Concrete Fence Posts

George Hincapie · 18 May 2015 at 11:52

Guys,

Have any of you used those concrete fence posts for your garden boundary?

We have wooden posts in ours and storms over the last few years have battered them, so I am considering removing them with something more substansial.

Can you recall what the post costs were?

TIA.

Schizo · 18 May 2015 at 11:53

I'm sure you can find the costs of the concrete posts on-line,they come in different heights as well.

Cosimo · 18 May 2015 at 12:03

It is the only way to go with fencing but also make sure that your panels stand on concrete gravel boards.

This should give you a price guide:

http://www.harrowfencing.com/pdf/Pricelist2014.pdf

ci_newman · 18 May 2015 at 12:18

As above, we've recently replaced all of our wooden posts for concrete too. It's the only viable long-term solution really.

kefkef · 18 May 2015 at 12:54

from memory, you also want to make sure your posts are 33% taller than your finished height, so a 6 foot finish needs 3 foot of post in the ground to be secure, so a 9 foot post.

With a bit of hard graft it's a fairly easy job to do, put up your boundary line and make sure you have a decent length spirit level.

FerretBoy · 18 May 2015 at 12:58

I like to use the concrete spurs. That way the wooden posts don't sit in the ground and rot.

Skiddley · 18 May 2015 at 16:41

Look a bit crap though don't they.

Isn't pressure treated timber good for 15yrs?

cheesyboy · 18 May 2015 at 16:43

Skiddley said:
Look a bit crap though don't they.

Isn't pressure treated timber good for 15yrs?

Agree they look crap, though their use suits some areas more than others.

I've got a ~15 year old fence supported with 3x5" posts which has stood well but is on its last legs.

George Hincapie · 19 May 2015 at 13:26

Thanks guys.

Mark M · 19 May 2015 at 14:36

Do you need to concrete fence posts in and if so what type of concrete do you need? Just curious as I have some to replace at some point in the next few years.

cheesyboy · 19 May 2015 at 16:45

Mark M said:
Do you need to concrete fence posts in and if so what type of concrete do you need? Just curious as I have some to replace at some point in the next few years.

"it depends"

A 6-foot fence would probably benefit from being concreted in, for stability. My 3x5" fence posts mentioned above are just dug in, but they're only supporting a 4' 2-bar fence, so don't really offer much wind resistance. They're dug in about 2 feet, though.

ci_newman · 19 May 2015 at 17:29

Mark M said:
Do you need to concrete fence posts in and if so what type of concrete do you need? Just curious as I have some to replace at some point in the next few years.

Normally yes, and most DIYers use postcrete.

Mark A · 19 May 2015 at 18:57

I'd just get some all-in ballast and cement as it works out much cheaper than postcrete.

blueboy2001 · 19 May 2015 at 19:08

I paid about £15 each for 9 foot posts last year from a local builders merchant. Fencing specialists were more expensive. The corner posts were the same price too when most places charge extra, and they delivered it all for free as well.

Postcrete is worth the money because you can just throw it in the hole, wet it and it goes off quickly. I think I paid about £2.50 a bag and used one bag per post. I added some extra ballast and cement to it to pad it out a bit where I'd dug the holes a bit too deep. Mixing concrete by hand is way too much hard work!

R.O.S.S.I · 19 May 2015 at 21:42

Just noticed that about 3-4 of the concrete posts at the bottom of my garden (which backs into a neighbours) are all cracking quite badly at all the way up! Not looking forward to trying to sort them out.

Might have a word with them opposite and see if they will go halves on new posts and some new panels as I was going to put in some 6ft'ers anyway as they are only low and we can see straight into each others living rooms from inside which is a bit weird!

Hank_Marvin · 21 May 2015 at 09:58

Concrete posts, gravel boards and a good quality panel (nice thick wood......

)

A hole borer makes for a tidy job, keeps the hole the right size, bag of postcrete and you're sorted.

R.O.S.S.I · 21 May 2015 at 14:06

Isn't a hole borer a bit OTT for DIY?

Or are they not as industrial as I think they are?

Mark M · 21 May 2015 at 14:51

R.O.S.S.I said:
Isn't a hole borer a bit OTT for DIY?

Or are they not as industrial as I think they are?

£11 - http://www.mpdirect.co.uk/p/9898/si...-drill-127mm?gclid=CJ3moaf90sUCFeLKtAodXRIAHQ

Not sure if its any good of course

R B Customs · 21 May 2015 at 15:36

FWIW I much prefer the look of concrete posts over wood. I've just ordered 6* 7'9" (that's the size you need for a 6 foot fence, not 9') posts and I'm paying £10 each.

R.O.S.S.I said:
Just noticed that about 3-4 of the concrete posts at the bottom of my garden (which backs into a neighbours) are all cracking quite badly at all the way up! Not looking forward to trying to sort them out.

Might have a word with them opposite and see if they will go halves on new posts and some new panels as I was going to put in some 6ft'ers anyway as they are only low and we can see straight into each others living rooms from inside which is a bit weird!

http://www.easyfenceltd.co.uk/products.html

These might solve both problems. right att he bottom of the page there's one sided covers to dress your side of the fence only, and the rest of the products are for extending / covering short concrete posts for putting higher panels in.
I tried to talk next door into these for our fence but they were too expensive.

Mark M said:
£11 - http://www.mpdirect.co.uk/p/9898/si...-drill-127mm?gclid=CJ3moaf90sUCFeLKtAodXRIAHQ

Not sure if its any good of course

127mm doesn't sound anywhere near big enough! my concrete posts are 130mmx 100mm

it might be okay to get started and then open it up with a drainer spade or something.

boxman2000 · 21 May 2015 at 17:04

We used Jackson's pressure treated fence posts which have a 25 year warranty (if installed correctly). Been up for 10 years and haven't changed yet (faded a bit but that's it).

Pretty solid too so can't see them changing too much in another 10 years.