How to Set a Fence Post WITHOUT CONCRETE?! - Fence Pro Reacts

Today we're looking at a pretty hot take when it comes to setting fence posts. We're reacting to a no concrete fence post install. The video claims that this post is stronger and will last LONGER - we'll see if that's true or not. Let's dig into it!

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[sawhorse]

Set up a split rail fence 48 years ago with no concrete, just dirt from the hole. Used a 2x4 to pack it. The frost line in Upstate NY is 4'. It has been deeper. Post were not set below the frost line. Weather in this neck of the woods goes from one extreme to the other. No pressure treated lumber back then. Up until recently fence remained intact and looked nearly as good as the day I put it in. Speeding vehicle took it out a couple weeks ago.

[dansanger]

In the rainy Pacific Northwest with lots of clay soil I use just plain gravel, sometimes topped with a couple inches of concrete sloping away from the post. Full concrete tends to hold the water in all winter long, rotting the post.

[PaulThomas-qovy]

My dad moved to a S. TEXAS 31 acre hobby ranch/farm in 1972 after I finished 1st grade. Soil was mainly sand with a small % of darker soils (called sandy loam), but 95% sand. Dad would exclusively use fragrent cedar/juniper for posts (almost none straight) to depth of 3.0 feet deep & 4.0 feet deep for corners & pull points for tension wire fencing & just tamp the sand back in with a 1"×3" wood stick, 1/3rd depth, then 2/3rd depth, etc. until filled. Never rigid until rain settled the sand later. Dad discovered a tamping method that immediately made the post vibrate like a cartoon post that the wild coyote ran into. The method: Cracked #2 grade rock (leftover from new septic system drain lines.) Metal bar tamper, 2.5 inch × 3/8" thick round plate welded 1 end & other end 1.25" hex. Bar weight approx. 20 lbs. Dig hole to above stated depth, place & align post, pour the rocks surrounding the post to the bottom 1/3rd, metal tamp with 2.5" wide end, flip the tamper to small end & tamp hard! More rocks to 2/3rd, metal tamp w/large end, then small end. Fill rocks to ground level (g.l.) double tamp final time. Rocks settle slightly below g.l.. cover rocks with sand. Conclusion: cracked, angular rocks are wedges that dig into the post & ground, locking the post instantly, No waiting for stuff to dry. Rounded "river" rocks do Not work well! The heavy metal tamper with wide & narrow ends is the other key ingredient. Hope this is helpful to someone. Paul from S. Central Tx..

[singesinge]

My dad installed 400 feet of fence 36 years ago, dirt and gravel compacted... still holding. Quebec, Canada.

[michaeldrew]

I watched my dad build a fence in VA 40 years ago without concrete - just tamping. The posts never fell down after 40 years of rain, snow, heat, and wind. Always amazed that everyone assumes you need concrete.

[raccoonkid]

My father has been installing fence for 42 years. We have never used cement for wood posts unless the customer requests it (we never recommend it). It will rot the post from the bottom up. We just tamp the soil down will a bar. Simple as. I've replaced stockade fence from 26 years ago that is still standing well from my fathers work. (long island)

[dortemadsen]

Our neighbor told us to avoid concrete for the fence because in his 40+ years of being a home owner he saw no benefits but absolutely hated when it was time to pull that concrete out. I am sure that the fact that we are in California where it doesn't rain much (at least not usually, right now is an exception) plays a role.

[tedberner]

I've set many posts in Pennsylvania clay soil, and have fixed old fencing for people, including a 400' run. 30 year posts definitely exist. In that 400' job I assessed each post, only 8 needed replacement. They were set in compacted small aggregate, rock chips interestingly enough. I set the replacements in dry pack.

I also developed a cheat, by the way. A way to straighten a tilted post without digging it out, or prying/pulling it, none of that lol in case someone was on an extreme budget.

I'm watching this video (great video btw) because I'm about to set several new posts in compacted New Jersey sandy soil. Drainage is excellent here, water table 11 feet down and it's not very unusual for posts to be set directly around here. BTW I'll be using a 6" post hole digger, 30" embedment and they'll form an arc in layout. It'll be a very strong install.

[auzziman]

😂 in Australia we don't have a frost depth...😂😂

[michaelstlouis]

What my grand dad use to use was crushed rock around pole, and pack it. We had to change a couple of gate poles that were about 80 years old. They were not rotted just wore out, the wood. I have been using this method for 30-40 years now.never had any rotted issues. Try it sometime

[JoshIngle-SuperDrummerJosh]

Looks like he's in Australia which is somewhat similar conditions to where I am (NZ), I'd say 15-20 years max lasting time (if it's out of wind), and by that point rot would get it first. This is a legit post setting style and was commonly done for fences, even house piles, where I am. But these days definitely use concrete and seal the post with paint/clear treatment/bitumen paint where it'll be in contact with ground to get the most life out of it. Costs more but you'll get more life out of it. He's not completely wrong but just won't last as long. As for the level, I say it's his tools so he can do what he wants with it lol

[atomicus]

Am I the only one who digs the holes wider towards the bottom?
I learned to do it this way to reduce the chance of it pushing upward due to frost and to help water absorbing into the soil run away from the post. I have never seen anybody ever suggest this in a video. When I lived up north, any old posts I pulled looked like cones of concrete on the bottom. Now, down south, I see cylinders of concrete... and I'm sure that's fine but I still tend to do wider bottoms when setting posts anyway just for the sake of extra strength during tropical storms.

[samlogosz]

I worked on my wife's cousins property maybe 18 years ago and built a small sections of fence down his driveway . well 18 years later he wanted a small concrete slab to keep his trashcan on. I removed a small sections of fence and the post was still in good shape after 18 years in the ground with gravel.

[shelbysieg]

I have both dirt and concrete set posts and they seem to fair about the same. I have seen concrete posts fail quick but the top of the crete was subsurface. I always try to bring the crete up about 1-1/2 above the surface slope it away from the post.

[Jruth]

I worked at a ranch back in the mid 80's. We set up hundreds of feet of fencing using round poles with no concrete. Most of that fence is still in existence to this day. It is in California with no frost line.

[teknn]

My level is a tamper hammer level and concrete bag opener and a helper beating stick


My area is built on an old river bed 2ft max before you hit boulders. Lots of people set their posts with gravel/clay tamped in really well

Many years standing strong

[sbuzz]

in florida i set posts in sandy soil. lasted 25 years- pt was better back then?it was very easy to remove old posts an put in new fence .new without cement lime rock around top.
i see alot of fence blown over and hard to straighten with concrete.

[wcl]

I live in S. California and have redwood fence on 2 sides of our property. What I've found works for me is to apply an asphalt based fence post paint from the base to about 1ft above the soil line. Posts I've installed with this method (in concrete) have lasted 10yrs+. Posts that were installed with no treatment in concrete lasted about 5yrs and had to be replaced.

[Caleb-hxcd]

Grew up on a farm with miles of fence for grazing cattle. Tamped in posts with the dirt from the hole. Anything else would been cost prohibitive. A lot of work, but the fences last decades.

[msk]

I have several 4”x4”x6’ posts set without cement for my 6’ high flat panel wood fence back 2000 in MA, posts are still doing well but fence panels rotted so replaced.