One of the Most SOLID Post Installation Videos I've Seen

Today we're reacting to another fence video! This is very straight forward: How to Install a Fence Post! We're going to watch this video and critique it where necessary and compliment it where it's deserved. You know the drill; watch, enjoy, and let me know what y'all think in the comments below!

I'm Joe Everest, The Fence Expert. On this channel, I'm going to teach you everything there is to know about fences. We're going to show you how to build a fence, everything about fence posts, different fence installation methods and much, much more. If you're wanting to become a fence builder, or if you're just trying to build a DIY fence, my channel will help you out. So subscribe and ring the bell icon, that way you don't miss any of my fence videos!

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[jimfoley]

I'm a retired wooden boatbuilder of 45 yrs, boxed heart timbers and post are always the most stable when it comes to warping and twisting.

[stanleywiggins]

I'm a 63 year young Aussie old fart, a Jack of all trades and master of none.. personally I'd put the concert level to soil & sloped away from the post, after coating the bottom of the post with creasote or old diesel oil.. minimum of 2 coats.. suppose that is just me..

[TitoTellsTheTruth]

“You can never check the plumb of a post to many times” you are absolutely right on that

[anthonymiller]

We have torn out many old wood fences and replaced them with post master fences but after doing this a while we found it makes no difference. The post will rot where the concrete starts weather its at grade or below. Gravel on the bottom only helps if water can escape from the inside of the footing. Over time the post shrinks, creates a gap between then post and footing. Basically acts as a funnel. Also in areas with heavy frost it is best to leave the footing 6" to a foot below grade as the frozen dirt will help keep the footing from lilting. Love what you do Joe with breaking down these videos. Opens up for some great discussion.

[dannylindsey]

27 years ago I built about 400 feet of 6 ft tall full privacy fence. That's about 50 posts. I set them 2 feet deep and dry poured an eighty lb bag of concrete mix for each post. For posts I used 4 in landscape timbers. Caught them on sale for a dollar each at home depot. Just last year I had to replace about 8 of those posts because one had weakened enough that a strong wind broke the others on each side. Same thing happened with another section this year. The point is that after 27 years there was very little rot even in those cheap landscape timbers. The biggest problem was the wind. 6 ft privacy fence catches a lot of wind. Almost all the remaining posts are leaning 6 to 8 inches. Not broken or crooked. Just leaning. I set the new posts 30 inches deep and filled the holes to the top with wet mixed concrete this time hoping that will help.

[bevbossio]

Back in the day we used to put 1 incn gravel stone on the bottom of the post before the concrete pour to keep the post from making dirt contact and to help with water drainage.So you are right a paver or stone cannot hurt.Great video👍

[annettesurfer]

The frost line in Michigan is 42” and when I installed 300’ of 6’ tall treated privacy fence about 10 years ago, I set the 10’ 4x4’s into 48” holes, on top of gravel I tossed in, and I didn’t use any concrete at all. I packed in something called “county-mix”, which is a gravel mixed with fines (stone dust) which ended up settling quite a lot but after multiple minor fills...it sort of hardened like concrete.

I don’t recall what I paid to have the county-mix delivered but just last week I had to widen the driveway approach about a foot so I bought two 32 gallon garbage cans full of the county-mix for less than $20 but the problem was the weight since a yard of it weighs 3200 Lbs. Anyway the point of the mix was to keep microbe laden dirt away from the wood posts. And with concrete, I’ve experienced post shrinkage over time, which then allows the wood to get wet.

