Installing Wood Fence Posts Without Concrete

Three factors contribute to this early failure.

Installing wood fence posts without concrete.

Here s how to install new cedar fence posts and avoid the problems that made your old posts rot. Dig post hole so diameter of the hole is 3 times the width of the post i e the hole for a 4 wood post should be about 12 inches wide. 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. Poor drainage low quality wood and poor protection against insect damage.

Installing fence posts in place with concrete is the best way to guarantee that they remain upright and unmoving but you might not relish the idea of mixing batch after batch of concrete to fill. Wooden fence posts are more vulnerable and fragile than metal. Slowly over the years concrete has cracked and fence has leaned. Do not set wooden posts in concrete.

Tamped soil on a base of gravel is enough to secure most posts but consider concrete for soft soils. I installed eight foot high wood privacy fence with 12 foot 4 4 with 2 x 4 cross pieces and 1 x 4 fencing in 1990 all posts cemented in total of 170 feet. Inspect your posts at least once a year ideally in spring or fall and reapply paint or stain as necessary to protect the wood and keep your fence looking its best. A 24 inch depth works well for a 4 foot tall fence but a fence that is 6 feet high should have posts sunk 3 feet deep or more.

Look no matter what preventative steps you take and i ll get to those eventually wooden posts rot. The fence post depth increases with the height of the fence. Cedar has a reputation for durability but unless a few guidelines are followed cedar posts can fail in as few as five years. Concrete is a no no for fence posts may 12 2012.