On Fri, 31 Oct 2014 20:34:42 +0000, Tim Watts
wrote:

On 31/10/14 17:47, MM wrote:
For a couple of years the back fence (8 ft high) has been getting
increasingly wobbly in the wind, as one of the fence posts is loose in
the ground and allows the fence to move in the wind. The post may
either have rotted, or maybe just the movement caused by the wind was
enough to loosen it more and more.

So I'm going to get a new, treated fence post on Saturday (from e.g.
Baytree or Andrews) and will place it near the loose post.

I plan to dig the hole for the new post using my grubber, spade,
garden fork and whatever else that comes in handy. (I also have a
crowbar.)

I won't have much room to work, because, of course, the posts are
tight up against the fence.

Now, putting the new post in: Would it be best to prop it up so that
is properly vertical, then fill around the base with concrete?

Or should I just fill the hole with the earth I removed and tamp it
down?

And how deep should the post be inserted into the ground? These are
very sturdy posts (10cm x 10cm). None of the others shows any sign of
becoming loose; just this one particular one.

MM


I had my fence replaced professionally.

The technique they used (with concrete posts, but same with wood) was:

Dig hole, as tight as possible with a post shovel (long and thin).

Drop post in and position.

Fill with *damp* (not wet) concrete mix. It should be only just damp.

Ram damp mix down whilst holding post vertical and in place.

When you've rammed it the post will stand by itself, which it will not
do if the concrete is wet.

Lots of good suggestions in this thread. I now need to do some more
thinking, plus looking at those Metpost type thingies.

One question right now: What on earth is a post shovel? (I can
probably Google it, though...!)

Thanks all.

MM