Concrete Fence Post Conundrum

[MisterFish]

Hi

I am about to put in a close boarded fence on one side of my garden. I am going to use recessed concrete fence posts, cant rails and feather edge boards.

I bought the fence posts from my local fencing supplier. I got 8’3” posts that have three recesses. I chose those because the fence on the other side of the garden had three recesses.

When I went back for the cant rails I noticed that both the 8’3” post and the 7’3” post have three recesses. Given that I can only measure the parts of the posts on the other side of the garden that are above ground I have no way of knowing whether they are indeed 8’3” posts.

So my question is this:

What should the finished height of my new fence be? Or to put it another way how much of the 8’3” post should be sunk into the ground?

The fencing supplier supplies feather edge boards in 1.8m (like the other side fence and 2.4m sizes, either of which would be fine for my new fence.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

Fish

 

[r896neo]

Your not really allowed a fence in a back garden higher than 6'6'' without planning permission so finished your fence whatever height you like. Probably best to keep it the same as the other side. As for the post into the ground, frankley the more the better. a 6ft fence for example with 8 foot posts i would want a good 18 inches into the ground.

 

[big-all]

8ft posts are for 6ft panels 7ft are for 5 ft panels

 

[MisterFish]

Hi again

Your not really allowed a fence in a back garden higher than 6'6'' without planning permission

The fence is between my garden and my neighbours garden. He has already built a wall between our two patios and the front ends of our gardens, which, at it's highest is 12' high. So I suspect that he would not be in the best position to complain even if he wanted to, (which I don't think he does).

In addition the bottom of the garden borders a private footpath adjoining some local authority housing stock. When they, (the council), recently replaced that fence they did so with a 1.8m fence topped with a .5m trellis (about 7'6" in total), so I guess that they would have some trouble withholding any permissions for a consensual fence from us jointly.

for example with 8 foot posts i would want a good 18 inches into the ground.

So if I understand you correctly:

8'3" - 18" = 6'9" above ground
6'9" is marginally over 2m
therefore it is going to need a 2.4m board to hide the posts.

The alternative is to have more of the post in the ground and would mean that, to bring the post below the level of a 1.8m board, around 2'6" of the post in the ground - that sounds like stupidly hard work to me.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Fish

 

[big-all]

you place the posts accordingly 6.6ft [6" gravel board 6ft post] so top off post 6ft5"-6ft7" above ground level

 

[MisterFish]

8ft posts are for 6ft panels 7ft are for 5 ft panels

and

you place the posts accordingly 6.6ft [6" gravel board 6ft post] so top off post 6ft5"-6ft7" above ground level

Thanks for this, but as I explained a couple of times the fence is going to be built with Recessed Posts, Cant Rails and Featheredged Boards , and not with H posts that work with gravel boards and fence panels.

So unless I have completely misunderstood you, fencing panels and gravel boards form no part of my thinking or the solution to my problem.

See what I mean?

Cheers
Fish

 

[r896neo]

My reference to 18inchs in the ground is a guide on good construction rather than any specific about your fence. Depending on how high you want it and how you are going to construct it you can simply cut the bottom of the post to match your desired height.

 

[MisterFish]

Thanks r896neo.

Cutting the ends off. Hmmm. Hadn't thought of that. How dumb am I?

I'll think it through again, but you think that an 8'3" post will be suitably stable with 18" underground if I decide to go with the full uncut length.

Would you concrete them in or just tamp the earth down around the posts real hard?

Chhers
Fish

 

[r896neo]

yea it will be fine. definately concrete in it though! Good post holes are narrow, deep and don't taper out at the top.