How Deep to Dig Fence Post Holes | Kingcats-fence.com (2023)

FAQs

How deep should a 8 foot post be in the ground? ›

How Deep Should a Fence Post Be? For an average fence post, about 6 to 8 feet tall, prepare to dig a post hole about 2 feet deep. To install a fence post, you'll need a shovel or post digger, a 6-foot level, soil, and gravel or crushed stone. For gateposts, you'll need concrete too.

The general rule of thumb when setting a post is that the depth of the post's hole needs to be one-third to one-half of the actual above-ground height of the post. So, a six-foot-high finished post ideally needs to be buried three feet into the ground.

As a general rule of thumb, you'll need to place at least 1/3 the height of the post in the ground. For example, a 6-foot tall fence will need at least 2 feet of post in the ground.

The diameter of your post hole should be three times the diameter of your post. So, if you're planning on using a four-inch round or 4x4-inch square post, your post hole will need to be 12 inches in diameter. For a six-foot-high fence post, we would need a hole that's 36 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter.

Dig post hole so diameter of the hole is 3 times the width of the post (i.e., the hole for a 4” wood post should be about 12 inches wide). The depth of the hole should be 1/3-1/2 the post height above ground (i.e., a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet).

DO Employ a Base Gravel Layer. If a fence post fails without any sign of a pest infestation, it's likely that the failure was caused by moisture that rotted the wood over time. To help slow such deterioration, add pea gravel or crushed stone to the bottom of the posthole.

Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there's no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water.

It doesn't matter if it is a do-it-yourself (DIY) project or a professional installation, wood fence or vinyl fence, your fence posts should be set in concrete. Without a properly set concrete footer, your fence posts will begin to sag until they eventually fail.

For a 6-foot fence, for example, you need a 9-foot post, so that 3 feet can be underground. This means that unless you are building a 2-foot fence, which is unlikely in any garden, a 1-foot hole will not be deep enough to support your post. For main and gateposts, you should dig the holes an additional 6 inches deep.

Calculate the post lengths

If you're setting wooden or concrete posts in concrete you'll need 8ft (2.4m) posts for a 6ft (1.828m) fence – i.e. your posts are 2ft (0.6m) longer than the fence height. Use 4in x 4in posts for fences of 5ft and over and 3in x 3in posts for anything under 5ft.

How do I keep my fence posts from rotting in concrete? ›

Fill with Gravel or Concrete

Fill the hole around your fence post with gravel or concrete, 2 to 3 inches above the ground. The choice is yours. Gravel helps keep moisture from the fence posts, slowing the rot.

At least 2 bags per fence post, sometimes more depending on the size of the hole and the post.

For reference, a 40-pound bag of concrete typically yields about 0.3 cubic feet, a 50-pound bag yields 0.37 cubic feet, a 60-pound bag yields 0.45 cubic feet, and an 80-pound bag yields 0.6 feet. This means that in the example above, each post would require about eight 50-pound bags.

Summary: How Many bags Of Concrete Per Fence Post? 1 – 4 bags of concrete per fence post are typically what's needed. This depends on the type of soil, fence design, height, post size and bag weight. In general the depth of the post's hole needs to be 1/3 to 1/2 of the above ground height of the post.

Lawsons experts recommend you should dig a hole which has a depth of 2 ft (24 in / 600mm) to ensure you have a stable timber or concrete fence post.

If properly treated and installed, pine fence posts can last for 20–35 years; untreated pine posts might only last 3–7 years.

Prepare and wet the hole

It should be twice the diameter of the post and one-third of the post depth. Now thoroughly wet hole and make sure to avoid 'pooling' of water at the base. Add 100mm of Rapid Set Concrete to the base of the hole before placing post.

A somewhat unusual use for rocks is as weights to hold wooden or metal fence posts in place.

Dirt is a natural absorbent and will become the posts best hope. All concrete does is trap the residual moisture that was soaked up and creates a breeding ground for fungal decay which creates living organisms called rot. Rot is a hungry/hangry living organism.

Whether you are building a new fence, setting a mailbox or anchoring a basketball goal or play set, QUIKRETE^® Fast-Setting Concrete is the ideal product for the job. With Fast-Setting Concrete there is no mixing or tools required – You simply pour the dry mix right from the bag into the hole, then add water.

What happens if you put too much water in concrete fence post? ›

When a concrete mixture is too wet, it causes a greater amount of shrinkage during the drying process than is needed. As a result, the concrete has a great likelihood of cracking and for those cracks are likely to be a fairly good size.

You can use a post hole digger or power auger to dig the hole. A post hole digger is a manual tool and will get the job done in average soil. If you have hard, rocky soil or a lot of roots – you may want to opt for a power auger. Many home improvement stores have them available for rent.

Overall, the 50lb Quikrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix is what I found works best for installing a fence post. It's easy to work with, sets fast, and is very strong.

