One of this spring/summer/fall activities is replacing an old metal fence in our yard. The existing fence material was an old rusted woven thing with lots of vines and poison ivy on it. Got rid of this stuff, and am working on the posts now. Some of these are the rusty stake-type, and others are the more modern galvanized pipes. All of them are set in concrete and come out with some digging, except for two. These two are galvanized pipe and are set near an existing tree, and the roots have intertwined all around them, making digging almost impossible.
The posts are set well and aren’t budging at all. My choices for these two appear to be: 1) ignore them, 2) cut and chop until they come out, or 3) cut them off at the base. The tree is a neighbor’s and I really don’t want to damage it (although it’s not a great tree and is too close to both our houses), and cutting the posts at the base wouldn’t bother me except for figuring out how to do it. I’m matching a wood fence that went up last summer so keeping the posts and reusing them won’t work. And I hate to just leave them there and build around them.
Any suggestions or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated. You would be saving my two preschool sons from an expanding vocabulary of words I’d rather they not learn until much later in life.
Replies
Sometimes you can get the post out by rotating it. Use a big pipe wrench and an iron pipe extender to give you leverage. Rotating the fence post may break the suction. If you don't have one, come by and I'll loan you mine.
With tree roots you may need to break the concrete off the bottom before removing the post.
To cut the post, dig down how ever far you want, and use a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade.
Breaking the concrete might work. I had to use the sledgehammer on some of the others earlier (beating the posts back and forth to get them out). Have lots of old broken sidewalk to break out too . . . if the weather does as predicted this will be a good weekend to let out some aggression. I'll keep the offer of the pipe extender in mind if they're still not coming out, thanks. :)
how deep are the posts set? how much concrete (diameter of the "footer")? any chance you could dig down at least to the top of the concrete, then use a rotary hammer or sledge to break it up, then pull the post using an icicle hitch and a handyman jack? when you're pulling, it might help to flood the area around the post to soften the ground...
Frost grade is 3'-0" here, but the concrete only goes down about 2'-0". There's not much, maybe 6" - 8" diameter each, and then the posts continue for another foot or so below the concrete. Thought about flooding the soil earlier. Might try it this weekend and test the sledge theory as well. Not sure how an icicle hitch works, but I'm willing to try it . . .
If you can back a truck or tractor close to the post, rap a chain tight to the bottom of the post and find an old steel tire rim. Set the rim on edge and feed the chain over top and hook to the frame of truck or tractor. pull away and post will pull staight up! Works most of the time!
Good luck
the icicle hitch is designed to allow a lengthwise pull along a smooth surface, such as a flagpole, fencepost, etc. You can tie it around the shaft of an icepick, pull it toward the pointed end, and it won't slip off. If you want details on how to tie it, let me know, and I'll take a photo. Knots are a lot easier to show than to tell...
Rent an engine hoist. It'll take longer to assemble than pull the posts.
Troy Sprout
"Don't forget the screws"
There are a couple of options out there...
1. Cut off the posts at the base with a recip. saw and a metal cutting blade. Space the new fence holes to you dont have to worry about the old holes. If you cut them super close to the ground it will be very difficult to see the old posts with a new fence over them. Assuming the concrete is not visible... Done that one many many times.
2. Rent a skid steer and using the basket and a chain you can wrap the chain around the post pull it out with the bucket. Use caution with the "chain slippage".
3. Dig adjacent to the existing post and heave the post out. Be sure to use a form if you are going to use the same holes unless you want to spend $$$ on concrete.
4x4+chain
Its never too late to be up to date.
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Cut them off and forgetaboutit. Why work harder? Work smarter.
handyman jack and a chain should do as great job. not alot of expense.
Thanks to all. Will probably give it another shot and see if breaking them out might help. If not, cut 'em off. At least this gives me some more reasons for tool shopping.
I pull posts by drilling a 1/2" hole through the posts about 1ft above grade and use a HiBoy jack, 1/2" steel rod and chain. Works for Pipe and wood most times.
Not sure if you have major Mosquito problems in Ohio but if you cut them off I would fill the leftover pipe to keep it from holding water.
It's amazing how little water those buggers need to breed. LOL:)))
Here in the Dallas area we have problems with West Nile Virus.
Mike"The path we walk, is full of decisions. The direction we choose is the destiny of life." (mikro)
Very good ideas here. I personally have a steel "A" frame, over the small part of the "A" goes a winch cable and hooks on a piece of chain wrapped (there is a way to wrap chain so that it tightens and squeezes harder under tension) around the pole or 4X4 post. Pulls the post and concrete straight up and out. Of course, if you can cut the post and leave the roots there would be much less sweat around. Then when you remove the other concrete (with a rented jackhammer) you could always breakup the fence post concrete. I did see a guy with a chain and homemade swivelling "T" drop it down a fence post after compressing the dirt with a heavy solid rod. Worked like an electrical tape holder. The piece swivelled, caught the bottom of the post/concrete combo and he pulled it out with that. Tyr