Concrete Fence Post Blogs

In our previous blog tip, we advised you whether you needed to concrete your fence posts. If after reading that post, you decided not to get the concrete out, we suggest that you read the following to find out how you can ensure that your non-concreted fence posts stay secure.

• First off, backfill the fence post hole with excavated soil;


• You should have a good length of wood (or similar) to use as a rammer;


• Ensure you dig the hole big enough to get the rammer all around, which will ensure the fence post gets right down to the bottom of the hole;


• Fill the hole very slowly, and stop at frequent intervals to ram the soil down firmly;


• Concentrate most on the bottom of the hole and the top of the hole;


• Try and get as much soil as possible back into the hole.

There you go, simple. Even if the latest budget hasn't been your 'Darling' and you can't afford the concrete. Rest assured, you can still erect a firm, secure fence post!

Luckily we are discussing fence posts, and not the Royal Mail's post or this blog would never of got written!

Back to fence posts, anyone can dig a fence post hole. It is easy but like most tasks you need the right tools.

Contractors use a long handled graft because it has the weight and the length to get into hard compacted soil, so that you do not need to kneel down. The next best thing to do (if you only have a few holes) is to use a garden border spade – the small ones with a blade approx 5-6" wide.

What does a good fence post hole look like?
It is about (2' 6" ) 750mm deep and about 250mm (10") square with straight sides. The size of a fence post will change slightly depending on post size.

How do I get the soil out?
If the hole is big enough (be careful not to make it too big), you will be able to get the soil out with the spade. If you have a lot of holes to dig. it is even easier with a double handled post hole digger, this is what contractors use.

What if the ground is stony or has concrete in it?
The answer is to use a 5' long crowbar or a power tool with a breaker attachment.

Top Tip:
How to dig out an old concrete fence post base:
Dig a hole in the soft soil immediately to one side of the concrete base to the full depth required. Once you have done this spit the concrete with a bar or breaker and lift the big chunks out. Don't make the same mistake a lot of people do, which is trying to break the concrete straight way. You will be rewarded by little chips of concrete and it will turn out to be a real marathon job.

Your home boundary needs to be defined to create privacy, improve security and to help shelter your garden from some of the elements. Garden fencing from AVS comes in a great selection of ready-made fence panels and timber and concrete posts.

Ready-made fence panels are a great addition to the DIY enthusiasts, however it takes more than sticking up a few posts and screwing a few panels! If you want your fence to last, as well as look good, it is a good idea to use concrete fence posts because they are much longer lasting than Timber posts.

All AVS fencing panels will fit into the slotted posts. Slotted concrete fence posts are great because if a fence panel gets damaged, you can lift it out and replace it with a new one without any hand tools!

Timber posts still have a 15 year life, and are visually more attractive. However, it is best to extend their life by concreting the timber posts! Who knows what weather we will have in the UK this Winter.