Fence post installation - Pounding vs Auger/Cement

[NaturalSelection]

More fencing questions! I have read several older threads where folks really recommend fence post installation via pounding instead of auger/cement.

I’m thinking about field fence for the farm perimeter along the road and high tensile coated (Ramm) for the horse perimeter (riding lane between horse perimeter and road). Both field fence and high tensile coated will require wooden line posts.

My husband and I are avid DIY’ers and I think we could accomplish the auger/cement method with some effort. However, it sounds like I’d need to hire someone to pound the posts. What’s so much better about pounding than the auger/cement method? Do the posts last longer? Sturdier?

Thanks!
Katie.

[jawa]

You may be able to rent a post driver. My Dad had one and we used it to put up my fencing. We used cedar posts. He used his chain saw to put a point on the end of the post, set the point on the ground and the driver did all the hard work. We did lose a couple of posts to breakage due to rocks or hard ground. It didn’t take very long to get done.

I looked at someone else’s DYI project. They pounded 4x6 posts into the ground and then put up board fencing. IT WAS NOT PRETTY!! The posts were not square or plumb and the boards had a very wavy look. I think they measured however many inches from the ground for each post rather than running a string for board height.

So all that to say, yes you can do it yourself with a post driver, but it takes some experience.

Good Luck.

[Jumper_girl221]

shoot, Jawa I’m putting up board fence for the riding ring right now. Even auguring a hole, then setting the post, then using the escevator to push it down another foot or so (our main problem), using string and levels the damn things still aren’t level.

We did use the string method so the boards are level for the most part. Straight posts though shudder

It looks pretty from a distance…

Although the small ring is a BIT more crooked.

[Squirt]

I’ve done both, driving them in is the way to go. Preferably by a professional. Looks better, is sturdier, and will probably last longer than my other fence posts that I installed.

[jawa]

[QUOTE=Jumper_girl221;8086460]
shoot, Jawa I’m putting up board fence for the riding ring right now. Even auguring a hole, then setting the post, then using the escevator to push it down another foot or so (our main problem), using string and levels the damn things still aren’t level.

We did use the string method so the boards are level for the most part. Straight posts though shudder

It looks pretty from a distance…

Although the small ring is a BIT more crooked. [/QUOTE]

I helped a friend during a fence building party. One person augered the holes, a couple cleaned them out, another couple set the post with a jig, once several were set another couple ran a string line, once heights were set another couple measured and cut posts, and then finally another couple of folks put up boards. By doing this we put up 1600 linear feet of 3 board fencing.

Awesome Bon fire after! I was well feed and my thirst was quenched!

And because of the jig, the fence was square…a level made sure it was plumb.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=NaturalSelection;8086304]
More fencing questions! I have read several older threads where folks really recommend fence post installation via pounding instead of auger/cement.

I’m thinking about field fence for the farm perimeter along the road and high tensile coated (Ramm) for the horse perimeter (riding lane between horse perimeter and road). Both field fence and high tensile coated will require wooden line posts.

My husband and I are avid DIY’ers and I think we could accomplish the auger/cement method with some effort. However, it sounds like I’d need to hire someone to pound the posts. What’s so much better about pounding than the auger/cement method? Do the posts last longer? Sturdier?

Thanks!
Katie.[/QUOTE]

I would contract the post driving and string the lines yourself.

Once you see how they get the posts done, you won’t believe you compared DIY to it.

[2foals]

I would definitely contract a professional to drive the posts. Driving the posts does stress the top end of the post, but after you nail the boards on you will be sawing the top off anyway to make it level. It is best to drive posts when the ground is softer.

Using a PTO driven auger/tractor to dig the holes is really a tough job. As Jawa said, one person has to auger the holes, they have to be cleaned out, and then you have to set the posts and tamp the in and make sure they are level while you do that. It is tedious and back breaking work, and not worth putting yourself through considering that it is possible for a pro with a post-driver to do the same amount of work in a tiny fraction of the time.

I would not concrete in any more posts than you absolutely have to. By all means concrete your corner posts if you are stretching wire, but that’s it. Concreted posts are difficult to remove and once you do remove them you have a concrete lollipop that is hard to dispose of. Also, concreted posts cannot be re-used, whereas otherwise you can pull a post and turn it upside down and re-use it (remember the part that is in the ground won’t rot).

[Equibrit]

I have both driven and concreted posts (both done by pros). The only ones that have broken or been pushed over have been those that were concreted. If you live in a rocky area driving posts can be very frustrating. I would say that driving them properly is a job for a professional.

[Jumper_girl221]

I’ve never heard of a jig (other then the dance!) any pictures or descriptions? Google isn’t really pulling something up…

[Tom_King]

The new treated posts last about as long in concrete as if they weren’t treated. I’ve never seen anyone be able to pound posts in as straight a line as they can be set in holes to a string. Why not tamp dirt back in holes-I’m sure you have different dirt up there than we do?

