Whether small or large, if you are planning to set some fence posts, you need to do it right. If fence posts are not properly set, they will shift over time, become unlevel, sink, or maybe even break.
Most people will use concrete to set their fence posts, but this is not always ideal, and it certainly is not necessary either.
Today, we want to talk about four different ways to set fence posts without concrete. We’ll take a look at why using concrete is not always advantageous, and then go from there.
Advantages of Setting Fence Posts Without Concrete
You might be wondering why you would avoid setting fence posts in concrete in the first place. After all, concrete is super solid, right? Well, this is not always the case. Let’s take a quick look at why it can be beneficial to set fence posts without concrete:
- Concrete is not the cheapest building material out there, so not using concrete for this task is something that can help save you a bit of money.
- Concrete also requires knowledge to mix properly. If you don’t use the right ratio of concrete to water, your mixture is going to end up being either too thin or too thick.
- Concrete can also be quite messy, especially during the mixing process. You’re going to cover some tools in it, and you’ll also need some kind of bucket or basin, as well as mixing utensils to mix it in the first place.
- One of the biggest issues that concrete has, especially when set in the ground, is that it can start to absorb water over time, and when it does, it will crack and split. This will then cause water to pool up and the fence post will start to degrade.
- Because concrete can split and crack, you also run the risk of the fence post shifting over time. On that note, concrete is also quite heavy, so the concrete anchor might sink over time.
- Additionally, concrete is rather permanent, so if the fence post breaks or needs replacing, you’ll have to deal with removing it from the concrete or removing the concrete as a whole.
4 Ways to Set Fence Posts Without Concrete
Let’s quickly look at four different ways to set fence posts without concrete, how they each work, and what the advantages of these various methods are.
1. Setting Fence Posts in Gravel
One of the best and easiest ways to set fence posts without using concrete is by backfilling the fence post holes with gravel once the post has been put in the ground.
This method is preferred by many because you don’t have to deal with the problem of the concrete splitting or cracking due to absorbing water. In fact, the gravel will allow the water to flow away from the fence post. Gravel isn’t super compact, so instead of absorbing water, it will lead the water away from your post.
Another advantage of using gravel is quite simply that it is much cheaper than concrete. On that note, when you use gravel, you also don’t need to do any mixing, yet another bonus that helps you save time and money. What does, however, need to be considered is that gravel isn’t very rigid, and it can shift over time.
This means that fence posts may sink or shift slightly over time, and may require you to re-plumb the posts. That said, this also means it will allow the fence posts to move slightly, which may prevent them from snapping due to strong winds.
To anchor fence posts using gravel, dig a hole that can fit one-third of the length of the fence post. You are then going to place the fence post in the center of the hole. Next, fill the rest of the hole with gravel, all the way around the fence post. Make sure to tamp and compact the gravel every 5” to ensure that it is packed tightly.
2. Setting Fence Posts With Wooden Post Anchors
Another option that you have at your disposal is to use a fence post anchor. This is a device that features a spiked end that gets driven into the ground, with the top having a sleeve that the post fits into. The post is then firmly secured to this ground anchor using screws.
What’s convenient about these anchors is that they are easy to install. Using a sledgehammer or similar tools, such as a slide hammer or electric jackhammer, you just pound them into the ground, and there is no need to dig a hole, pour concrete, deal with gravel, or anything else of the sort.
Just pound the anchor into the ground, insert the post, and screw the post into the anchor. If the fence post needs to be removed or repaired, this is also easily done. Moreover, with a long pry bar, such as a 6’ pry bar, the anchor itself can also be easily removed.
Really the only downside here is that certain sizes of fence posts might not fit certain anchors. Another slight downside is that the anchor is pounded into the ground, but there is no foundation. Over time, especially with heavy winds, that anchor can start to shift. The fence post may start to tip over after some time.
Additionally, when installing the anchor, you do want to level it every few inches to ensure that it is plumb. If you are making a normal residential fence, then this is perfectly suitable.
3. Setting Fence Posts Using a Hydraulic Driver
If you are looking to install many posts on a large piece of land, such as a farm, and you need it done right with minimal effort, then using a hydraulic driver is your next best bet. Now, a hydraulic driver is a specialty machine that is usually mounted to something large like a tractor. Yes, it is hydraulic, and also usually requires two people to operate.
Here, the hydraulic driver uses hydraulic force to drive that post into the ground. It’s like a massive sledgehammer hit in one clean shot.
For this, you also don’t need gravel, concrete, or anything else of the sort. The post gets rammed so deep into the ground that it won’t be going anywhere for quite some time. If you need to install very wide and long fence posts, this is the easiest way to go.
That said, of course, you need a tractor and a hydraulic driver, and if you don’t have these, then you are out of luck. Yes, you can always hire post-driving services that will bring this equipment to you and do the job for you, but that won’t be cheap either.
4. Setting Fence Posts Without a Foundation or Anchors
Although it is certainly not recommended, you can always try installing fence posts without any sort of anchor or base at all. That said, this really isn’t ideal for a number of reasons.
However, if you are just installing a fence on a temporary basis, such as if you will be creating something new just a few months down the line, then it may not be totally necessary to anchor the posts properly. That said, for long-term stability and durability, we do recommend using any of the above three methods.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
Let’s quickly go over some tips to help make this process as easy as possible for you:
- Always measure first and insert the posts only when you are sure your measurements are correct. Having to dig out posts or remove anchors that you’ve already pounded into the ground isn’t very fun.
- Unless the fence is meant to only be up for a few weeks or months, not using any sort of base or foundation is not recommended. Only do that for temporary purposes.
- The easiest and most cost-effective way to perform this task is method one, using gravel.
Summary
While using concrete to set fence posts is not always the best option, especially due to water damaging the concrete over time, it is still something to consider.
That said if you just don’t want to have to deal with that issue, or with mixing and pouring concrete in general, then using any of the above four methods of setting fence posts without concrete is recommended, particularly the method that uses gravel to anchor the fence posts.