Everything is still perfect, except for the huge carpenter bees boring under the rails and the somewhat protected areas of the posts covered by the pickets. I just started spraying the hovering male guard bees with Sevin attached to a garden hose, which drives ‘em away for a couple hours so I can poison the holes before the guard is either replaced or they’ve recovered. Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

[tonyvolbeda]

okay concrete hand mixed....most people mix it entirely to wet...the "strength issue" isn't an issue in setting posts, the concrete isn't
under a compressive load like a foundation or driveway slab...it is taking the place of other back fill material such as aggregate...the real issue; wet mix is going to take longer to set thus longer to hold the post securely....it is easy to do 120lbs to 180lbs hand mix in a wheel barrow and with a round shovel (electric barrel mixers mix to wet and aren't easier; you still have to lift bags of concrete, need a wheelbarrow and will have another tool to clean...put in about 2 gallons of water first, pour in first bag concrete (60lbs) and mix; it will be very soupy...add second bag and mix will start to become stiffer add about another 1/2 gallon water...mix until no dry cement visible....add another 1/2 gallon water and mix then add third bag....begin mixing and slowly add water, mixing throughly until you achieve about a 5" slump (mix will retain shape in shovel)... (once you're used to this, it takes about 10 mins to do)... with post in hole at proper location and plumb (use string lines and tape measure, always measure from start/corner post) shovel cement around post equally, "rod" concrete, tap post just above concrete to get "cream" to set around post... finish top so it slopes away from post... the stiff concrete will hold the post plumb and set enough in 2 hours to allow constructing fence...if you want to keep bottom of post off the dirt; after the first couple shovels raise the post up and down a few times the concrete will flow under it

[kylephillips]

The heart of the tree comment is valid. As a carpenter in hand picking lumber the position of the heart and end grain of each board is vital. Yellow Pine especially has a tendency to bow or twist therefore the heart is the most stable part of the tree.

[minato]

I worked at one fence company and we pre mixed the concrete in a bucket then poured the wet mix into the hole. Then was offered more money at a different company and they poured a bit of water in the hole then dry concrete then more water on the top. Then take an 1/2” steel pipe and stab it into the concrete so it would help the water get all through the concrete. Add water if needed.
I like the 2nd way because the post is set right away. No 24 hour wait.
Like joe said to each their own!

[serotonin]

Joe, Excellent problem-solving discussion format. You got my brain cells working. Succeeded today in my 1st ever pole installed. Plumbed, leveled, and cemented hole at 36" deep. Problems overcome 1st due to some big water drainage concerns, I thought it best preparation to 1st treat the new 4x4 pole with a little mineral oil mix and follow-up with 1 coat 36" of asphalt roofing tar. 2nda placed a stone to keep the pole above the water built up at the bottom tip of the 4x4. If I may add a little lesson learned that prevented Mother Nature from getting mad at me and drowning a gate post. 1st problem that almost kicked my ass was I observed the natural slope of the ground drained water right towards the gate post hole. Hence, I appreciated your researched suggestion that others were using to raise the pole above the water. The stone left me with 30" vice 36". So far appears to support a 6' gate with ease.

[Beholderoffate]

His right about the heart, I've been in the sawmill busy for over a decade and I'm classified as an expert in my field.

[BOCraftsman]

Hey Joe! Thank you for the fantastic video reaction! It meant a lot to hear from an expert your take on my technique. I love this so much, I decided to put together my own reaction video to your reaction! Look for it next week! Thanks again.

[cpyimitatin]

This had gotta be one of the weirdest genres on YouTube 😂 a guy watching a guy dig a hole and "react" to it.. just wow.

[michaelstein]

we've all shaved several holes in our days. great vid brother. i learn something new every time

[ThriftyToolShed]

I really like this video style. Joe really knows his stuff, doesn't mind sharing his expertise and he is very open minded about others techniques. A lot to like about this!

[CVMGAM]

I took my time, and used a shovel to get started, then water and a crow bar afterwards. Did as much as I can before it becomes difficult, then filled up the holes with water & cut through about 1/2 a foot of dirt like butter with a crow bar the next day. Repeat until you have your holes dug out in 3-5 days.

[ephorntube]

For any outdoor post set in concrete, I like the the top layer of cement to slope away from the post to drain away from post and keep wood drier.

[patrickoneill]

Whether or not finished concrete above or below grade, it only takes a second to “dome” concrete so it slopes away from wood post, and most likely, will help prevent rot. To what extent I don’t know, but for a few seconds of time, why not?? Promote good practice. (Same thing we do with engineered rebar piers when we do more than one pour).

[michaelstlouis]

What I found to be the best is crushed rock, bottom and around no rot