For example, a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet. -Next, fill the hole with gravel or sand. This will help to support the fence post. -Finally, insert the fence post into the hole and fill the hole with dirt.

Concrete is as sturdy and durable a building material as you'll find. With just a minimal level of maintenance, concrete fence posts can last for around 25 years. However, they are not immune to wear and tear. Over time, wind and rain can cause concrete posts to chip and crack.

If you don't Get below the frost line, that post will jack right out of the ground and fall over in a year or two. 3 feet is standard, unless your climate is really cold, then usually 4 feet deep.

Woven Wire Deer Fence

Total height of the fence on flat ground should be at least 76 inches. On sloping ground a few inches should be added to the uphill side of the enclosure. Adult deer in good condition can actually jump a 76 inch fence but generally do so only when chased.

The general rule of thumb is that your fence posts needs to be two feet longer than the total height of your fence - including a gravel board, if you're using one. A 6ft fence requires an 8ft fence post.

But, a chain link fence is one of the easiest fencing materials to install yourself. Similar to the wrought iron fencing, chain link fences come in pre-made panels and you simply need to hook them up to the posts once they're installed.

As a general rule, an 8 foot post needs to be placed so that two feet of it are in the ground. If you plan to anchor the post in soil, the hole diameter should be as close to the fence post size as possible.

How far apart can 4x4 posts be? ›

The two most common sizes used for deck posts are 4×4 and 6×6. When using 4×4 posts, place them no more than 6 feet apart, and when using 6×6 posts, no more than 8 feet apart. The reason for these standards is that the railing system won't have proper support if the posts are too far apart.

Equally as popular, fences built with Pressure Treated (PT) lumber are a great choice that can last a very long time. True to the name, PT fences are treated to protect the wood from external influences. Generally, a well taken care of PT fence can last as long as 20-25 years.

Pressure-treating can make wood water-resistant, but it's not 100 percent rot-resistant. Any time the wood moves, bends, or cracks, water can enter. While this may seem worrisome, the key is to keep the water away.

With concrete holding the moisture against the wood, wood has no chance and will eventually lose the battle. Now you don't have to lose all hope because it's for certain that the concrete around the post will crack, therefore making it easy to pull out when it starts to rot.

The 8ft long (2.440m) intermediate post has a section size of 94mm x 109mm and weighs approximately 44kgs.

How Deep Should a Fence Post Be? For an average fence post, about 6 to 8 feet tall, prepare to dig a post hole about 2 feet deep. To install a fence post, you'll need a shovel or post digger, a 6-foot level, soil, and gravel or crushed stone. For gateposts, you'll need concrete too.

A partial cure, enough to rely on for some strength, takes 7 days and will sustain small loads successfully. A full cure takes 28 days to attain full strength. If the concrete drys out at any stage, it will stop curing and will not gain any more strength. The curing process will restart if water is reapplied.

A 6x6 post requires a 10"-diameter hole. Shovel a 6" layer of gravel into the hole to provide drainage.

QUIKRETE® Fast-Setting Concrete sets in 20 to 40 minutes. Wait 4 hours before applying heavy loads to the post, such as a basketball backboard. (If the temperature is below 72 degrees, additional time for curing will be required.)

How deep should a 4x4 fence post be in the ground? ›

The depth of the hole should be 1/3-1/2 the post height above ground (i.e., a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet).

The standard spacing for fence posts is 8 to 25 feet apart, depending on the type of fence. A standard wood fence would require posts 8 feet apart, while a high-tensile wire could span 25 feet.

For our 8-foot (2.4-meter) fence, we need a hole that's 3-feet (91.4-centimeters) deep and a 12-foot (3.7 meter) post [source: Rona].

The general rule is when setting a fence post into the ground, the height required above the ground should be divided by 3 and this figure is the hole depth required.

120 inches. Fence posts shall consist of one of the following for a fence over 6 1/2 feet to eight feet: four-inch by four- inch or four-inch by six-inch wood post, or 2 3/8-inch diameter steel pipe with a wall thickness of0.

QUIKRETE® Fast-Setting Concrete sets in 20 to 40 minutes. Wait 4 hours before applying heavy loads to the post, such as a basketball backboard. (If the temperature is below 72 degrees, additional time for curing will be required.)

Summary: How Many bags Of Concrete Per Fence Post? 1 – 4 bags of concrete per fence post are typically what's needed. This depends on the type of soil, fence design, height, post size and bag weight. In general the depth of the post's hole needs to be 1/3 to 1/2 of the above ground height of the post.

Installing fence posts: Measure twice, dig once

Typical spacing is right around 8 feet between each post however different circumstances may call for different measurements and it is not uncommon to have spacing between posts reach up to 10 feet.

At least 2 bags per fence post, sometimes more depending on the size of the hole and the post.

If you live in a residential area, your backyard fence can be no higher than 6 feet tall, and your front yard fence must be under 4 feet. The shorter front yard fence restrictions are for the safety of drivers as well as neighborhood kids and pets.