps and how long it last often depends on how well drained the soil is. A lot depends on conditions. In well drained sandy soils, a treated 4 x 4 set in sand, can last 40 years. While in wet soils you might be luck to get 10 years.

[@FartSuckerUmad]

*me laughing in Australia on a ladder in the tray of my ute using my 4stroke 90s jackhammer with a makeshift post driver to drive in star pickets rusted an older than me* I love stubborn old clients but i love this channel even more, its helped improve my quality of work even if most of the things like frost lines don't apply to me My towns known for sunshine 340days a year, the other 25 are monsoon rainstorms

[@jesseorco]

You've got more good information in this one video than 5 diy videos I watched. Excellent job!

[@SWiFence]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Gottaculat]

No idea why I got recommended this, but my inner handyman couldn't resist. I knew fence posts went deep. I knew concrete was involved. That was my extent of fence knowledge up until today.

[@sedonamudsquid]

I really enjoy your posts.

[@mike2517h]

oh no

[@davidhull110]

My uncle used old railroad ties 60 years ago for corral posts on his ranch. Clay with gravel packed around base. Still doing great today but many boards have been replaced over the decades. Everyone I know who cemented treated posts in ground had them rot off in 10 to 15 years.

[@ItsDaJax]

My mom had had her house since about 2000. The old fence was replaced a few years ago, except one portion of it, none of the post were rotted. The people who put the new fence in put some of the post in straight dirt and two of them rotted. The wind blew one down last year during a storm. I replaced that one. Concrete itself will absorb water, which is why I wish I could've painted the in ground part of the post. I've seen concreted in post where a portion of it was somehow exposed below the concrete, that could be a factor in rotting in the concrete, too. I had put some dry mix in the bottom as a base to be on the safe side.

[@PATRIOTVET338LM]

I used foam for the first time 3 months ago, it is quick, simple and dries super fast!

[@TakoNekko]

New subscriber here! I'm about to replace my fence on a quarter acre and learning as much as I can. So many "that's what she said" moments in this video! Thank you for the great knowledge and content.

[@davidg8032]

18:25.... It's called a cold joint. Something you really want to avoid when pouring a concrete floor. It's always going to be the first place a floor will crack.

[@michaeltobin2014]

The Australian dry mix has instructions to add water to the hole and then at half full.

[@davidg8032]

Or at least heavily soak around the hole after placing the dry mix, otherwise it could take a year for the mix to soak up enough water to set up. I've never seen anyone just dump dry mix into a hole and walk away...

[@thedivide3688]

@@davidg8032 You'd be surprised...

[@pyrojason]

@@davidg8032 I know! for some reason that idea got really popular on the internet the last few years.

[@Tsnafu]

That foam might have worked better if you had packed the hole with rocks before pouring. At the very least, it would have held everything square while the foam set up, at best it would have incorporated the rocks and added weight while using a lot less foam.

[@samspade5648]

Nice presentation covering a number of post setting methods and there weakness. Time consuming but staight fine gravel and the same aggregate dug out makes for long lasting posts. Packing in lifts is slow work but it does last. You can drive all around the country and see old 100 yr old fences done this way that are still as solid as the day they were set.

[@sergeantbilko7070]

It's videos like this that make me really appreciate KZbin. Thank you!

[@SWiFence]

Happy to hear that. 👍🏻

[@tlars36]

New to the channel... I love your technical jargon "woppy floppity" 🤔 😂

[@BakedGringo]

You built a 40 foot tall fence? I'd like to see a video of that.

[@alanesterline2310]

There is one just East of I-25 North of Denver. I think it is actually North of Ft. Lupton but I could be wrong. I believe it is for a Golf Driving Range. It could be the one that they did if not one similar. The fences around land fills can also go almost that high if the area gets much wind.

[@johnbower]

He will learn one day

[@johnsee7269]

There's one between Mexico and Texas! I've seen it; no lie! (ok, maby it was 20 or 30 feet)

[@robbieroche6779]

🤫

[@mavamQ]

@@johnsee7269 It's probably tall enough, but it's not long enough.

