Does size really matter? (for fence posts)

[ustmd]

So I am getting ready to put in about 300 ft of field fencing on edge of part of my property. The fence is mainly to keep any nuisance animals (loose cows, stray dogs, etc) from wandering onto my property and to keep my dogs from going onto the neighbor's. In my planning, I realized I was defaulting to use 5" treated posts for the end H-braces. Is there any reason for this size? Would a 3" or 4" posts work just as well?

 

[MH8675309]

The bigger and stouter the posts - the better and longer the fence will last. Even treated posts rot with time and it stands to reason that a smaller post will rot out sooner than a larger one. We run barb wire and the preferred post for a corner is 9 feet of an old utility post sunk in almost five feet - it holds the ground better and can take the stress of the fence since its big. Also I don't think you can find new treated posts that will last as good as old utility posts. No doubt the old posts are bad for the environment or some silly thing,,,

 

[bigtiller]

Most old fence lines around here, the line posts are 5" and the corners are 8". I have never seen a 3" corner post but you have to do what your pocketbook will allow.

If there will be any cattle near the fence, you need a fence stronger than what a 3-4" corner post can provide,,,, in central Iowa. In Texas, things may be different.

 

[DT86]

Are you talking about the vertical posts that make up the brace or the horizontal posts that make up the brace ?

Either way you're only going to save about $3 per post.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I use at least 6in post in the H brace(bigger is better or do 3) then drive a 6ft t-post down beside the post and wire it to the wood one and concrete. I use the HD 6.5ft t-post(3 steps apart 9' or so) and at least a 5in.line post(every say 8 or 10 Ts whatever comes out even if you wont). Then I run a bottom barbed wire(keeps the diggers from pushing the field fence up),then one right at top of field fence so can wire field fence to it (this keeps the deer from jumping in between and sagging your field fence) then a top wire. Hope this helps

 

[thirdroc17]

Bigger the diameter, the more area exposed to the surrounding ground to give lateral support. Bigger will always hold more, it's a question of how much lateral stress you're dealing with. That's why end and corner posts tend to be bigger, they are subject to higher lateral stresses.

What do you mean by field fencing? Barbed wire? Woven wire? Panel fencing? Something else? Different kinds of fencing exerts different forces to be held in check.

An angle brace at the end and corner posts will provide more support than a straight, top to top, brace will, however, the angled brace will need to be a smidgen longer.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Woven wire and field fence same

 

[Mace Canute]

So I am getting ready to put in about 300 ft of field fencing on edge of part of my property. The fence is mainly to keep any nuisance animals (loose cows, stray dogs, etc) from wandering onto my property and to keep my dogs from going onto the neighbor's. In my planning, I realized I was defaulting to use 5" treated posts for the end H-braces. Is there any reason for this size? Would a 3" or 4" posts work just as well?

Back when I was on the farm we used 3" - 4" posts for line posts but always used 5" - 6" posts minimum for the end post structures and this was on just a three wire barb wire fence that was strictly for cattle.

Considering the difference in effort to install larger posts right off the get-go versus the effort to replace them if they start to come over it just doesn't seem worthwhile to not go for the larger posts right away not to mention the smaller posts would be marginal at best for end posts. The difference in dollar cost is absolutely negligible when compared to the total job cost.