Replacing large rotted gate post

[TonyMacdonald]

I have an 8 inch square timber gate post which has rotted at the base where it protrudes from the concrete it is bedded in and is gradually falling meaning the the five bar gate whic is hung on it is fouling the block paved drive more and more.

I have been putting off taking action as I am 78 years old, cannot afford to get someone in to do it and do not fancy spending the rest of my life chipping away at an 18 inch square, two feet deep concrete block that I am sure the post is embedded in. I don't believe that they make 8" square Metposts and I would welcome any ideas anyone may have about the easiest way to extract the two feet of timber that will remain in the concrete when the top part of the post breaks off.

I had the idea of trying to remove the remains of the post so that I could embed the new post in the existing hole in the concrete, but that means getting all the wood out. I considered drilling say a 1" hole as far as I could down the middle of the post when I had broken it off to ground level and then packing the hole with barbecue lighters and lighting fluid - do you reckon it would be possible to burn the 2 foot section of post out of the concrete.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Tony from Poole

 

[Burnerman]

I don't think theres an easy way out of this one, Tony - but that rotten wood has got to come out. I don't think burning it away would work - there just isn't enough air down there.
I'd be inclined to use an extended wood bit with a power drill and remove what you can that way - although it would take a while until the timber starts to break up.
You could see if a new post would fit snugly into the hole, but luck is rarely on our side to this extent....ideally the concrete should be renewed too.
Presumably there's nothing nearby to attach the existing post to, for a temporary repair? Failing that, you could use a good samaritan, I guess.
John

 

[merlin50]

you could attach blocks of wood to the side of the post and jack it out

 

[foxhole]

If it's rotten it will crumble away and be easy to remove.

 

[TicklyT]

If it's rotten it will crumble away and be easy to remove.

Trouble is fence and gateposts only ever seem to rot at ground level. The bits above and below ground level stay pretty much in one piece, but with nothing joining them together

The part in the ground will probably be too wet to burn, even in the middle of summer.

There's no guarantee a new post will be the same size as the old one, even if the nominal dimensions are the same. it will either rattle about, or not fit at all, so the concrete will probably have to come out.

Driving some pieces of angle iron into the ground at each corner of the post and securely fixing them to the sides, and putting a jockey wheel on the free end of the gate to take the weight may delay the inevitable for a while, but it won't look very pretty.

 

[SteNova]

you could attach blocks of wood to the side of the post and jack it out

i did that, drilled a hole though it, used an old car driveshaft, 2 trolley jacks on wood next to the post and jacked, the post was pulled out of the concrete

 

[TonyMacdonald]

Many thanks to Burnerman, Merlin 50, Fochole, Tickly T and SteNova.

I realise that the stump of the post would be unlikely to burn, also, as someone else pointed out, the wood inside the concrete would be unlikely to be crumbly; the angle iron solution may well work but I have a problem of access to the post, next doors drive curves round close to it and I couldn't put the angle iron next to the post as it wouldn't penetrate the concrete and I wouldn't have the clearance to hit the top of it to drive it in between the wood and the concrete. Jacking the post out may well work - particularly as I have a very large galvanised hinge pin going right through the post - but I had disounted that as an option as I thought that the post would simply break off where it is rotten. I have a trolley jack so, as soon as the gate will no longer open, I will try that one and post the results.

Alternatively, I have an 850 watt Bosch drill - does anyone think that this would be capable of driving a 2 foot long 1" auger bit and drilling out the post bit by bit?

Many thanks again to everybody.

Tony

 

[Burnerman]

Definitely try jacking the post up gently, using the galvanised crook as a fulcrum..you've nothing to really lose!
I think your drill is a little on the small size but if you drill carefully and frequently lift the drill out so it can clear it should come to no harm.
We wish you well, Tony, and if I make 78 I hope I'd be able to give jobs like this a go!
John

 

[TonyMacdonald]

Further to my earlier entries, I have decided that jacking the post off will probably not work as it is so rotted at ground level that it will inevitably break off, I can push a pointed trowel right into it!

I remember a pal of mine who was into wood carving had a gizmo that fitted on to a 4" angle grinder and literally chewed up wood. Does anyone know what that might be called as I could probably get a 4" grinder down the 8" hole.

Regards, Tony

 

[Burnerman]

I've seen a cutting wheel for angle grinders that was effectively like a chainsaw on a disc....probably one of the most dangerous things in the world!
Remember, you won't get two hands down the hole....I'd definitely give that one a miss.
I personally would still try to jack it out, and if that failed, go for a long drill bit to remove it bit by bit.
John

 

[TonyMacdonald]

Just a post to let you know that the new post is in and all is fine
Jacking the old one out wasn't successful and the old post shattered just above ground level. In retrospect it would have been better to saw it off as close to the ground as possible as then there would have been a nice level surface to drill down into. As it was the shattered end of the post made it very difficult to stat drilling. However perseverence, and a borrowed set of really sharp wood boring bits and an extension rod finally won the day and all of the old post was removed. I then planed the new post down a bit with a power planer until there appeared to be around 1-2mm clearance.
The worrying bit was putting the new post into the hole in the concrete but, luckily all went well and it now appears extremeny solid.
Had some dramas with the wood boring bits coming off the extension whilst firmly embedded in the wood, but drilling around it with smaller bits finally got it out (several times!).
A worrying job, but it got done - thanks to everyone for the advice.
Tony

 

[Burnerman]

Nice one Tony - well done and thanks for the update
John

 

[Mickymoody]

Nice one Tony, I was going to suggest that a tree surgeon might do to remove a stump, as I know someone in a similar situation to yourself, rotted fencepost. I only caught the latter of the programme, so a tree expert might have an idea what to do, but don't know what it is, unless I follow your procedure.

If I was in your locale, at your grand age, then I would have freely given up my time to help. Great that you embrace technology that wasn't even a twinkle in the eye, when you were young.

 

[dhutch]

Nice one Tony - well done and thanks for the update
John

Yes, a great end to the story.


Daniel