I’m installing 80′ of fence in my yard and have encountered a problem. Maybe someone out there can help out. The issue is that the last 2 fence posts in the line fall exactly on the roots of a very large tree. I’ve tried digging holes left, and right of the the proper post locations and cannot get deeper than 12 inches before hitting large roots.
I intend to cut the tree down so I am not concerned with injuring the roots. I’m thinking of driving rebar into the roots as deep as I can and then drilling the end of the posts and slipping post over the rebar that sticks out of the ground….this doesn’t “feel” like it will work.
Does anyone have suggestions on how to deal with this?
Replies
One solution would be to dig a hole bigger than needed (say 2'x2'). Then dig around exposing the root. After the root is exposed use a chain saw (or a reciprocating saw with a pruning blade) and cut the root on both sides of the hole, remove the portion of the root and continue to dig your hole. Good Luck
Rent or buy Demolition Hammer with a shovel attachment. It will slice through those roots like a hot knife through butter.
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Use an axe and chop them out. No big deal if you have a sharp axe.
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
Hire a tree stump removal guy. Here the going price is $40 for one, quantity discounts if multiple. Some use a machine that has a large spinning wheel with teeth like a trencher. It is hydraulic to move up down, in-out, side to side. it grinds the stump out of the ground but will do the same for your roots. you might check how deep the arm will swing down, but I've had 18" ground out and I wasn't looking to get the whole stump so he didn't just enough to backfill w/top.
remodeler
imho, Boris's suggestion is the way to go- you don't want to make the hole too large in diameter.
A fence I built a few years ago had a few (the last 4) that were more holes in wood than holes in dirt. I really sharpend the edge on my sharp shooter and would re-sharpen as needed, took about 2hrs per 9" x 30'' post hole to bore through the large diameter root(s).
The tree is no worse for wear 2 years later.Really like the idea posted using a demo hammer with a sharp shovel bit.sounds like a great idea to me, sounds like the way to go... wished i would have thought of it two years ago...live and learn