garden fence posts dilemma/fence

[morphe]

I have been looking around at different options for fence posts.

1. 3 x 3 post with metpost

2. 4 x 4 post with metpost

3. 3 x 3 in concrete

4. 4 x 4 in concrete

4. recessed concrete post toughcast

5. H shape concrete post.


I want my fence at 4ft in height and was looking at these, I was thinking of spacing 3 metres apart, 2 rails and tacking on featheredge timber.

http://www.grangewoodfencing.com/mm...&Product_Code=RECESS02&Category_Code=05RECESS

any thoughts to confuse me even more

 

[Jackrae]

3 metres sounds rather far apart, 2 metres is the "normal"
as to longevity, the concrete H-posts will win hands down

 

[morphe]

the recessed concrete posts I have noticed that the cant rails are 3m in length, also my neighbour has 3m length rails on wood posts

 

[scbk]

A 3" post would do fine IMO, but a 4" post will last a bit longer. If you only need it to be 4' high you could just knock a normal pointed post into the ground!

Or set them in tamped earth, which will be as strong as, but last longer than concrete

 

[r896neo]

In the dirty south post centres are often 3m and this is reflected by the timber commonly available. They often then have a stub post in the middle of the arris rail to stop sagging.

In the north its 1800mm or 2m.

Don't know where the cut off is...

Personally i think 3m centres is a joke.

A 3'' posts has a cross section of 9'' sq/inches square

A 4'' inch post is nearly double that at 16'' sq/in

Or set them in tamped earth, which will be as strong as, but last longer than concrete

This guy is clearly derranged

 

[morphe]

looks like i will be going every 1.8m, had quotes on 25m for 4" posts, featheredge 1200mm and 3.6m rails £278

How big should the hole be, im assuming about 18"-24" deep using 1 bag of postcrete?
any opinions

 

[r896neo]

If the fence is 4 ft then use 6 foot posts and aim to bury 18''.

I'm afraid to say a hole that size will easily swallow 2 full bags of postcrete.

Use postcrete to fix your first and last post as it will be set hard in an hour or 2 allowing you to use these posts for your string line to set the rest.

For all the middle posts you can make up your own concrete or use postcrete if you have the dough.

 

[morphe]

just got back from selco

I had 6ft 7" posts 100mm x 100mm (cut to size)

I had 7" x 2" gravel boards 2.4m

I had 3" x 2" rails to attcah featheredge.

I had 4 bags of postcrte

pack of 4" galvanised nails

Few questions as I have seen different guys doing different things.

1. do i nail the gravel boards to the posts or do i get the fancy brackets and screw the boards to the posts.

2. do the gravel boards have to be straight? or do i follow the line of the garden.

3. according to poscrete bag 1 bag will do a 4" x 4 post , 8" wide and 30" deep.
I am only going 24" max for my 79" posts

 

[r896neo]

Gravel boards its up to you. Brackets are probably better.

As for the line if your on a slope you have to either step the fence in which case the boards will be level or slope the whole lot in which case they will follow the ground. Again its personal choice as to what looks better.

If you can have one straight line then sloping is often best. If however the slope changes mid garden stepping is sometimes better than a few different angles.

an 8'' post hole will give you 2'' of concrete either side of the post. It is totally impossible to dig a hole 30'' deep but only 8'' wide unless you have a perfectly sharpened auger the ground is solid clay ground with no roots or stones.

In reality your posts should have more than 2'' of concrete around them and unless you have an auger the post holes will be determined by the width of your spade plus a bit extra.

Personally i dig posts holes 1 foot square and with as vertical sides as possible.

 

[morphe]

going great today, started at 10, just finished at 6, 8 hours and 7 posts cemented in with gravel boards and rails.

Slight problem, the rails are 3x2 and gravel board 7x2

when i come to feather edge the fence the feather edge will NOT be on top of the gravel board because the gravel board is the same depth as the rails

I could leave as it is or nail some 2x1 on the top of the gravel board, is this an overkill?