[@landmarkcreations1183]

I’m not sure you had enough bracing on those posts Mark 😂

[@SWiFence]

You're right. I should've had more. 😞😞🤣

[@jimbob8533]

Two-inch sch 40 2-3/8 on 7-foot centers set with concrete 3.5 foot deep and you will not have problems. My fence is almost 10 years old and just went through a hurricane. wood post set in concrete or soil are laying on the ground all around town. I also build overhead line and use hydraulic tamps. Never did the foam because of the expense but if the price was right that would be the way to go. meter poles set in concrete rot at ground level or break in the wind because they do not move. Your idea of stopping below ground with the concrete is good. I also like the drive in steel fence poles you showed at the end. I would probably use that system if it was available over wood. Wood in general is not what it used to be. Old growth trees with tight growth rings were far superior to the farm raised trees of today. That is why we have poles from the 1920's still standing out in the oilfields. Tight grain. When I do use concrete on poles I dry place it. Because I do not want it to be perfect, I just need it to firm up and hold not be a monolithic block that will hold water and rot. When I was a kid in the 70's a lot of the ballfield poles, we set were tamped with oyster shell. Oyster shell is the best for tamping. Water moves through it, and it compacts and hold like nothing else. Oyster shell used to be available at low cost but today most of the shell is taken back to the beds and used to build oyster reefs. thank you for the video.

[@46fd04]

I used the SIKA Foam in 2013. Post is still in great shape

[@oby-1607]

Appreciate all the time it took to make this video. I doubt I can get those posts in my area. I also don't have the adapter for this. Thanks again Wyoming fence experts.

[@xmillion1704]

I'm a lineman, telecommunications, not power. I can verify that for some applications, such as when access is limited, for instance, the two-part expanding foam system is definitely preferred when placing a pole.

[@1djbecker]

Foam is the standard method in our area, where the typical service job is replacing 70-100 year old poles that are now far from vertical. It would be time consuming to tamp the fill every few inches in a deep hole and usually impossible to brace long enough for concrete to cure sufficiently. The equipment used to erect the new utility pole takes no extra effort hold it for the 15 minutes for the foam to set, and that truck and pole trailer/trolly leaves for the next job. During that cure period the workers with two bucket trucks are prepping the hardware to be mounted to the pole. It doesn't take much foam to set a replacement utility pole. They use something resembling a 'cone of shame' to mold/tool the foam so that it doesn't bubble up into a donut.

[@xmillion1704]

@@1djbecker Very interesting take. Thanks!

[@norfolkhall]

@@1djbecker Interesting ! I am a retired Telecoms engineer from the UK. Typically our wood poles are 8/9 metres in length. The hole is dug using a powered auger to a depth of between 1.2 to 1.5 metres. The pole is "planted" and supported by the poling vehicle while 3 to 4 bags of 20mm gravel is used as backfill having a light tamp after every bag. That's it all done, pole is now self supporting and ready for cables to be attached.

[@user-tv5dt3nm9y]

2x4 bracing is for amateurs. 2x6s all day, bro!

[@SWiFence]

🤣🤣

[@two-sense]

4x4's are good too.

[@greedlike]

I agree with what you said about bracing. Out of all the posts I've planted, never once have I needed to use bracing, unless it's in an unusual position.

[@HederaSphere]

Good job! Ty. Setting post is right up there with doing laundry as my least favorite activity. Having set many wooden posts throughout my life, understanding the ground conditions is key. Regardless the type of wood or it's treatment, the three things which have always served me well are, Taring, Gravel & Post Level.

[@jasonsgroovemachine]

Ok, Who REALLY dug the hole before the video started?

[@Kobe-mn9bt]

The used a auger, if you watched and listened he said it in the first minute of the video

[@beaverc2884]

A machine. 🙄🙄🙄

[@SWiFence]

We used an auger on a skidsteer. The shovel was for clearing out the loose material at the bottom.

[@cerberus50caldawg]

It was dug by Manuel Labor. You know.. the old Mexican dude on the job site Manuel. JK I had to do it because Manuel is my daddy and he wanted recognition!😂 Imma go drink my coffee now!🦥

[@jasonsgroovemachine]

@@cerberus50caldawg Thank you for being the only person to get it.

