Postcrete and fence post wobble

[diyreg]

I ran a whole line of 6 foot fencing yesterday, set the concrete posts into the ground 60cm and filledf the Auger width hole with postcrete. The fence looks great. However, I've gone out to it today and pushing the fence posts you can see teh whole concrete move in teh ground. The postcrete doesn't sem to have set brilliantly. It's all damp and seems to have sort of set, but can be pressed in with a finger.

Gladly there's no high winds today but I'm worried. I followed the instductions on teh pack - pour in 1/3 water then drop in the cement. I ended up pressing it down a bit so it got all the way into the hole.

Any ideas of what's going on? SHould I do anything - pour water around the posts or anything?

 

[LooPrEvil]

Dont poor in any more water. Did you compact the concrete and keep top it up?

It may take it a couple of days to harden in the current weather.

If you did not tamp it down, I would do so now and top it up and tamp again.

 

[diyreg]

Dont poor in any more water. Did you compact the concrete and keep top it up?

It may take it a couple of days to harden in the current weather.

If you did not tamp it down, I would do so now and top it up and tamp again.

I did tamp it down and then top up the cement and water. Not quite as per the instructions but it seemed sensible. I'll leave it a few days then and see how it looks. Over time I suspect teh ground will harden but there's a good 1cm of movement now!

 

[LooPrEvil]

Reg as you say leave it a few days to harden. After that it may help to tamp the surronding soil using something like a lump hammer to also compact that, adding soil as you go.

I'm sure it wll be alright on the night!

 

[digdilem]

And stop wiggling it!

 

[WabbitPoo]

Now you have disturbed the ground it will likely always be loose.

If you have used anough water its very unusual for postcrete to fail. perhaps you had a bad batch?

I would be inclined to do it again. Incidentally, a dry mix of ballast and cement will work just as well, and will be cheaper.

 

[LooPrEvil]

Now you have disturbed the ground it will likely always be loose.

If you have used anough water its very unusual for postcrete to fail. perhaps you had a bad batch?

I would be inclined to do it again. Incidentally, a dry mix of ballast and cement will work just as well, and will be cheaper.

I'd tend to leave it for a few days and see how it cures. If he has created a gap between the post and concrete he could always make up a runny-ish mortar mix and back fill with that. Hopefully, he will not have to re-do the job. If he has had a bad or old batch of cement I suppose he could easily break it away and refill, mixing in some of the original mix as a filler.

I would suggest to see what its like in a few days first of all.