Fencing question

C

ChrisFenceBuild

New Member
Hey my fence blew down.

I'm rebuilding it stronger.

I plan to use three 6" x 6" x 12ft posts.
With feather edge panels with 3 rails each.

I plan to dig them 3ft deep and use post crete due to the constant off and on weather.
With Galvanised screws.

I'll prob use temporary brackets while it sets...

Is there anything else I need to be doing... Or I'm doing wrong?

Should I be using pea gravel in the hole or a special postcrete mix etc.?

Anything be helpful Thanks.
 
if you can keep the holes fairly narrow then use postcrete .
If your holes end up bigger then you may want to mix
your own concrete. I have used 6"x6" but its all a lot harder.
I take it the fencing is in your back garden and you're going
for 9ft. I always used 2"x2" battens of various lengths,
with a hole at one end to take a metal spike into the ground
and a gate hinge attached to the other end, with the smaller
part with the four holes screwed into the now concreted
post. I liked to leave them overnight. Never had a post come
loose.
 
How tall is your fence going to be? 12 ft posts buried 3ft implies a 9 ft fence, as @chillimonster says. If your fence is, say, 6ft, then 4 x 4 posts are adequate.

Another question is what caused your old fence to fail. Did the posts break even though the wood was sound or did they rot? If the posts rotted, then I would recommend postsavers.
 
ChrisFenceBuild said:
Hey my fence blew down.

I'm rebuilding it stronger.

I plan to use three 6" x 6" x 12ft posts.
With feather edge panels with 3 rails each.

I plan to dig them 3ft deep and use post crete due to the constant off and on weather.
With Galvanised screws.

I'll prob use temporary brackets while it sets...

Is there anything else I need to be doing... Or I'm doing wrong?

Should I be using pea gravel in the hole or a special postcrete mix etc.?

Anything be helpful Thanks.
Click to expand...

Sorry...its a 7ft ish fence. We could only get 11ish ft posts. So might cut them down a little.
 
chillimonster said:
I always used 2"x2" battens of various lengths,
with a hole at one end to take a metal spike into the ground
and a gate hinge attached to the other end, with the smaller
part with the four holes screwed into the now concreted
post. I liked to leave them overnight. Never had a post come
loose.
Click to expand...
Eh? Not following you at all here, please expand.
 
HarryL1234 said:
How tall is your fence going to be? 12 ft posts buried 3ft implies a 9 ft fence, as @chillimonster says. If your fence is, say, 6ft, then 4 x 4 posts are adequate.

Another question is what caused your old fence to fail. Did the posts break even though the wood was sound or did they rot? If the posts rotted, then I would recommend postsavers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for reply.

Combination of

Landscapimg the garden.
Some Rot due to high damp and big trees.
High wind due to being a large fence at gardens end + unexpected removal of wind break (to be replanted).
And maybe my digger man gently bumped the fence a few times (despite claiming he didn't...He did...a little)?

Also a tree in a storm dropped a branch I'm not so again maybe that shook the foundations a little...

So a combination of issues...So not inherently a bad spot.
 
ChrisFenceBuild said:
Thank you yes I've coated all posts up to 3 feet .

But it's the putting the posts in the ground im hoping to get right...
Click to expand...
As you probably know, posts usually rot at the top of the concrete (where water will sit) so if that's kept down a few inches and wood is treated that should help. Maybe chamfer the concrete fill away from around the post so water won't sit there. Only so much you can do.
 
@Hager the Horrible .
I can't do it. :(
I'll try again writing it.

2" x 2" batten , hole drilled one end with 3/4" auger
Hammer a foot long approx piece of
rebar or similar through it and into ground to hold
it secure.
Screw a gate hinge to other end of batten, the long
pointed part with 4 or 5 screw holes, but
align the hinge knuckles with the batten end.
Check the fence post is vertical then
screw the short part with four screw holes to the post.
The two outer screw holes will be facing fresh air.
Somewhere near the top of the post, and horizontally
across post face.
When working on your own and the post isn't quite vertical
take the screws out with impact driver, reposition
the batten further up or down the post then impact drive
the screws which will still be in the hinge.
I would cut a triangle off the batten under the hinge to
permit a more vertical position.
When I did fencing regularly for customers I kept battens
and hinges of various lengths to be screwed to a post
then staked to the ground . Shorter battens hammered
in before a prized plant etc or longer battens going over
a plant or concrete garden path etc.
Then put in the postcrete.
Next morning, I took out the two screws and pulled out the rebar.
 
Last edited:
If wishing to do it economically, use 19mm ballast & cement 8:1 & throw into the wet concrete an occasional bit of hardcore knocking around in the garden as you go.
 
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