[@Rick_Cavallaro]

I award you an honorary PhD in applied sarcasm. Nicely done!

[@SWiFence]

Thanks! 😆

[@OriginalJetForMe]

I just read somewhere you’re supposed to put some water in the bottom of the hole first for dry mix.

[@pyrojason]

All of these variables would make for great tests!

[@Coppersmithkane]

It's nice to see when knowledge becomes wisdom, thank you, that is very useful.

[@SWiFence]

My pleasure!

[@carlsonauto]

Thank you for the information of not crowning up the concrete in a hole, it makes perfect sense that frost would jack it up every winter

[@sailork3506]

Let me see. 5 bags at 60# is 300# of concrete, mixed with water. OR just a bag of foam that weighs perhaps 2 pounds and takes minutes to set up. I have run a lot of posts with just the foam and if you do it right, one bag per hole. This clearly was your first foam post; you were very tentative. Better process is simple: auger the hole, set the post where you want it, use bracing to make sure it stays there and doesn't move. Grab bag, burst seal, shake as hard as you can for 6-8 shakes, cut top and pour in hole. If you don't mix it enough it doesn't fully expand. If you don't move fast enough, it starts to set in the bag. Bracing is so you DON'T WIGGLE THE POST WHILE THE FOAM IS HARDENING!!! (which you did). You will create gaps in the foam. After its dry, several hours, use coarse wood hand saw and saw off the top slightly proud, pack dirt over it to repel water. 24 hours later, Posts don't come out, don't move. One bag foam at local hardwarebig box is $16. One bag of concrete at the same store is $5. if you auger the hole at 9" instead of 12", it may take 2-3 bags of concrete instead of 5 OR one bag foam. Done right, I've never had to use 2 bags foam. So, $10-15 concrete or $16 foam. 180# vs 2#. Huge effort vs no effort. I first used foam about 8-10 years ago. Done well over 100 posts with foam; I have a quarter mile of fencing on my property. No post has come out or become unstable yet--hurricanes, bumping with mowers, etc . The last 50 posts I set in foam were a couple years ago, 5" vinyl, just my wife and I set them in a weekend. We were both 70yo. Saved at least $2K in labor over having someone else set in concrete. So, IMO, foam is strong, NOT MORE EXPENSIVE than concrete and the better solution.

[@jonathanhadden8199]

You will never catch me dry pouring anything.

[@philh8829]

If you get snow, there is only 1 choice. Concrete footer elevated above snow line with an embedded post anchor. Never put your wood directly into the ground.

[@joeshmoe7967]

I am going to disagree. I have fence posts in the ground. Some were placed there in 1964. They were cedar. The newer ones are pressure treated, over 10 years, good as new. Gravel at the bottom of the hole. A mix of dirt with a bit of sand and a bit of larger aggregate, tamp layered in a few inches at a time. We get snow and temps down to -40. I would never set a fence post into concrete if it isn't metal. Wood directly in as described is good for decades.

[@entropypgh]

Y’all have never worked on a farm. Fence posts are set directly in the soil for every farm fence.

[@user-bj4lp3fr1o]

@@entropypgh As a teen on a farm I had to put in cedar post's when still hung over from the night before. Just directly in the ground with tamped dirt and maybe a rock or two.. Not a good memory

[@fratink]

@@joeshmoe7967 This is the way to do it. Also, think about how hard it'll be to pull that concrete block when the post inevitably rots out because there's no where for moisture to go. Gravel is the way to go.

[@entropypgh]

@@user-bj4lp3fr1o I hear you there. Ahhh, memories…

[@outdoorslifesurvivecraft5078]

Glad I came across this this video! I put my privacy fence up 22 years ago and now it needs replaced. When I put it up, I dug 9 in. holes, put the post in, filled it with water and shoveled the dry mix in, add water as needed. I helped pack it in and mix it some with a 5/8 in. piece of rebar. I've been thinking of how I was going to put the new polls in and I thought about that foam stuff. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it, but I do know of 2 ways I'm not going to do it. THANKS!! Great video!!

