Fencing Help

[chi6488]

Ok, so I am new to all this farming and property owning stuff.

I plan to do some fencing work. 3 board fencing.

Do I use round or square posts? I prefer square posts b/c they are easier to nail baords to.

What size auger bit should I get? I plan to get the 3 point auger attachment at TSC but don't want to buy the wrong size auger bit and have to buy a second one.

I think I will use 4x4 posts if square and round 6" posts.

I see this black stuff on the fencing also. What brand or type should I buy?

 

[Smallplot]

You can use either square or round posts but have you thought of the half rounds?

As far as what size auger to get that will all depend on what size post you will be using. I would suggest getting a auger 6 inches larger (minimum) in diameter than your post for several reasons. The larger the better.

* One, The larger hole you make the easier it is to "fine tune" the post before you set it.
* Two, The larger the hole, the less precise you have to be when you initially locate and drill it.
* Three, The larger hole will allow you access while tamping the dirt around the post while back filling the hole giving you a solid and sturdy post set.
* Four, Make sure you dig deep enough to get below the frost line.


Sorry don't know what the "black stuff" is you are talking about.

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

Measure a 4" post on the diagonal and then measure a 6" round, pretty much the same same. Get a 6" auger and if the round posts are a little snug just use the loader to press them in, better a little tight than too loose. Ramming dirt around posts is no fun. When I was a kid we had some sixteen miles of pasture fence that was all hand bored with a post hole auger and then rammed with the flat end of a crowbar so believe me when I say ramming dirt around posts is NO fun.

David

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

You can use either square or round posts but have you thought of the half rounds?

As far as what size auger to get that will all depend on what size post you will be using. I would suggest getting a auger 6 inches larger (minimum) in diameter than your post for several reasons. The larger the better.

* One, The larger hole you make the easier it is to "fine tune" the post before you set it.
* Two, The larger the hole, the less precise you have to be when you initially locate and drill it.
* Three, The larger hole will allow you access while tamping the dirt around the post while back filling the hole giving you a solid and sturdy post set.
* Four, Make sure you dig deep enough to get below the frost line.


Sorry don't know what the "black stuff" is you are talking about.

Sorry but I have NEVER heard of anyone putting fence post down to the frost line. Now I don't know where the OP lives But where I live the frost line is around eight and a half feet and would make for some pretty interesting fencing not to mention where one would get twelve foot fence posts.

David

 

[KYDan]

How many feet of fence are you planning on building? Do you have any further uses for the PHD & auger? Where are you located and what type of soil do you have? If it is not a lot of fence it might be more cost effective to hire it done. If you have heavy clay soil and significant rainfall per year a 4" post will decay quickly even if treated.

 

[billybobjimmyjoejack]

Either square or round is more of a personal preference if you are using the same size. The 6" round is a larger post than a 4" X 4" post even if the square post is rough and not nominal sized. Both posts have advantages, square is easier to nail to and is more readily available, round would be easier to line-up. A 9" auger bit seems to be the most common for 3pt. PHD it works well for a square post up to 6" X 6" with a little extra hand digging if needed and it will work well with the round posts. Hand tamping is part of wood post fence building unless you have a post driver. Here is a website that has tools and materials you might need and they have some good videos that might help also. Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies

 

[wixthedog]

I would suggest round posts, for some reason they last longer. I don't know why but I have seen several examples of this happening. A 9" auger will do you just fine and allow you to true your fence a little easier. All of my line posts are 6" and I have done a million of them with a 9" auger bit. Buy a San Angelo bar to tamp with, it will be your best friend and most hated foe by the end of the day!

More than likely the black stuff you are seeing is either creosite or post tar. You can buy a gallon, or 5 gallon, pail of the post tar at TSC. It is supposed to be applied to the part of the post that is in the ground to form a water barrier. It is also applied to the tops to keep water from rotting the post from the top. I don't use the stuff and have not seen where I needed to unless it would be a post in a creek bed. I always top my posts even with an angke to aid in watershed anyhow.

 

[BeezFun]

I'd get or rent a post pounder. I bought a PHD and it's a lot of work to drill a hole, especially if you hit rocks or clay. My neighbor has a pounder that I've used, it can pound in a 6x6 post in about 15 seconds.

 

[Smallplot]

Sorry but I have NEVER heard of anyone putting fence post down to the frost line. Now I don't know where the OP lives But where I live the frost line is around eight and a half feet and would make for some pretty interesting fencing not to mention where one would get twelve foot fence posts.

David

Well I don't know where he OP Lives either but If your frost line is 8 and a half feet deep, you must not have very much time to tan in the summer or build fence

The reason I said this is simple and I shall explain. Guessing it is more of a decorative piece that also offers functionality. Going below the frost line and having about 6 inches of rock under the post will allow moisture to drain away from the post allowing longer post life. Another benefit of the post being below the frost line is the posts will remain more stable. They will not move as much with the freeze and thaw causing all them straight nice looking lines to turn into crooked looking fence as quick.

As far as 12 foot fence posts, you can get them anywhere around where I live. I think I read somewhere the average frost line depth being between 4 to 5 feet in the US. We always used 12 footers for end posts and packed them in concrete 5 to 6 feet deep, just saying.

 

[whistlepig]

Ok, so I am new to all this farming and property owning stuff.

I plan to do some fencing work. 3 board fencing.

Do I use round or square posts? I prefer square posts b/c they are easier to nail baords to.

What size auger bit should I get? I plan to get the 3 point auger attachment at TSC but don't want to buy the wrong size auger bit and have to buy a second one.

I think I will use 4x4 posts if square and round 6" posts.

I see this black stuff on the fencing also. What brand or type should I buy?

Round posts are easier to line up and nail to but square posts are prettier.

I have never heard of a 6" round post. Round line posts are 4" and round corner posts are 7".

In my experience a 9" auger works best for 4"x4" square poles and 4" round poles. For 7" round corner poles I use a 12" auger.

Its better to go with pressure treated boards than the black stuff. Pressure treated boards are easier to find sealant for if you want to re-treat the wood later.