Difficult fence post foundation questions (clear images)

[SteveHall30]

I'm having trouble working out out how to secure my fence posts in the ground. There is a 45cm high wall that I'm putting a 1.5m fence over the top of. It should look like this when finished.

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• SteveHall30
• 9 Mar 2014
• 1

Where I'm having trouble is securing the 100mm x 100mm fence posts, they need to be quite close to the wall. The wall has a foundation pad, which I've already removed where the fence posts need to go, the cut-out is flush with the wall and about 75mm extra each side of the post.
The underground view will be like this.

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• SteveHall30
• 9 Mar 2014
• 1

Now, here is the problem, how should I fix the posts in the ground? Some ideas I've had have problems.

Solution 1: Pour a bunch of postcrete / concrete all around the post
Problem: In 5 odd years when the fence post rots how am I going to replace it, I can't just dig it out and pull it out because it will be next to the wall.

Solution 2: Bolt the post to the wall.
Problem: Overgound will just snap the wall when the wind blows, underground will be very tricky to get the drill angle and stainless anchors are very expensive.

Solution 3: Secure a metpost anchor in cement, so the fence post is bolted in.
Problem: Despite what the company says, I don't trust them to hold a fence secure, but I could be wrong?


I'd be interested to hear anyone's input on this. I understand some of my 'problems' may not be well founded, but if you have any experience either way I'd like to hear it.

Thanks.

 

[Newboy]

use concrete fence posts!

 

[footprints]

Concrete spurs set back from the wall to allow post to sit in correct position will last 70 years or more if the post rots just bolt a new one on, with coach bolts if both sides accessible or coach screws and washers if not

 

[SteveHall30]

Concrete posts have been vetoed by the missus as they make the place look too Soviet , but I like the idea of concrete spurs, as they'll only be about 90cm high, and I can stick shrub or something in front of them.

 

[JohnD]

you can also paint concrete with dark brown masonry paint to make it blend in with the fencing, if a similar colour.


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[SteveHall30]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've decided to go with the shorter stub posts, and then plant a shrub or something in front.
Should end up looking a bit like this.

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• SteveHall30
• 31 Mar 2014
• 1

Had another couple of tweaks to the design, raised the height of the wall somewhat, added some piers as well to strengthen the taller wall.

 

[Ouch77]

I'd spin the post/stub arrangement through 90 degrees if I were you, you've currently got a wooden post sandwich with stub on one side and brick on the other - a bit of a challenge to do up the coach-bolts.

If the wall isn't built yet, why not put piers adjacent to the posts, and secure the post to the piers?

 

[SteveHall30]

I did consider rotating the stub, but they're not designed to be loaded sideways, which may not be a problem, but I didn't want it cemented in right next to the wall and later find there is a problem with loading it sideways, this way I can have plenty of room to concrete in the post without bonding to the wall foundations, so if it ever needs to come out I can just dig and pull it out with the engine crane.

I wanted to keep the fence and wall separate, the wind loading can be pretty high in this location, and seeing the wood will have a little bit of flex, I don't want to exert any load on the wall. Using cant rails rather than aris rails means I can keep the wooden post a little back from the wall and solves a lot of the problems. The last wall most likely fell down because the wall and fence were connected, and the wall only rated for it's own height.
I'll put up some photos when it's built and things will probably make more sense