Cementing Fence Post

[OX Landworks]

Originally Posted by Drafto

It is the red bags in the concrete aisle, I think it is about twice the price of the normal stuff.

Dan

Is that the fast setting concrete that you are referring to?
It sounds as thought the consensus is to put the cement in dry, then add the water. Thanks for all of the input. I'm very excited about this project because I'll get to do all of the holes with a mini-skid that I'll be taking delivery of here in the next week.

[General Landscaping]

Pour it in dry, water in, and put up the panels tomorrow.
Works for me.

[BCF]

For wood fences dry packing works the best. Water is really needed to be added, the moisture from the ground will harden it up, and not stick to the post. I'd rather wet mix chainlink, aluminum, or vinyl posts, though. I tjust seems to grip the material better, no variances of strength. If you mix the sand , stone and portland yourself, it's way cheaper, and not anymore time consuming using a mixer then hand mixing a barrow of dry. Just pack some soil at the bottom to hold you post until time to concrete.

[Drafto]

Originally Posted by OX Landworks

Is that the fast setting concrete that you are referring to?
It sounds as thought the consensus is to put the cement in dry, then add the water. Thanks for all of the input. I'm very excited about this project because I'll get to do all of the holes with a mini-skid that I'll be taking delivery of here in the next week.

Yes the fast setting post concrete. You can dry pack any brand or type of bagged cement and get the same results. We use tyhe high strength and dry pack that also, if you pack it with a prybar and push out as much air as possible it gets tight enough to hang panels. Use the fast setting stuff and start at your gate posts first that way you CAN hang your gate last at the end of the day instead of going back the next day. Goodluck.

Dan

[Bustus]

Many of the methods seem to work well, the only factor is cost as quick set cement usually costs more. Some clients may also have a problem with it if they are watching you. They may think you are trying to cut corners by simply pouring cement in a hole then running a hose to moisten it. It all depends.

[OX Landworks]

So how long would you all plan to spend on a fence that is off of the back of a house for a 4' tall vinyl fence total of 168 lin. ft., and two prefabricated gates? The sections do not come assembled.

[orionkf]

Originally Posted by OX Landworks

So how long would you all plan to spend on a fence that is off of the back of a house for a 4' tall vinyl fence total of 168 lin. ft., and two prefabricated gates? The sections do not come assembled.

2 very short days if you have some kind of auger. Just did one similar.

[fall46]

BCF

When setting wood posts, I have read that you really shouldnt use concrete but instead use 3/4 clean gravel (same stone as behind a retaining wall). This will allow water to drain vs wick into the post causing the post to rot.

Here's a link

let me know what u think

http://www.sonic.net/~cprowell/gate/postholes.htm

[BCF]

Well with that gravel, with it all being the same size, it's not going to pack up worth a damn. Also, I could see the air pockets in the gravel being the easiest place for the water to sit. And they still want a small concrete footer towards the top of the hole, right at the spot where the air and ground meets wher the post is prone to rot no matter how you set posts. And putting it a few inches deeper does nothing to prevent frost heave if your hole isn't belled towards the bottom. The gravel at the bottom, well I could spend the time doing that, as it's good in theory, but IMO the few inches of soil that may hold more water than the gravel aren't going to rot the post enough to tip it over. Besides the fact that the water table dictates nore how well the water drains, not a few inches of gravel. PT posts would be best suited coated with creasote, but for a few more years, I couldn't justify the costs to a customer. But I am one of many fence contractors who do things the right way, my way just makes more sense to me.

BTW, two short days on the fence is about right. The slide in pickets will go faster than the screw in type.

[Grassmechanic]

Interesting topic. I do landscape maintenance for a guy that installs cedar decks. The big, huge massive things that only the millionares can afford (his decks start at 15k and go up from there). Anyways, I asked him how he installs posts. He said he augers to 1 foot below frost line. Fills up to the frostline with concrete. Lets the concrete set up. Then he sets his posts on the concrete "pad" in the bottom of the hole and then backfills with sand and tamps it firmly. No additional concrete. Interesting.......