Round or square fence posts

quicksandfarmer · Jan 18, 2008

I'm going to be putting up some livestock fence in the spring, and for the corner posts I can get 6" round or 6x6 square for about the same price. I can think of advantages to each -- round fit better in a round hole, square are easier to fasten braces to, and so on -- but nothing that really tips the scales. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks.

weldingisfun · Jan 18, 2008

Go with the most cost effective. There are no advantages of one over the other. Good luck with your fence and remember the best thing about putting up a fence is getting to the last post.

radman1 · Jan 18, 2008

Round will certainly fit in the hole better and allow easier placement in the hole to one side or the other. Round is probably easier to tamp around. Square will require more work to align with wire later. Fence will tighten better and be easier to wrap around a round post. If the rest of the fence is round, I would stay with round. I vote round.

RonMar · Jan 18, 2008

With a round post, you don't have to align the faces of the post with the fenceline? But with fence materials costing what they do, go with whatever is least expensive as it adds up quickly...

hudr · Jan 18, 2008

Round.
My wife HAD to have square on her garden spot w/ picket fence panels. What a pain to get everything to line up and keep the posts square w/ the panels. Expecially when she threw in the offset/corner gate concept. Of course, she was asking this of a "t-post and pipe corner" fence guy.

riptides · Jan 19, 2008

Whatever you decide, don't go with half rounds. Flat on one side, rounded on the other.

-Mike Z.

biggerten · Jan 19, 2008

Go with the round posts, square augers are expensive.

IH3444 · Jan 19, 2008

The ones with the most, or highest amount of perservative in them. Check the label for amount of pressure treatment. Then look at a few ends to besure that the pressure treatment has penetrated deep to the center.

tallyho8 · Jan 19, 2008

IH3444 said:
The ones with the most, or highest amount of perservative in them. Check the label for amount of pressure treatment. Then look at a few ends to besure that the pressure treatment has penetrated deep to the center.

I don't think you can look at the ends to see how far the treatment has penetrated unless they were cut off after treatment which would make the treatment null and void.

deereguy · Jan 19, 2008

Look at the pressure trated rounds before you buy, if they have a stainless steel tag (about 1/2" dia- on one end) they will be warranteed for 30 years. Talk to the dealer that you are purchasing from concerning warranty, etc. Not sure if TSC and the like supply those or not!

RonMar · Jan 19, 2008

The only way to really tell how well the treatment penetrated is to cut the post in half, as it will wick along the endgrain quite a ways on either end. I have seen older treated posts where the core was powder, but the shell(where the treatment was) is mostly still viable. They still look OK, but you give them a good kick and they break fairly easilly.

That is probably the biggest reason I am looking at Concrete. Mine will be a pretty big fence job, and I don't want to have to do it again in 10-15 years... I have an old Cedar split rail fence across the front 600' that has been there for a very long time. About half the posts are rotted off at the ground, but they are big enough that they are still standing(just setting there) with the rail ends plugged into the holes thru them supporting them. Everything above ground is in solid condition, in fact, my plan is to re-use the rails in the new fence.

That would be a pretty brave move here in the northwest guaranteeing a non-cedar wood fencepost for 30 years.

"Square augers are expensive"... Now that is funny

mjarrels · Jan 19, 2008

Best post I ever had were telephone poles split in half... flat on one side and round on the other half... lets see.... hyd vs gears...tires? We can go on!

mark

Soundguy · Jan 24, 2008

For corner posts.. go with the big round.. square won't hurt you any.. just a tad bit of work depending on what you hang on it.

If putting up a board fence.. i've always used rounds.. but on my next one may go to half rounds.. or oblongs due to easier nailing matchup with board and post.. etc.

soundguy

riptides · Jan 24, 2008

Soundguy said:
If putting up a board fence.. i've always used rounds.. but on my next one may go to half rounds.. or oblongs due to easier nailing matchup with board and post.. etc.

soundguy

Man, them half-rounds kick my butt on line ups. My last batch varied greatly in size and threw my straight lines astray.

Less forgiving if you ask me.

But like you said, nailing is easier... if your spot on straight.

-Mike Z.

quicksandfarmer · Jan 24, 2008

Since no one has come up with good reasons not to, I think I'm going to go with round. That way, I only have to worry about putting them plumb and not how they're pointed. Also, I can roll them around rather than having to carry them. Plus they're more "rustic" looking.

Soundguy · Jan 24, 2008

riptides said:
Man, them half-rounds kick my butt on line ups. My last batch varied greatly in size and threw my straight lines astray.

Less forgiving if you ask me.

But like you said, nailing is easier... if your spot on straight.

-Mike Z.

I usually pull a string on my runs.. makes lining up posts much easier..

soundguy