DO Employ a Base Gravel Layer. If a fence post fails without any sign of a pest infestation, it's likely that the failure was caused by moisture that rotted the wood over time. To help slow such deterioration, add pea gravel or crushed stone to the bottom of the posthole.
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). Add about 6 inches of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel into the bottom of the hole. Then compact and level the gravel using a post or 2x4.
Fill with Gravel or Concrete
The choice is yours. Gravel helps keep moisture from the fence posts, slowing the rot. Concrete can more sturdily set the posts, but the moisture in the concrete may collect and absorb at the bottom of the post, accelerating the very process you're trying to mitigate.
If you're using a lightweight fence, you can skip the concrete altogether. But you still have to use gravel for proper drainage. Concrete is added merely to provide stability. If you have to use concrete, you can prevent water by grading it away from the wood as you go further into the ground.
As a general rule of thumb, you'll need to place at least 1/3 the height of the post in the ground. For example, a six-foot tall fence will need at least two feet of post in the ground.
If there are more than one rock or stone or if there are a series at regular intervals, rocks were used to indicate a turning or stopping point. Long before marking chalk, paint, strip markers and GPS were available, ranchers and farmers used stones as visible place or reference point markers.
Place your fence post on top of the gravel drainage layer and fill the rest of the hole in with soil, ensuring it stands firm and steady. As an alternative, Postsaver sleeves are a cost-effective, simple way to keep wood rot at bay.
How long will 4x4 post last in the ground? A pressure treated 4x4 set in concrete should last about 20 years of more, depending on the soil conditions and drainage.
Soak the bottom 1 ft (0.30 m) of untreated posts in a wood preservative. If you've purchased untreated wood—or if you cut your lumber to shorten it—you need to treat your post before burying it. Purchase a wood preservative that contains copper naphthenate at a lumberyard or hardware store.
In most applications, a wooden fence should be mounted at least two inches off the ground. Your posts and rot boards (if you want to mount them) should be the only fence components that come into contact with the ground.
The answer -— as it often does in fencing construction — depends. As a general rule, Fencing Direct recommends at least a 24-inch footing depth for a 4-foot fence, plus an extra 3 inches for every foot of height (for example, 27 inches for a 5-foot post).
Pea Gravel. Pea gravel is one of the best materials for landscape drainage because its small size allows for outstanding drainage.
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. Hence the use of concrete.
Stabilize Your Fence Post
You'll first want to dig a few inches of soil out from around the post's perimeter. From there, you can fill the hole with gravel and top the gravel with a rapid-set cement mix. Finally, pound the fence post back into place using a mallet.
Your deck will not pass inspection with inadequate footings and the posts can be forced up by frost when the ground freezes, known as “heaving” which can destroy it. Dig each footing 48 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches across, centered on the location you marked when laying out your deck.
With concrete holding the moisture against the wood, wood has no chance and will eventually lose the battle. Now you don't have to lose all hope because it's for certain that the concrete around the post will crack, therefore making it easy to pull out when it starts to rot. Even worse, the concrete cracks early.
Long Exposure to Moisture
The rot of fences usually happens with prolonged exposure to moisture. The most common area this happens is near or in the ground. Soil tends to give fence posts prolonged exposure to water.
While treated timber posts can last from anywhere between 10-15 years, untreated timber may need replacing in under 5 years.
If you're using regular wood fence posts or pressure treated lumber, you can add an additional layer of protection between the post and the earth by painting the bottom of each post with asphalt emulsion. Sealing the tips of your posts can extend your fence's lifespan by years.
When a comrade passes away, a cowboy may hang a boot on a fence post as a memorial. The boots have worn out and represent hard work. Because a rancher grows attached to his boots and wears them daily, it's a tradition to hang them on a fence whenever they have worn out.
Gravel: Filling the hole with gravel will help to support the fence post. This method is stronger than using dirt, but not as strong as using cement. Sand: Filling the hole with sand will help to support the fence post. Like gravel, this method is stronger than using dirt, but not as strong as using cement.
The main cause is the wood having prolonged exposure to moisture in soil which means fence posts decay at ground level – just above the concrete base. This means the post will still be solid below and above the damaged area. Insect infestations can also cause rotting in wooden fence posts.