Should Cedar Fence Posts Be Set In Concrete?
Should Cedar Fence Posts Be Set In Concrete?
Yes, you can set cedar fence posts in concrete. To install a cedar post on concrete, get a concrete core cut or, if feasible, cut the core yourself. You’ll want to make sure that the cut is large enough not just for the post that will eventually fill it, but also for a post hole digging tool to complete digging the hole to your chosen depth.
For this sort of application, a core cut 10-12″ in diameter is usually your best choice. After your post has been installed and set in concrete, fill in the cut with concrete and smooth it out using a trowel.
If you’re going to mount a post to a wall, the core cuts should be 3″ in diameter and around 8″ deep. This will allow you to set a steel chain link post in concrete.
A box post can then be constructed to sleeve over the chain link post and fastened with self-tapping screws.
A flat mount concrete foundation for your cedar post is another option for installing it on concrete. Drilling holes in the concrete is required. This is typically accomplished with a big impact driver and a concrete drill bit.
After the holes have been bored, a concrete anchor must be used to attach the base. After that, insert the post into the base and fasten it with bolts or wood screws.
Is Rapid Set Concrete Good For Fence Posts?
Yes, rapid set concrete is a good product to use as it gets the post set in concrete quickly. Additionally, it has a stronger hold than standard concrete. It’s the quickest way to install posts for items like fences, and lighting. Simply dig a hole for the post, throw in the dry mix, and soak in water.
Best of all, you can hang a fence or other large items in just four hours on a post set with fast-setting concrete. Fast-setting concrete is not only simple and quick, but it is also strong and durable, reaching 4000 psi — or pounds of force per square inch — after a month. That is stronger than the concrete used in most housing foundations.
This stronger concrete will hold posts in place, even during heavy rains or high winds. Plus, it can handle abrasion and impact without breaking.
Which Concrete Mix Is Best For Fence Posts?
The finest concrete mix for placing fence posts is Quikrete. The fast-setting concrete mix is simple to use, does not require mixing, and hardens quickly. All you have to do is pour it into the hole and soak it in water.
When deciding on the sort of concrete you need for your unique work, you must examine the soil type, weather, season, fence post, and project criteria.
Premixed bags are ideal for small and medium-sized applications. A concrete truck, on the other hand, maybe too expensive for a little project, and mixing by hand is too laborious and time-consuming.
Quikrete fast-setting concrete is very convenient since it does not require mixing. Simply pour it into the hole with the water. Simply getting the concrete wet will cause it to harden and solidify completely.
There are no trowels, trays, or equipment required; it is that simple. The concrete should firm in 20 to 40 minutes, but it will take 28 days to completely cure to 4000 psi. Because this concrete does not require mixing, there is no risk of over-watering resulting in a poor mix.
A 50-pound bag of fast-drying will last around three posts. In general, each fence post costs roughly $15. The ease of fast-drying concrete comes at a cost since it is typically around a dollar more expensive than normal concrete.
If you’re constructing a privacy fence that requires sixty bags of concrete mix, rapid-setting concrete costs one dollar more than conventional concrete. This suggests that you may save $60 by using regular concrete.
How Do I Maintain My Post Level As The Concrete Dries?
Each post requires two bracings, each of which must be at least four feet long. Tap 1-by-2-inch stakes into the ground with a sledgehammer to secure the bracing.
When measured from the middle of the hole, they should be 90 degrees apart. Before installing the post, screw one brace to a stake. This permits the brace-free end to pivot together with the wooden post, stabilizing it and making it ready to use.
Before you place your post, leave it a little longer so you may cut it to the desired height afterward. Fill the bottom of the post hole with gravel next. This aids in the drainage of the water. Insert your post and push down the gravel before adjusting the faces in the proper directions.
Using a 4-foot level, level your post in two directions. After straightening it in the first direction, lay one of the braces against your post and secure it with a single screw. Then level and brace the post in the other direction before beginning to fill the hole. Because wood warps and twists somewhat, posts must be arrow-straight to create a level fence.
Pressure-treated wood is a wonderful choice, but you must choose the straightest posts you can locate to avoid difficulties. However, if the pressure-treated posts are simply put in concrete, the bottoms of the posts can rot.
Set your posts 3 to 6 inches deep in coarse gravel to keep them from decaying. Concrete should be poured around the wooden post rather than under it.
This permits moisture trapped between the concrete and the bottom of the post to drain away from the post through the gravel.
