The Fastest and Easiest Way to Remove a Fence Post (that works every time)

In this video, you'll learn the best way to remove a fence post and the concrete footing. This is the fastest, easiest fence post removal method that works every time, with no expensive tools, and very little digging.

This will even work when the fence post has rotted off at the base.

The secret to pulling a fence post, even if it's in hard packed or rocky soil, is to use a hi-lift jack and a steel chain.

First, wrap the steel chain around the concrete footing. You may have to dig a few inches down, but not far.

Then, hook the chain to the high lift jack and start jacking it up. The post should easily pop right out of the ground, allowing you to repair or replace the broken post without having to spend all day digging.

I also cover a few other methods that you could use to remove a fence post that is set in concrete, and I talk about why I don't recommend those methods.

[TheBeligerentBum]

I had 4 rotted out fence post with concrete stuck in the ground. I spent hours trying to dig it out and then my wife found this video. Next day we went out and bought a $60 farm jack and some chain. I had all 4 post pulled in an hour and a half. It was 100% worth buying the jack and this video saved me a lot of pain. Thanks!

[TFCustomCarpentry.Cabbagetown]

NGL, I was expecting this video to be time waste, but in actuality it covered precisely and fully what I was after, thanks man!

[wannabelikegzus]

Just wanted to say thanks for this! I had to pull 21 4x4 posts today, and I was able to do it all in under two hours, by myself, because of this video (didn't have to dig anything, because the posts were still unrotted).

[gadget]

Works like a charm. I also pulled some metal posts and used vice grips to prevent the chain from slipping.

And now an associate at Tractor Supply knows what a farm jack is.

[haroldprice]

I can vouch for this video. Several years ago I bought that same heavy lifting jack expressly for that same exact purpose he demonstrating and it definitely does the job.

[Pizzamays]

Just removed 6 post so quickly thanks to this method (have a few more to go). It’s gonna save us a ton of money for the fence install. Thanks a ton!

[lgd]

I've seen a dozen of these videos, and yours was the clearest and best. Thank you.

[manninc]

Huge thanks for this video. Spent two hours trying to dig out two posts that were side by side before seeing this video. Quick trip to harbor freight and Farm and Fleet and boom out in like 30ish minutes.

[woodman]

This is how I was trained.
I’ve since moved on.
Now I use two jacks on both sides.
Use a hose to blast the water into the dirt (straight down) around the concrete to soften the soil. It acts like WD-40 for the concrete. Push the hose as deep as possible into the dirt. Let it soak more than a minute like that each time.
You can use one jack but it tends to snap posts. Two jacks (chains) can wrap the base of the wood post without having to wrap the concrete. Save yourself the digging.
If post snaps then dig around the now soft dirt around the concrete.
Use one jack for concrete as it’s hard to get two chains on them.

Alternatively if replacing a fenceline only pull the corner posts. The inline posts just cut them off and leave the concrete.
Don’t forget to call 811 first.

[dryerventcleans]

Perfect solution after digging for an hour I found this 5 minutes later it was out. Thank you so much

[judylaney]

My son and I just completed removing two posts using a high jack as in the video. We discovered several things.
1. The concrete around the post tends to crumble when the chain is tighten around it.
2. In order to reduce the jack from leaning toward the post, it’s best to have the chain pulled directly above where it’s attached to either the post or concrete.
3. It’s best to remove at least a foot of dirt from around the concrete.
4. It’s best to attach the chain to the post, even if you have to remove some concrete from around the post
5. Because the high jack doesn’t have a large base, it’s best if it can be attached on a larger base to better stabilize it.

[Bob_Adkins]

Too much work. Just duct tape a mailbox to it, and someone will knock the post down within 2 days.

[jkwo]

My case was the rotted and broken post. I used the chain as yours, a piece of 4X4 over the cement footing and the floor jack, instead of the farm jack. Ratcheting or hydraulic force, the same idea. Your video proves I was on the right track. Thanks.

[RubenFue]

2 minutes and 15 seconds in you got a subscriber lol. I have rarely seen someone go over other methods and give you the cons right off the bat. Love it! Great vid!

[smiles]

Thanks for taking the extra time to teach some other methods and the reason this method is the best. Great tutorial.

[gsm]

"A TON " of information, thanks. best one yet. &, no music . Nice.

[ab_ab_c]

Connect two 5 ft long 2x4s to the top of the jack post using a 6" bolt & nut to act as 2 legs of a tripod (your jack post serving as the 3rd leg of the tripod) & then your jack won't lean while lifting the post out of the ground.

Very good vid! Thanks for sharing!

[billchessell]

Watched this video three weeks ago. Finally got the jack and a couple of young men in line to do the lifting. They put aside 2 hours to help. Without knowing what they were doing, and taking instruction from me, the first post took perhaps 15 to 20 minutes to get out of the ground. After figuring it all out they had the second harder post out of the ground so fast I missed it. We got two Halco Master Posts in the ground and the concrete removed in an hour and 20 minutes. This including my not being ready to go when they arrived. This is the MOST HELPFUL video I have ever run across on YouTube. I now have a high lift jack for the four wheel drive, and I can say without a doubt it is the best money I have ever spent. Thank you!

[dougskroback]

Thank you for the information. I had an old fence that I was replacing. I had someone to offer to and clean up some brush that had grown up. Also clean up and haul away. He asked for $1, 000. After seeing your video I went down to the local farm store and bought the Jack ($100.00). It took my wife and I a day and a half to do it. Thanks

[amos]

Thanks! The ones I'd seen before used a wood jig drilled into a wood fence post but we have metal poles. This works so much better pulling with the chain on the cement directly!