Posted under:
Horse FencingSUPPLIES
- Treated wooden posts
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Rock bar
- Post hole diggers
- Tape measure
- Gravel
- Short level
- Small rocks (excavated from hole)
Overview
The cost of fencing materials is high, so it's important to use an accurate and correct method for installing the posts as efficiently as possible. Once the post is set, you do not want to go back to it because it becomes loose or "floats" from the ground. Floating can occur when the post is placed in a wet location and it pushes up from the hole by the pressure of water under the wooden surface. By following a few basic steps, you can install a fence post in any location and be assured it will stay there for the life of the fence.
Step 1
Identify the placement of the post you want to install and lay it near the future hole. The depth of the posthole depends on the type of fence and post your are setting. In general, the depth of the hole should be no less than 30 inches and up to 48 inches deep. The heavier the fence that must be supported, the deeper the post should be set in the ground.
Step 2
Begin digging the hole by removing the topsoil with the shovel. Place all soil into the wheelbarrow for easy removal from the fencing site. The diameter of the hole should be a full 2 to 4 inches around the post. If you are setting a 6-inch post, the hole should be at least 10 to 14 inches in diameter.
Step 3
Use the rock bar to loosen the soil as the hole becomes deeper. A few plunges of the sharp end of the bar will make the removal of the soil much easier.
Step 4
Operate the post hole diggers by holding the handles with your hands and plunging the open shovels into the hole. Once the diggers hit the bottom, pull the handles outward and remove the dirt.
Step 5
Check the hole's depth with a tape measure occasionally. Dig the hole until the proper depth is achieved.
Step 6
Place 6 to 8 inches of the gravel in the bottom of the hole before setting the post. The gravel will allow for water drainage and keep the post from "floating" out of the hole.
Step 7
Place the wooden post in the hole and fill around it with 10 to 12 inches of gravel.
Step 8
Check and plumb the post for level. Use the short level and check two adjacent sides of the post.
Step 9
Use the flat end of the rock bar and tamp the gravel down, securing the post in place.
Step 10
Add more gravel, or small rocks that you excavated from the hole, around the post in 8 to 10 inch increments at a time. Tamp each layer with the flat end of the rock bar until the hole is filled. Check often for plumb with the short level.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Buckets of water can be poured into a hole if the ground is very dry. The water will soak into the dry soil, loosening it for easier removal.
- WARNING : Concrete can be used for setting posts in place of the gravel. Caution should be exercised as concrete can rot some wooden posts, even if they are green-treated. Consult with the post manufacturer for any warranty issues concerning the use of concrete.