[@556Justice]

51 y/o rancher and Combat Veteran here.... I set posts with pea gravel. I find it superior to concrete. Pea gravel holds like concrete (tamped after pouring in). It acts like a french drain, to drain water away from the post. Over time, if the post disentigrates, the pea gravel self compacts, to keep the post tight. If the post needs replacing, you simply pull the pea gravel out, replace the post, and simply pour the gravel back in the hole.

[@Annoflacrosse]

Super chill and quirky hosts really add to the entertainment value of the video. Thanks for the info and taking time to explain everything thoroughly.

[@SWiFence]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ivanstefancic8938]

A reciprocating saw without the blade pushed up against the post works a treat to vibrate the concrete down

[@SWiFence]

Great thought!

[@dimitar4y]

the hammer-in steel post brings a smile to my face.

[@markbrownsell7443]

The foam calls for an 8" hole for a 4x4 post. 12" for a 6x6. It's a bit cheaper than you think per post. I had to replace a fence post at a gate opening because the old one was leaning bad. I used bracing because the rest of the fence was leaning a little bit, so it was fighting against me. I left the bracing on until the next day then cut the top hight. The job really came out nice. I like the foam and the customer was super happy.

[@mittfh]

In the UK, the foam isn't readily available but we do have a specialised rapid set concrete mix called Postcrete or Postfix: typically sold in 20kg (44 lb) bags for around £5 (~$6.35), you typically 1/3 fill the hole with water (on dry ground, likely adding more after a few seconds as it drains away, until it's relatively stable) then pour in the contents of the bag evenly around the post until you can't see any water (and although typically not stated on the instructions, tamping down to ensure it gets into every corner of the hole), then hold the post in situ for about 10 minutes until it sets. Unsurprisingly, it's preferred by professionals due to its speed.

[@jonmcclellan3243]

Great video, and great natural speaking style. I had to replace my (ran over) mailbox post 5 years ago, and I used that post foam. I used the same type that you used for your test post and it cost me under 3 dollars back in 2019. Prices sure have gone up a lot since then. Keep up the good videos.

[@earthwatcher2791]

Screws for rebar is good tip. I've always used quikcrete wet mix when setting any post, but will try the foam next time. The steel posts & gas pounder is the way to go if youve got the coin. Thanks for taking the time to show these examples👍🏻

[@SWiFence]

You're welcome! But don't use the screws--they don't help anything. 👍🏻

[@timothyallbritton1961]

When I do the dry concrete, I bury a water hose in the hole next to the post as I fill it up with concrete. Once its full and packed I turn the water on and slowly (very slowly) pull it out of the hole wetting the dry powder as I pull it out. If I am working down in the pasture where I don't have water, I have a 55-gallon drum that I put on the trailer with a gas-powered pump or a 12-volt pump to do the same thing. It works well. Great video...

[@Frosty42047]

Post hole diggers and mixing own concrete by hands always been a great work out, Only way Ive ever done it, Post hole diggers and mixing concrete in tractor bucket… Few years ago I set 8x8s I think? Mightve been 6x6s but set them for metal farm gate doors, Drilled out holes in posts for rebar going through center 6 inches apart up bout 3 foot on bottom of post, Found I kept rebar slightly longer than holes were wide so when I went to set posts rebar bent slightly upward gave posts subtle quick twist back n forth to set ends of rebar into hole walls a bit which in the end not only did rebar have a barb like effect in ground but rebar stabilized post while I mixed n poured concrete so didnt need any supports, Posts havnt moved a hair in last few years even with heavy gates constantly hanging off the 1 side of them, Ill be forever proud of that gate, After that Ive done it same ever since for Wifi Posts and Fence posts etc, Ive got tools n equipment to mix concrete and dig holes far quicker n easier but some reason I just prefer to do things the hard way when comes to things like that…

[@TysoniusRex]

Thanks for making this video! Wish I'd seen it before I built my backyard fence about ten years ago, but it's all good! I used quickset concrecte then and that worked just fine. One other advantage of the foam mix vs the dry cement (in a humid environment): If it sits long enough, the bag of cement will absorb water from the air and solidify, whereas I imagine that won't happen with the foam. I really enjoyed the video and informed content-subscribed! Also, saw the bucking bronc and flag on your hat. I grew up in Cheyenne and Laramie, then moved out East a long time ago, but it's great to see someone from home!

