I'm erecting a new picket/paling fence, it's about 10m long and 1m high. Question is how big should the post hole be ? I'm going down 50cm ie a third of overall post length but how much concrete do I need around the 10cm x 10cm post ?
Cheers guys
None !
But then few will agree with me.
We never use concrete for posts. Dig hole, large rock in bottom then back fill with soil, tamping down as you go and keep throwing in and wedging in stones also.
Haven't had one fail yet and the posts don't appear to rot as quick.
We use a similar technique. No rock at the bottom, and we 'dig' the hole with a steel rod, so it's not much of a hole to start with. No failures, even in the extremely wet, boggy field by the stream.
And here's the ideal DIY tool for the digging bit: the agricultural auger.
I put a fence up of 4x4 post to take 5'6" panels. used a post hole borer as there were rather a lot to put up. got about 1/2 a ton of sand and chippings in to make concrete to go around the post. Boy was I supprised when I only needed to mix up one wheel barrow of muck. The post fitted so snug that we just tamped a bit around the sides or used it to bottom fill a hole where we got to adventurous with the borer! Well I will know next time!
I agree completely ! Use a hole borer if possible, go down about
70/80 cm for the end posts , pack any spaces with sand, grit, small gravel.May not be as solid as concrete but less likely to snap, and if you have to replace the posts ,its alot more straightforward.
Robert royall at which net
bet you are not doing this in london clay...
You can put the augar on the end of an excavator ......... You can also get "hammers" on the back of tractors .....
You are looing to pack the gap between the post and the undisturbed hard soil. You can do this with almost anything, concrete, stones, the soil that came out.
I guess the exact choice depends upon the soil type, and what mood you are in.
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