Adding a 6" gravel base under each post and finishing the concrete base so that it slopes away from the posts are popular methods for protecting posts against rot from moisture contact.
No matter if you are using soil or gravel as your anchor, you should still set a layer of gravel about a 10 centimeters thick for the post to sit on. This will help with drainage and prevent water from pooling at the bottom of the post.
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.
There are a few options for materials to set your fence posts if you aren't using cement. These include dirt, gravel, sand, and crushed rock. Dirt: Filling the hole with dirt and compacting it will help to support the fence post.
Another benefit of dry cement is that it will allow water to drain around the fence posts. Installing a fence post in dry cement is pretty simple. You want to pour about 5 inches of the dry cement into the hole around the fence post and tamp it down. Then repeat this process until the hole has been filled.
Set fence posts or mailbox posts without mixing!
With Fast-Setting Concrete there is no mixing or tools required – You simply pour the dry mix right from the bag into the hole, then add water. Fast-Setting Concrete sets in about 20 minutes so you can quickly move onto the next step of your outdoor project.
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.
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.
Dig your hole to the correct depth, allowing for the height of the fence panel and the gravel board. As a rough guide the hole should be a minimum 1/3 the height of the fence, so a 6 foot fence would need an 8 foot post in a 2 foot deep hole. Similarly, the hole should be three times the diameter of the post.
Most fence posts require anywhere from one to 10 bags of concrete. Actual concrete amounts vary depending on post hole diameter and depth. Account for frost lines and gravel when doing calculations.
Whether you're building a fence, setting a mailbox or even a basketball goal, the best way to ensure your posts will stay sturdy and true for years is to set them in concrete.
It doesn't matter if it is a do-it-yourself (DIY) project or a professional installation, wood fence or vinyl fence, your fence posts should be set in concrete. Without a properly set concrete footer, your fence posts will begin to sag until they eventually fail.
It may seem that they are an extra and unnecessary cost and that your fence will work perfectly without them. While this is technically true, it is without question that gravel boards can save you money in the long run by increasing the lifespan of your fence, making it more hard-wearing.
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.
Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there's no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water.
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.
Our example post will require two bags for every post if you're using fast-setting concrete. Fast-setting concrete is ideal for installing fence posts since it doesn't need to be mixed in a bucket or a wheelbarrow.
A pressure-treated post will last in concrete for about twenty-five years or more. In addition, the chemical preservatives from the process help timber to withstand moisture and insects.
There are several possible methods and materials to consider here, and one of the single most secure is known as dry setting, which uses concrete as the primary material. Here are some general steps to follow if you choose dry concrete settings for your fence posts.
To help slow such deterioration, add pea gravel or crushed stone to the bottom of the posthole. Once you have added gravel to a depth of three inches or so, use a piece of scrap lumber to tamp down the layer.
If water appears in your hole, it is not a problem, as you can pour concrete into water, professionals do it often.
Usually, plain concrete takes 24 to 48 hours to be dry enough to drive or walk on it. Therefore, the drying process is a continuous, fluid process, which typically reaches its maximum strength after approximately 28 days.