[@SWiFence]

Thanks for watching!

[@heartsky]

Wow, probably the most informative fence post video I've seen here. Great work!

[@SWiFence]

Hey thanks!

[@JDSFLA]

I live in Florida and when I put in my 1/2 mile 4-board fence I just dug about 3' down, put in the post and threw the dirt in. Posts don't move.

[@e_d_v_a_u_s]

As a homeowner, I love the Sika foam product. Sets up in just a few minutes, so it makes fence building that much quicker.

[@Meatbalzz]

Found your channel by accident and was glad I did. I happen to be about to replace my front and back gates in my yard. For me the foam fillers is ideal! Yes it’s expensive but I’ll be doing it by myself and wouldn’t require much. Great info! Thanks,

[@SWiFence]

You're welcome!

[@drfirechief8958]

I just had a very bad storm down here in Texas. It damaged my wood privacy fence and will need to do some repairs. Thanks for all the info, it will help tremendously.

[@MrSummerbreeze01]

I set fence posts in concrete and some in dirt in 2002. I used rot resistant, locust posts in a moderately wet climate - 30-40" rain per year. After 10 years I noticed some of the of the posts in concrete were leaning. After 15 years a few of the posts in concrete were completely gone at the level where the post met the concrete. Not rotted , just disintegrated. Upon examination and analysis I believe rain pooled around the concrete and post and since concrete has a pH of 10-11 it formed a lye type liquid and simply ate through the wood. Sort of like Drano. The posts set in dirt are still there and fine.

[@happyzahn8031]

what happened to the classic: dump in the concrete and then dump in the water? That's the one I was waiting for. oh, had to watch 2nd video. Interesting you have to worry about frost pushing it up. Not a problem for me at all as frost barely goes down 1/2 an inch. thanks for the video. shows how people adapt to different climates.

[@RegenerativeLivingArt]

Thanks awesome that’s the first time I ever heard about packing the concrete after 40 years post hole setting crazy

[@bikedoc4145]

I never pre mix concrete unless I'm doing something high end, I do put a layer of dry concrete then layer of water till i get it full keeping it good and wet checking post for plumb several times till I get to the top of the hole and have had a lot of luck even here in Fl with high winds. Key here is go deep as you can being its sand with no rock plus you hit water 2-4 feet on the coast. Sometimes I like to go 10 foot post and scrap a bit just to get it deeper. 8 foot privacy stuff is tricky here so we go big on the post when we do those on our houses like 6x6. Good work on the video and thanks for the info

[@johnlight8795]

Thanks. As the guy who gets to dig 90% of the holes it's nice to learn about easier methods!! Also it feels like I'm with my older brother teaching me stuff. 😂

[@rickschlosser6793]

I agree here, pushing the post in is the way to go. I used the 2” pipe (you called it 2 3/8” pipe which is 2” pipe. Steamfitter/Pipefitter here, if it were 2” it would be tubing, not pipe) because it was essentially free and made my own hand pounder. 30 years later I haven’t had a post fail.

[@bhut1571]

Good point about the slope of the concrete edge. In Northern Ontario, frost acting on the edges of the post or rough concrete will lift it up. In a few years in clay, a wooden post sunk 4' down will be at least 4 " higher.

[@tonyennis1787]

I dry-poured all my chain link, and some 4x4s too. Never had a problem but all my work was residential, for my house; no industrial uses. I also used a 6" auger since that's all I had access to. Can confirm that if the hole is off you get to do plenty of extra shovel work to move it. I also used The Devil's Tweezers for some of the holes and that's so !fun!. But it was just quicker than driving to the rental store for the auger when I only needed 6 holes. Hint: don't skimp on your post-hole diggers; spend some money on them. I would water my dry pour unless the soil was wet; just a bucket on top when the post was plumb. All the posts stayed plumb. And by the next day I never had unstable posts or broken concrete even when I did a really bad job on centering the post in the hole. My logic brain tells me that wet pour must be the best way but I never did it. edit - I never braced any of my posts. I didn't know anyone did that. I never had the time or materials for that, and most of my work was with steel posts anyway. edit2 - Christ on the Cross, why would I put nails or screws into my post. If something is going to pluck the post out of the concrete, vertically, I have bigger problems.

