Using Wood Fence Posts Shouldn’t Be Too Troublesome

Wooden fence posts can be stylish and sublime, and when correctly cared for can last for many years. They seem to be a common way of indicating property bounds, although if you are choosing a wooden fence, you must think about your budget and the type of fence you need.

Generally wood fence posts are spaced 6 to 8 feet apart, and dividing the length of your plot by six or eight will tell you the quantity of fence posts you will need for a given length. The same calculation should be repeated for each side of the land you are enclosing. If you want a gate or opening, or simply to cover any miscalculations, you should order some extra posts. Extra posts that aren't required should be kept in a safe, dry environment, free from termites and pests and your posts can last a very long time if correctly treated and seasoned.

The posts that are at the corners of the plot should be installed first, and the standard process is to dig pilot holes for each post, although a driving shoe will allow a post to be driven in to the ground. A pilot hole should be big enough so that the posts can slide in simply, and ideally larger at the bottom than at the top. About a 3rd of the post’s length should be submerged.

Once the end and corner posts are firmly inserted in the ground, they can serve as a guide to put in the other posts and stones or gravel may be employed to anchor the posts to prevent movement. Also, you need to put a layer of sand or gravel at the bottom of your hole, to allow proper drainage. Once all of the posts are forcibly in the holes, the holes can be filled in with concrete or dirt, so anchoring them soundly. Wood preservative should be used to treat the part of the post that goes into the hole.

Use some temporary stakes to bolster the posts until the concrete has set, and to prevent water from collecting around the posts, ensure the concrete spreads over the encircling ground. Permanent bracing of some sort should additionally be used with all your corner posts and you need to make sure all of the posts are set before adding the rails, or the bars that form the fencing. If you're adding ornamental tops to your fence posts, this should be done after the rails are fitted.

Simply follow these straightforward directions and you'll be on the way to finally putting that new fence up. You'll be the envy of all your neighbors!

Jared Mullins owns a residential construction company in New Bedford, Maine. To get more information about the way to put up a fence or privacy fences, check out his site.