Lightweight slotted fence posts: "lite" concrete or PVC?

Question

I'd welcome views from anyone who has used one or other or - even better - both of the "lightweight" concrete and the uPVC slotted posts. I'm particularly interested in strength and (so far as possible given they are new-ish) durability.

The job is a fence for a small garden in a sheltered (city) position. At least 5 foot panels; and on a slight slope so at least 6 inch gravel. I have ruled out traditional concrete slotted posts: I am too old/weak for even the 8 foot ones let alone the 9 foot I'd prefer. So I'm tempted by either the 8'9" Supreme Concrete Lite posts or the 9' Supalite uPVC posts. But I've been unable to see either of them or find independent views. Travis Perkins list the Supreme Concrete but there are none in stock near me and no info on

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There are no Supalite stockists near me and I've not been able to find any in use. While the posts sound a good idea (with a metal core to the larger ones) I'm more dubious about how they and the matching gravel boards would stand up to general wear and tear.

-- Robin email address is munged: remove the obviously invalid bits

Phil L · Accepted Answer

The more metal they have, the sooner they fall apart, especially if the concrete is 'lite' - the metal rusts, expands and the concrete falls off in chunks. For what you'd pay for these things you could probably get a fencing contractor to do the job for you with proper concrete posts...also you're way off with your measurements - you don't need 9 ft posts for a 5 foot fence, you need six foot six ones.

PVC is generally crap WRT fencing, it suffers in direct sunlight and becomes brittle.

Robin · Answer

I am very ready to believe I've dropped a stitch. But with the slope taking up around 6" that would seem to leave me with just 1 foot buried. Is that really enough, even concreted into good loam? I was reckoning 5' fence + 6" gravel board, + 2'6" buried = 8'; but favoured the larger posts to give scope for 12" gravel boards in future - eg if the neighbourhood foxes dig even deeper.

More so than uPVC windows? I'd settle for them lasting 25 years!

Phil L · Answer

you'd have problems getting a 12 inch gravel board in after they've been concreted in -(the post concrete should come up to the underside of the gravel boards, so that any future ground movement / washing away of soil etc, cannot cause the panel to slip down on one side or the other) and even then you'd only gain an extra 6 inches underground....what I've done in the past with this type of fencing is to knock in old slates to a depth of around 16 - 20 inches, although this was to deter rats, which has succeeded

Lightweight slotted fence posts: "lite" concrete or PVC?

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