[@DarinNguyen]

Not a fence builder, but I've built a 300ft fence that has lasted 2 hurricanes, a few tropical storms, and an 18ft brick wall of a neighboring house that fell on a fence post (only damaged a few panels) during demo. I put my posts 42" deep and holes are around 20" diameter. At the bottom, I added water and pour in a dry bag of 80lbs. concrete. I then filled hole with dirt and then pour a second 80lbs concrete bag using same procedure close to the surface. This way, it created two wide disk that stabilized the post. Dry pour is good, as long as you add the required water. I understand that it's not as strong as premix, but for it's job to just stabilize the post, it's more than adequate.

[@shadjohnsen8143]

For my 4x4’s and 6x6’s I always use pea gravel. So much easier to replace something if ever needed. An one of my 6x6’s (for my 12’ gate) ended up twisting over a couple of years. Hydraulic Jack pulled it right up and putting another in was easy.

[@michaelmartin2276]

Good video. Thanks. I've used a pneumatic hammer on the top and sides of the post on a dry set to help pack the cement. Worked great for me. Here in western Pennsylvania the soil is pretty damp. With dry pour I have aways use some water by spraying water into the hole and around the sides and ground around it.

[@rtjdeckingandfencing1229]

I always use dry postfix. depending on the hole size between 2-3 bags per post. I chuck a splash of water down first then most of the first bag. pack it down with a ramrod. bit more water, ram it again... more mix. pack it, wet it, pack it again... repeat to the top of the hole... never had a failed post.... I do like the idea of the Sika Foam for fences in remote locations where I can't be ar5ed to carry tonnes of drymix to the worksite 👍

[@dsloop3907]

Foam is being used by the electrical utility in my area where the poles are being replaced with much taller ones, as the grid is being updated for all the new homes. I tried foam for the first time last year, it seems to be good. And a lot easier to carry.

[@whoever6458]

Awesome! Back when I did masonry, I was helping my mom build a 6 ft wall on one side of her property. Since it was in California, the building codes in the area are pretty strict and my best friend and I were hired by my mom to dig quite a deep footing. She did all the measurements and calculations, though, but she's a mathematician so that made total sense and it's probably going to stand longer than any of us who built it is still alive, even when the "Big One" earthquake finally does come (and I will say that I will be annoyed if I don't get to experience this earthquake). I build bushcraft stuff in the area for shits and giggles and two things have been slowing down by building: the first is that I'm trying to make the shelter look like its surroundings and the second is to make sure anything I build above head level won't come down easily in even a 9.0 earthquake, which is 10 times larger than we are supposed to expect here. There's lots of clay around here and, having stepping in some quicksand while wading in the area, I can verify how much it tries to pull your shoe off when that happens. If I hadn't though about earthquake safety, I might have already built something using that clay since it's easy to get relatively pure clay and sand underneath it. Since I'm trying to build things out of whatever I can find in the area, I have considering using wood instead of steel as a reenforcement. There are not enough grasses and reeds to make rope or else I'd use the method where you reenforce the outside rather than the inside of the structure. I like the shape of those posts and the idea of driving them into the ground. I have done something similar when I built my fire pit and the shelter above it. There was only a little cracking in the clay and sand mixture that I made and I used branches so fresh that they actually sprout every spring and I'm hoping they grow trees there because that will only give me more cover and more strength for my structure or at least it seems to me that will be the case. Anyway, thanks for the new things to think about!

[@scottnantais6866]

To avoid the widening at the top of the wet concrete hole I just use 8" or so of sono tube just for the top of the hole. I adjust it so it is slightly above grade and dome it from there. That way it avoids the frost heave and dirt coming in contact with wood. Which is important in wetter climates. It looks better and you avoid weed wacking close to your post (as opposed to having dirt right up against your post with grass growing high around it that the mower can"t reach) which would get badly damaged from it after many seasons of weed wacking.

[@joshuaainge7218]

Just started my fence building journey, recently. Really enjoy the education! Thanks!! Peace out from the PNW

[@SWiFence]

Hey you're welcome!