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Much of it will depend on your fence design. Are you designing a sail, or will wind pass through it readily? What diameter and height posts are you using?
Fence post
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Hello, I live in Florida where the soil is soft and we get strong winds from storms. I am replacing my fence and trying to decide whether I need to put cement in or no cement or use crushed stone instead in posts. I know there is a lot of debate about this. I had a few post break at the ground level and those were cemented in and lasted about 13 years.
Does it help to put cement and above the ground level and sloping away? Would digging a 3 foot hole and using crushed stone instead of cement be good? It will be a board on board 6 foot tall fence
Does it help to put cement and above the ground level and sloping away? Would digging a 3 foot hole and using crushed stone instead of cement be good? It will be a board on board 6 foot tall fence
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40 years ago all we did was pound stones in around the post to hold them, that worked for 100s of years so yes either could be used, after 13 years you post was rotten at ground level and the trick is to protect the post from moisture and air and insects at ground level
Postsaver 5 in. x 5 in. or 6 in. Dia Rot Protection Sleeve (10 Pack) | The Home Depot Canada
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3 feet in the ground is good.
Postsaver 5 in. x 5 in. or 6 in. Dia Rot Protection Sleeve (10 Pack) | The Home Depot Canada
3 feet in the ground is good.
When you say board on board do you mean something like this:
![Wood Fence Wood stain Home fencing Rectangle]()
If so, then I would definitely do the concrete, it's going to catch the wind like a sail like Chandler said.
If so, then I would definitely do the concrete, it's going to catch the wind like a sail like Chandler said.
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I know people who build pole barns with crushed stone around the post with no problems. Crushed stone will get as solid as concrete.
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Yes concrete a little higher will help.
I suspect any heat gun will shrink it but any butyl window flashing will work too like Blueskin.
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Some AHJ require metal posts. Did you check with them? Do you need a permit to build a fence?
Personally, I would never use a wood fence post. Always used metal (even 60 years ago) and those fences are still standing. Just my thoughts.
I don't understand how setting a wood post into concrete (or anything else) could help as the water would soak into the wood then all the way down to the bottom of the post even if it is set in concrete.
Personally, I would never use a wood fence post. Always used metal (even 60 years ago) and those fences are still standing. Just my thoughts.
I don't understand how setting a wood post into concrete (or anything else) could help as the water would soak into the wood then all the way down to the bottom of the post even if it is set in concrete.
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Trapped water without air is not a problem. They harvest logs that have been in lakes for a 100 years.
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I had an expensive 6' cedar fence installed when I first bought my house. After about 3 years a windstorm knocked down about 5 posts, taking six sections with them. Had the installers come out and this time they installed the 4x4 cedar posts with angle iron braces nailed to them before they sunk them in concrete. Those posts lasted over 30 years. When we replaced the old fence we had the installers reuse the angle iron braces with the new posts. I don't understand why this is not common practice these days.
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Yes Yes Yes ! People, STOP using wooden fence posts - use Schedule 80 pipe set in a min. 10" dia. 3' deep hole filled with concrete for posts !
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Yes, but those logs were completely submerged. They were not 80% sticking out above the water. So those old submerged logs are not like wood fence posts. Besides those old logs are better quality than the junk that is now sold as wood fence posts.
Save time and money and use metal posts.
Problem w/this suggestion... most people can not afford, would not spend that kinda $'s for posts. It would be there for a good long time tho.
FWIW...Don.
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For the last fence I built I used steel posts that were salvaged drill pipe. I bought from Eagle National Steel. They cost less than half of galvanized fence posts and the steel is much heavier gauge. Go to wholesaler not retailer. They will cut to custom length. They will know someone who will deliver if you cannot haul them yourself.
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