MICHELLE H. wrote:
Just a quick question about installing fence posts. We would like to
have a 6 foot high, Cedar wooden stockade fence installed in our yard.
My question is, when putting in the fence posts for the wooden fence,
do the fence posts HAVE to be set in concrete? I know that most fence
companies do set the fence posts in concrete, about 2-3 feet below the
frost line.


I have read many mixed reviews about setting posts in concrete,
because when the posts rot out, it is a backbreaking effort to
replace them because you have to dig out and lift up the heavy
concrete.


I have read, as well as heard from people, that it's actually better
to put the posts in a couple inches of 1 and 1/2 inch crushed rock or
gravel.


So, do you have to have the posts put in concrete, or can we opt. to
go with the crushed rock or gravel?



Here's a much better way. Use metal, galvanized, 2" posts set in concrete.
Bolt the cedar 4x4s to the metal posts.

I live backed up to a 200' wide power line property. The folks on my side of
the easement all have metal posts. The people on the other side all had
wooden posts (why, I don't know).

When hurricane Yikes came through here three years ago EVERY SINGLE fence
with wooden posts came down. Not a one on our side was damaged.

Now if the fence with metal posts needs to be replaced, unbolt the uprights
and install new ones. If in the completely unusual case of having to remove
the posts themselves, the posts are relatively easy to pluck out of the
ground using a chain and a bumper jack.