installing fence posts in New Jersey
unTreatedwood
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I have to put in about 24 ft of wood fencing this weekend for my wife. I remember watching one of the guys on TV put in a mailbox and he put gravel and backfill to bury the post(s). I moved here from a warmer climate where I didn’t have to worry too much about freeze lines. But I do here.
In reviewing the archives, I found an animated discussion about using pre-mixed concrete, dry concrete and someone from the South used just gravel and dirt. What is the prevailing approach for putting in fence posts in this part of the world? Any ideas out there? ( BTW, I will be sinking treated posts and boxing them in with 1X to match posts on my front steps).
Big Bob
Replies
>> ... in this part of the world?
I'm sure sombody will have an opinion on this, and probably somebody will have a technique that is supposed to be good anywhere. But if it's a regional thing, we need to know what part of the world you're in.
Dunc
I'm going to take a wild guess and say he's from New Jersey
whatcha think?
It's not the habitat, it's the inhabitants.
Won't you be my neighbor
Edited 8/30/2002 1:15:10 PM ET by Barry E
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say he's from New Jersey"
I had that nagging feeling, too, but am not sure why................(-:
Military intelligence is a contradiction in terms.
Doh. And the really embarassing thing is I should know better than that. I saw a guy get handed a ration of sh*t just last week for not reading the title of a thread.
<Hangs head in shame. Tries to slip away inconspicuously without giving the appearance of fleeing.>
Heck, don't wander off. We ALL get picked on once in a while. And we're all human.
(Except for that one guy..................)
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak lit a fire in the bottom of their kayak to keep warm. It sank, proving once and for all that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
Oh, THE title. That's where I saw it. 8-)
Here I was thinking that Boss and I had that sixth sense thing going
Come on back, Dunc. We can't all be perfect
hmmm, now back to that fence post problem....
It's not the habitat, it's the inhabitants.
Won't you be my neighbor
Hire a union crew... they'll get it done right.
Yes, I live in New Jersey. I was hoping someone had some opinions about the post installation.... (love the kayak joke, btw!).
Big Bob
Big Bob:
Regarding installing the posts: if you live in New Jersey, be sure to align the holes in the post so that the "good side" faces New York.
Regards,
Rework
rework,
Duly noted. Will do.
Big Bob
Big Bob--
appreciate your sense of humor. Also read the previous thread about setting fence posts, and decided not to jump in, as my favorite method differed from the majority: Dig hole 6-8" deeper than post bottom height, fill to bottom height with 3/4" washed stone or peastone; place post; add about another 4" of stone; then fill rest with gravel, wetting and tamping every four inches or so. Set about 300' of picket about 5 years back and its held pretty well in lousy draining soil (clay).
Regards,
Rework
Rework,
That's what I remember them doing on TV, now that you mention the method. Very different than what I had always heard. That's why I asked the question. I've taken out so many posts that have rotted just below the surface, the drainage issue made sense to me.
Now getting back to the regional thing, frost line in Mich where I grew up was 42", I think. NJ is not as cold, so 6-8" deeper would be....??
thanks.
big bob
Big Bob:
Sorry for the delay in responding, especially if the project is still slated for this weekend. Tried without success to find a frost depth graphic (NOAA et al); but do know that the climate bands (judging from the precipitation/temp maps I've seen) along the eastern coast are quite broad, and would still ballpark you as at least getting three feet. Wasn't dismissing concrete, as long as: concrete top slopes away from post; wood shingles placed around post for top 4-6" inches or so of the concrete, removed after concrete starts to set and gaps filled with tar; and the post extends below the concrete (into stone), so that the post is not enclosed in a "water-catching concrete cup". Never tried setting fence posts below the frost line, only because followed the old "one third in, two thirds out" rule, and pre-drilled post holes either limited the depth I could go (i.e.: picket), or the overall length would be getting unwieldy, and was digging in hardpan. For your dimensions of 24 feet, seems like you want to do it right and get below it...My wife suggests I mention that our fencing adventure almost turned into a domestic fence wars, and that she wishes you and yours well. I want to mention the 12 foot farm gate we ended up with. My fondest memory is buying enough pressure treated to build two of the "farm gates" that we spotted on either side of the entrance road to a subdivision. Tried beforehand to convince her that the scale would be a bit off in two were placed within 50' of our typical New England farmhouse. After building and installing the first of the pair, I found she finally overcame her "visualization issue"...
Regards,
Rework
Rework,
Thanks for the extra effort to locate frost specs. Probably accounts for the trouble I'm having getting the answer. I went 36" and followed most of what you said. (I'm reading it after they are all in!) Won't be bearing too much load... only wind will be a factor. Thanks again.
All faced toward NY, by the way;)
Big Bob
Why dig holes? HD sells a large steel spike box you attach to the post and drive into the ground. Damn quick to install. As for life, 25 years ago I install, with girl friends help, 110 feet of 6' high fence and its still standing solid. The method we used. 1 use large hammer to install metal to the post. 2, use post level and string to line up post and "bump" into the ground with large hammer ( standing on top of step ladder) 3 Attach fence panel and then install next fence post using panel as a guide inconjuction with the post level. cut post tops to height. I'm in mid-NJ too. Look at this BBC link for details. http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/design/projects/fencing/fence/fence3.shtml