Setting wood fence posts

[20 20]

I agree with "don't use concrete" it will cause more issues IMO. I'd find a good source of locust and just pound them in the ground. When you have them set place a rock on a couple, when the rock finally erodes away then it will be time to change the post.

 

[sixdogs]

When we lived in Maine with very acid--low PH--soil, our (Northern White)cedar posts would rot out after 7 years, Here in Ohio, they would last 50 years.
The problem is they would rot at ground level, apparently where moisture combined with oxygen can do their thing. Below grade I was OK.

In solving this, I noticed the older telephone poles in the area had tar paper wrapped around the post at ground level and it did reduce the rot. Old timers confirmed that concept to me.
So I first wrapped a couple posts--at ground level--- in tar paper but it proved cumberson so I graduated to plastic and even put some posts in garbage bags before I planted in the hole.
Ten years later, I still had posts so I'd say it worked.

 

[RichZ]

Like others have said, the rotting is probably a function of the species of wood you use for the fence posts. Here in upstate New York, I use either locust or cedar. I've never heard of locust posts rotting around here, some can be 50 years old or more. I don't think you can go wrong with locust. I've had good luck with cedar as well. The only trouble with the locust is that it's so hard it can be hard to drive scews or pound nails into it, but the stuff never rots. I never put any posts in concrete. I don't think the concrete really helps it from heaving due to frost and it defintely speeds up rotting.

 

[Pete Judd]

We have old growth western red cedar posts around here in the wet PNW that are over a hundred years old. But I stress that these where split from large old growth. Hard to find that anymore. Most people now just use the steel posts, and I think that they look like ****, but will keep the stock in. I have had good luck with pressure treated 4x4's set in concrete but I taper the top of the pour above the ground to let the rain run away from the post. I also trim the tops at slight slant to let the rain run off. I doesn't take much. We have a shallow frost line, so only sink them 2 feet down, and get 90 inches of rain a year. I have some that I did this way 20 plus years ago, and they still look great.

Good luck.

 

[upinsmoke53020]

Instead of using sand or concrete, I use pea-stone. Seems to work much better than anything that "packs" because it constantly moves around to fill the gaps between post and ground. Pack sand in the hole and the post can still come loose. BTW I'm only a few hours south of you, very similar climate.

 

[Kyle241]

Up our way, I put white cedar posts directly into the ground, no cement. They last quite a while (going on over 12yrs+ a couple houses ago. I use my BH to dig and need it too with all the rocks around here.

 

[barkerlakebob]

My experience is to use treated fence posts ( sharpened of course)......drive into undisturbed earth.....here ( Manitoba Canada ) we have Red River gumbo...........they seem to last quite a while.........frost does not bother them.

The last ones I put in I used my BL70 ......stabilizers set and just down force on the front bucket puts them in quite nicely. They go in nice and strait.....premarked for depth........

good luck ..............:thumbsup: