David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message news
David WE Roberts wrote:
I need to dig and fill holes for 12 concrete fence posts - slotted
ones to take fence panels.

General guidance is they should be 2' deep.
Homebase 'how to' brochure suggests 1' * 1' by 2' hole for a 4"
post. This seems generally O.K. apart from the issue that if the
concrete post is on the boundary then the concrete filling will go
4" into the neighbouring garden. Please tell me if I am barking up
the wrong tree.

Whoa there!

Far too complicated. 12 posts, do yourself a big favour & invest
£20 in one of these
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Post-Hole-Digger/invt/501584 sell it on
FleaBay afterwards or hire it out to neighbours. Nice neat round hole
about 8" diameter x however deep - I'd agree on
2'. I bag of Postcrete/Postfix per post generally, if the hole goes a bit
bigger due to lumps of rock, roots then 1.5 bags per post.

Couple of tips. Never assume fence panels are actually 1.8m wide -
they vary +/- as much as 3/4". Concrete fence posts are 'kin heavy,
get them in the right place first time - you need a helper.

O.K. - round holes are probably easier than square ones and I am
already eyeing up a couple of similar hole diggers.

Well worth the money.

I am a bit concerned about the amount of concrete around the post -
the soil here is quite sandy and I want this fence to be rock solid
and to last for 50 years+ (working from the fence at our previous
house which was still going strong in the concrete post department
after over 20 years, with just the occasional fence panel
replacement).

Are you using concrete gravel boards?

One of the concrete posts for our existing fence (bolt through, not
slotted) is leaning over but it seems to have 4" of concrete on one
side only. This suggests that 2" of concrete all round might do
better. Question is, would 3" or 4" be even better or just overkill?
Perhaps 9" or 10" diameter holes?

Needs to go al round. Nothing wrong with bigger holes, you can do that with
the post hole digger.

I think I will have to go for regular 1.8m spacing as I need to be
able to replace fence panels as required - I think I will have to
select the panels to fit, or if not possible then pad narrow ones out
with an extra strip of wood.

No, what I'm saying is don't space the post at exactly 1.8m. If you space
at exactly 1.8 & have a 1.82 panel its a problem. Measure all the panels &
space for the widest one, you can then pad any narrow ones. Oh - and never
assume a panel is square.


Postfix is £3.99 a bag this Friday and Saturday at HomeBase if you
'bulk buy' 4 or more bags (just read the 15% off flyer) so I may go
for that.

Good price that.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk