How you anchor your fence posts into the ground matters significantly. You want to anchor your fence precisely so it will last as long as possible. Nothing ruins a fence faster than a post that is falling over. Should you cement in your precast fence posts? This method isn’t the greatest for other fence materials. Here’s why and why it works great for precast fence posts.
Cement Can Rot Wood Posts
It’s true that you want the strongest foundation you can get. Still, for materials like wood, concrete might not be the answer. In fact, for wood, concreting in the fence posts might be the worst option.
Wood and concrete expand and contract at different rates. These varied rates will eventually open up a gap between the concrete and the wood.
When water gets in that gap, or “collar,” around the post, it can’t get out. Water pools in there and eventually rots the fence post.
Excess water severely limits the lifespan of a wood fence, which already isn’t great. And once the wood post rots out, you are left with a big chunk of concrete you need to dig out. Talk about adding insult to injury.
There are several solutions to minimize the problem, like caulking around the post to prevent the gap or treating the wood first. Some also try to form the concrete to encourage the water to drain away from the post.
What Is a Good Solution For Wood Fence?
You don’t need to use concrete to get a decent wood fence post. You will need to dig a hole that is one-third of the fence post’s height deep. So, if you have a six-foot-tall fence post, you will need to dig down two feet.
The standard fence height is six feet, which means you will need to buy a nine-foot-tall post and dig down three feet. Phew! Not easy work.
Since the hole should be very narrow, you will need to buy special tools like a clam digger to dig the hole.
You can also set a wood fence in gravel or crushed rock. The soil types limit the strength. In loose or sandy soils, it just won’t work.
A better solution is to go with a different fence material. Metal and vinyl fences won’t rot out like wood can, but they also have problems, such as durability and strength. The best option is to go with precast concrete.
Precast Concrete Posts Can Be Set in Concrete
One of the best parts about going with precast concrete is you can easily set the fence posts in concrete. In fact, that’s the standard way we install fences.
Because precast concrete can’t rot, you don’t have to worry about rotting fence posts. Your precast concrete fence will last between 50 and 100 years.
You get the strength and durability of cementing in the fence posts, and the process of installation is much easier.
Contact us today to get a free estimate on quality precast concrete to finish your projects.