[2foals]

There’s nothing wrong with tamping the dirt back in holes except that it is a heck of a lot of work so I was guessing that pouring concrete seems easier to our OP? But wood fenceposts (even the treated ones) don’t last forever, and repairing/replacing concreted posts is a big problem. IME driven posts give a straighter fence line, but that may vary by who does the work.

[goodhors]

I am with those who say get driven posts. We have them that are over 30 years old, still solid in the ground. No concrete use at all, fences have tensile wire, straight and tight. We did double brace the corners, which are a larger diameter post than line posts for strength anchoring wire.

I was totally amazed at how FAST those posts went in, because we had a LOT of ground to fence. Took longer to get the wire done, having to staple it to the posts.

Husband and I agreed this was some of the BEST money we spent, such a work saver! Probably good for the marriage too, digging and putting in post can be brutal on your “working relationship” when you are so tired. Would have taken us all summer to get done, with our full time jobs. Tamping posts by hand can also be really hard on your body, getting them solid in place. Watching the professionals do a couple whacks on posts, firmly sets post in place, move to the next post location was looking amazingly easy. Straight lines were perfect! Sure raised my standards on “good fencelines” expectations!!

My gates still do not sag or drag while hung on those pounded posts. Easy to open and shut.

I had another fence guy come a couple years ago, added a couple gates, bracing posts for them, changed one divider fence line that we had put up ourselves on T-posts, found and fixed all the broken posts (6 or so) I had hit with the brush hog learning to mow. They were in and out in less than a full day, leaving WONDERFUL gates in useful locations, new solid posts and fences behind.

I love my improvements, worth the cost to have work done so quick and well.

[NoSuchPerson]

I’ve put up a lot of fence over the years and am very much a DIY-er. However, I recently paid to have a bunch of cross-fences put up, mostly because I didn’t have time to do it myself, and I will NEVER put my own fence in again. It was worth every penny I spent (and then some) to have a professional crew come in and do the work.

On the pounded vs augered question, the perimeter fence around my property is pounded wood posts. The cross fencing and paddock fencing is hand-dug or augered holes, cement only in brace and gate posts. Both look great, but the posts that were pounded in are really solid. REALLY.

All other things being equal, I think I would go with pounded, but price would factor in to my choice. I didn’t pay for the perimeter fence, so I don’t know how much it cost, but if it was a lot more expensive, I’d probably do augered.

[jawa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jig_%28tool%29

We used the straightest 4x6 post that was 8’ long and screwed an 8" section of board fencing to both of the 6" faces of the post on either end.

The first post in the line is set. The “jig” was placed around the first post set and the second post was snugged up against the “jig”. This ensured that the posts were 8’ apart and the base of the post was supported. While the tampers added dirt and tamped, the person holding the post could check for plumb without worrying about the distance and the post being square being affected by any shimming being done during the tamping and plumbing process.

If you auger, another option that I have seen work well, although it adds an expense, is to fill the holes with rock dust. The rock dust taps tightly and allows water to drain away from the post to reduce rotting. (This is in place of concrete.) Another nice thing about using rock dust is that even though your post is tight it is easy to shift NESW and get it to lift out of the hole, and no lollipop effect.

[OTTBs]

How are posts “pounded?” Is there a special device for this, or do you take a front end loader and beat the post into the ground?

[jawa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFD2w06staY

Just one example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25v4RpCkkeM

and another.

[Jumper_girl221]

OTTBS - while you could use a loader bucket (maybe filled with sand for added weight), we’ve done a few with the mini excevator and straightness…not so much. You would really need the real machine.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=OTTBs;8088413]
How are posts “pounded?” Is there a special device for this, or do you take a front end loader and beat the post into the ground?[/QUOTE]

Hydraulic post drivers:

http://www.danuser.com/attachments/post-drivers

We have one of their hydraulic augers that bolts to the side of the bucket and will dig very, very well.
I would say is a good 20+ years old.

We are using it right now, putting up plenty of fences.

[BeeHoney]

I’m not sure those two videos do post pounding justice…I sure wouldn’t hire either of those guys to do my fence with that equipment. But, those videos are helpful to see the general idea.

I just want to add that I also agree with those who say to hire the fence building out–and choose a contractor who has built fence that you like and comes with a recommendation. There are a lot of hidden details to building a really excellent horse fence–like a contractor who will go back and double check that all the nails are pounded in fully at the end, a contractor who understands how to hang a gate, how wide it should be and where it should be located, etc.

[NaturalSelection]

Thank you!

I just wanted to thank all the folks who contribute to the COTH fence building wisdom. I really appreciate the advice and goodness knows, I need the help!

What about t-posts (with caps) vs wood line posts for high tensile coated wire and field fence?

The Centaur high tensile coated wire can be installed with t-posts. I understand that corner posts and gates would be heavy (6 - 8") wood posts. What are the advantages/disadvantages for t-posts vs wood line posts? Only cost and longevity of material?

I have seen field fence installed with wood line posts every ~24 - 30 ft with two t-posts in between. Is there any advantage to t-posts vs wood line posts with field fence? Seems like the wood line posts would offer better strength for stretching the field fence?

Thanks for indulging my curiosity!
Katie.