One of our readers asks about installing a new fence in their backyard. They are at the point of setting the posts and want to know how deep they should be and how much concrete to use when installing them.
When you are setting fence posts you only need to set the first one and any corner in concrete. The rest you can set in dirt but if you want to be nice when you are setting the height of all your posts you should throw a couple shovels of gravel in the bottom of non concrete holes to set the height of the post. This way the bottom of the post is sitting up a bit and won’t be sitting in water.
The Height of any fence is dependent on the type of fence and your local regulations. If you live in a home owner association area you will also have to consult their rules on type and heights allowed.
For split rail fence with a post on each end and three rails between the posts will come 6 foot long and you want the fence 4 feet high so 2 feet will be the depth of your post and you should add another 3 inches for that gravel we mentioned.
For vinyl barricade fence that is 6 feet tall you need it a bit deeper so the posts won’t pull out in a high wind. Additionally you should use concrete every 3rd or 4th post in addition to the corners and gate opening posts.
When you pour concrete in you don’t mix it you pour it right from the bag and moisture in the soil will set it over the next few days… also if you leave the last three 3 inches of the hole for soil grass will grow around the post and it will look more natural
Setting posts can be a hard job depending on the size of your yard and the type of posts you are setting. If you have two people you can use a gas powered post hole digger and if you have a large area that you are fencing in like at a farm or very large property then you want to have the post holes dug with a farm tractor that has a post hole digger attachment. You can hire someone to do this after you mark your hole locations.
Final Note
The type of fence that you install should be one that will last you many many years. This is not something that you want to do more than once and repairs should be somewhat easy. Three rail fence is easy to install but it doesn’t provide privacy. Adding a wire backer to a three rail fence will keep out small pets from neighbors yards or keep your own ones in.