Can You Stop Fence Posts From Rotting?

There are a lot of things that people do to stop fence posts from rotting. Do they work?

[samuelbonacorsi]

I removed southern yellow pine posts that I can confirm were in the ground for 55 years. The posts were part of a pig pen and soaked in diesel/motor oil ahead of installation. The posts were in such good shape I reused them as line posts in a row of Concord grapes. I reinstalled upside down, thinking I was being clever. After 5 years the first post rotted through at ground level.

[Mrcaffinebean]

The crowning thing is there mostly to prevent the inverse, concave top. A top that holds water will certainly rot and fast. If you don’t intentionally crown it’s pretty likely you have done the opposite.

Additionally the concrete isn’t there to prevent rot. It’s there to add weight to the bottom of the fence and make it less like to tip.

I don’t know about the fence armor stuff. I agree it’s too new but it makes some intuitive sense.

I think her main point in mentioning the other options was not as a suggestion but just to showcase how much easier the fence armor is. It’s a commercial so take it for what it’s worth.

[mertz]

We were replacing an old wooden fence the homeowner says was there when he bought the house 3 years ago. It looked like the typical rotted grey wood fence. When we were removing the fence, the posts were surprisingly solid. Whoever installed this fence put post savers on them and every wood post we pulled out was not rotted. Idk who built it, but they did a very good job as the wood posts were clearly very old, but still pretty solid.

[HaroldRutila]

This is so funny. I was reading the PostMaster instructions yesterday, and even they suggest crowning the concrete surrounding their galvanized metal posts. I don't think that's really going to do anything. I am building a 245 foot pine fence with PostMaster posts, thanks to your guys' instructional videos. Thanks for all the tips you have provided!

[Temuba]

In your area, not putting concrete with wood post maybe be a norm. 40 years of carpentry has taught me that there are different specs for different parts of the country. Not all products and practices are compatible with all regions. I recently removed a 35 year old fence to install new vinyl privacy fence, pressure treated post down 36" plus 2" gravel in concrete (domed above grade) in the northeast. Every single post that had accumulated soil over the top of the concrete for the past 35 years rotted at the base. The ones that the concrete was still above grade were still intact and solid. Had to use heavy machinery to pull them out. And yes, the gravel for the most part was not saturated with surrounding soil and bottom of post not rotted either.

Depending on soil conditions and region, we need the concrete to keep the post from heaving upward during the freeze thaw cycles we have. In addition, to keep the fence post secure from lateral movement. Eventually, most woods will rot. It's the precautions taken to extend the life span of the product, not shorten it.

The only instance I don't recommend wood in concrete are for deck structural posts. Decades ago it was the cheap and quick norm. Homeowners afterwards would landscape around the post and they would rot. Now we pour concrete and use steel anchor post base to prevent that.

Either way, great content. However, consideration for the different regions in the country need to be thought of in your professional opinions in videos. Thank you.

[AlMartins]

Good morning, Mark. I just saw this video yesterday; excellent work.

Regarding the Fence Armor Rot Barrier sleeves (Postsaver) you mentioned, they've conducted thorough testing and have had posts using this method since 1994. Two versions are available: a 20-year version, as shown in your video, and a 40-year version. Unlike other rot protection methods, these come with a warranty of 20 and 40 years.

I also agree with your comments about using gravel at the bottom of the post. It could be beneficial if the porosity of the soil is higher than that of the gravel, although this isn’t typically the case.

[douglasgarcia]

I didn't see anybody ask. I was wondering about putting tar on the post before installing it. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question. I've seen this done before.

[bryanhauschild]

I would dig a hole just 2” bigger than the post and would back fill with P rock. This was in black high organic matter soil, with heavy clay sub soil. Tamp it in and I had a real solid post. I won’t know long term effects because I have moved. I assume water and dirt will not accumulate at ground level. What do you think?

[Asgro]

The moisture in concrete does not seem to be enough to rot post alone.
Excess moisture getting in-between the post and concrete causes the rot in my opinion.
If you can get your concrete to the top, i believe crowning it is very fruitful

[jtoo]

What’s longer lasting Redwood posts or pressure treated pine posts . Fence location is in soil

[kenbrown]

How do you guys handle the harsh winters in Wyoming ? Do you work right thru the winter or call it quits when it gets too bad and lay crews off? We are in MA and the winters are so much slower than other seasons due to weather and hard to keep my 50 employees busy. Keep up the good work

[wildandliving]

Well old fence 15 years in soil all rotten out changed it to cement put some on the bottom then put around it trowled a slight angle its been 20 years still solid. We did paint the posts on the bottom and sides before it went into the hole and painted above the ground. A simply layer of paint has kept it good for years. When im doing a fence im going to dig a hole use rebar in a T shape dump cement into the hole then add a sono tube to the surface then put in a 4x4 anchor then i can just bolt a new post on if needed. It will be solid as they do the samething for houses we sloped water away slightly so it wont pool agianst the post

[RitzWood]

I have some treated 8x8 posts I’m using for a 16’ tube gate. Will tamping the dirt be fine for hanging this gate? 30” is my frost line so I planned on digging 36”. I assume I dig the same depth regardless of using concrete or not. Bought concrete but now I’m skeptical on using it if I don’t get at least 10 years out of it. Thanks

[gregmize]

i'M GLAD YOU CALLED OUT APRIL'S VID. A LOT OF HER VIDS ARE FRUSTRATING AT LEAST TO ME BECAUSE THEY'RE PRESENTED IN SUCH A WAY WHERE SHE SEEMS TO BE AN EXPERT...WHEN ALL THEY REALLY ARE, ESPECIALLY LATELY ARE COMMERCIALS FOR "INSERT PRODUCT SPONSOR HERE".

[johncarnettie]

My fence has been standing for 44 years. I used roof tar

[rusosure]

Hey Mark, does your Florida website have a place to order items like donuts & plates?
I only see that on the Wyoming site.

[JakeCroz]

Grew up on a farm in Idaho and we always just put posts straight into the soil. I didn’t even realize people used concrete with wood posts till I started researching privacy fences. Only issue we ever had when any of the posts I planted in 30 years was a tractor driving through them. They honestly rot at the top before the bottom snaps off

[Mr.C-Mister]

Live in Texas and built my own fence. I have ti say the treated wood with concrete hasn't given signs of rotting. I dug about 2.5 ft with those handy post hole diggers and filled it up half way with concrete. There is a hole that I left unfilled and grass has taken it over on top. I pulled out all the grass to reveal the post and everything is OK. Thank God. I'm wondering since the water can just flow away and no puddle form I guess. Not to sure. But it's working.

[woodman]

What are your thoughts on charring wood and then putting it in concrete? The reason I ask is because I live in a place that’s full of clay soil and a lot of rain. Six months or more of the year. And everybody wants concrete on their posts here, so I’m always looking for ideas because they want wood as well.

[OneWildTurkey]

I used cement to make it easier to use my weedeater. I wrapped the posts with butyl tape and then galvanized roll flashing - again - to protect from that big gas powered termite. 4 inches above and down to the bottom of the posts. I used the 4 to 5 inch diameter, 8 ft peeler cores when I put the fence in the ground in 1998 for our horse pastures. Last year when I took the fence down, there was only one post that didn't make it. That was almost 25 years. Of course, that's not a scientific test, just my experience.