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Old timer told me to dig post holes deeper and it saved a job last Tuesday
I used to set my fence posts at 24 inches deep, thought that was fine for most jobs. Then this guy Bob who's been building fences since the 80s watched me for like 5 minutes and said 'son, you're gonna have those leaning by spring.' He showed me how he goes 36 inches minimum, even for shorter spans. Last Tuesday I hit a patch of that sandy soil we get around here, and my usual depth would have been a disaster. That extra foot made the difference, no wobble at all. Has anyone else had a random stranger's advice totally change their setup?
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dakotacraig4mo ago
...so did Bob say anything about how he sets the posts themselves, like gravel at the bottom or concrete all the way up? I've heard people argue both ways and nobody ever really shows you the tradeoffs for different soil types. The depth thing makes sense but I'm curious what else Bob throws in with it.
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williams902mo ago
Wait, don't you think concrete all the way up actually makes things worse in clay soil though? I've seen too many posts crack when the ground heaves and the concrete won't budge. Bob's right about the gravel base letting water drain out, but I'd still leave a couple inches of gravel on top of the concrete too so the wood doesn't sit wet.
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bettywilson4mo ago
the gravel at the bottom or concrete all the way up" is where I always mess it up because I triple guess myself every time. @dakotacraig my Bob story is I tried the gravel bottom once and then my fence post basically waved at me the next windy day so I'm back on team concrete all the way. Honestly though, my soil is just clay and regret so maybe neither is the right answer for me.
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