Building Fence in the Texas Hill Country

[Tim Tucker]

Need advice from you fencing experts....building a fence around our travel trailer on some property in Burnet, Texas. Using cedar post at corners and gates, T post in between. Using 48 inch field wire with a single strand of barb wire on top. Gates will be small entry type gates, not heavy. Longest run is 65 foot. I'm thinking if I take 7 inch cedar post on the corners, and set them 3 foot deep I shouldn't need to set H braces. Seems like with 3 foot of the post in the ground that would be sufficient for a 65 foot run. Am I wrong? Would much rather pay for one post in the corner, not the 5 it would take to make an H brace. But don't want to have to redo it in a year or two.

Has been suggested to not use concrete, but tamp in the rock and stuff from the hole and that will be sufficient. Will probably get equal number of opinions on that.

Thought please, thanks in advance,

 

[dave1949]

Not a fence expert, but I've never had any luck with un-braced corner posts. Seems like the fence sags and gets to wandering eventually. Maybe if you used a good-sized log ..

 

[forgeblast]

What about those corner kits tractor supply has for making tposts into corner posts. Wedge-Loc™ Corner/InLine Brace Set - 3609675 | Tractor Supply Company There is a you tube video showing how to use them also.

 

[ustmd]

Howdy Neighbor,

We are east of you and on the Blackland Prairie, which means clay. If we do not use H bracing at the corners, the poles shift (they even do shift some with h bracing). I also use concrete.

Out there in Dripping Springs, rumor has it you need to blast to get a hole 3 feet deep? 3 feet should be deep enough. If you have a significant amount of rock in the soil, I would go with concrete in the holes and no H braces

 

[Bird]

I'm sure no expert, but I have built a few fences, and in my opinion, it would be a bad mistake to not use corner bracing of some kind. I'd say the H braces would be first choice but there are other acceptable methods.

 

[BeezFun]

Not sure about ground conditions there, but I've had really bad luck with many cedar posts rotting right at ground line and would not use them again. Conditions are well drained and our soil is like gravel, so I think it's just hard to get good cedar these days. I'm told you can buy something to treat the cedar if you really like the look but I'd just go with treated posts and box them above ground if you care how they look.

As far as corner bracing, you're not putting up a material that really stretches and maintains tension, so you sure don't need much. If you don't care about looks, I've used Tposts pounded in at a 45deg angle on the corners, that has worked fine but looks hillbilly. Also kind of kludgy attaching them to the wooden post.

You didn't say what you're trying to keep in or out, but it must be critters if it's only 48" tall. I've used both field wire and single tension wires, you might think about running 4 or 5 strands of single tension wire. That would require more muscle on the corner posts. You can also electrify it easily if you're keeping animals. I wouldn't mix barbed wire with electric if you go that way, too dangerous for critters.

 

[Western]

I'll throw my :2cents: in. Use "H" braces, (as mentioned) if you want durability. I use cement, some don't. I like to use something like asphalt sealer on the portion going into the ground (found at Lowes or Home depot) for wood. If I use concrete, you need to slope the cement up the the post slightly ( or away) as to drain water away, you don't want water sitting at the ground level on wood or metal post.

Another common choice depending on budget and availability in our area are RR ties, nicely pre-treated and stout if you pick the good ones. It can be as simple as 3 RR ties a treated 4x4 and cross wires. That will last a long time. Better than the treated stuff at the lumber yard IMHO.

You more than likely will want to stretch the fence some, if for no reason than a better looking job and you will definitely want the corner strong enough to stretch the barb wire. Stretching the fence will give it a bit of "spring" if it is hit by an animal.

That is the way I'd approach it if it where mine and I wanted it to last a spell. (using wood that is)

 

[Gary Fowler]

H bracing or if you can get a tee post in the ground on 45 angle as suggested with the TSC tha would likely work for your net wire fence if you dont pull it too tight. I used one of the t post on my chain link corner post after I pulled a section too tight and bent the steel post. I used my Kubota RTV and winch to pull the post back straight and drove in a Tee post on 45 angle vertically and 45 angle between the corner then set some self tapping screws in the metal post. Didnt look too good but its behind an old cherry tree stump anyway.

 

[RxRatedZ71]

I used telephone poles cut to length and the 5" diam timbers from TSC for my h braces and corner posts. The poles are typically already treated and typically kept at scrap piles at you local electric company. Check at times storms or disasters have come through.