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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Setting fence posts in wet ground

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Illinois Farmal

05-12-2007 11:27:57




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I have about a 1/4 mile of fence I need to get put up and the area where the corner posts will go is a low area that has standing water at the moment. If I wait for it naturally to dry out it will probably be mid-July. Is there any good way to set posts in wet ground ( I"d wait for the standing water to subside first ). Is using bagged concrete mix (tamped) an alternative to backfilling with soil? Any and all ideas will be appreciated. Thanks

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higgins

05-15-2007 14:03:59




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
In such a pinch I'd be tempted to temporarily cut off the corner area and put the post in after it dries. You can always stretch it later too. Or you could just leave the wet area for wood ducks.



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Leland

05-14-2007 19:53:07




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
I live in cent ILLand the power company here uses ca-6 road pack for poles in wet areas they have a hyd powered tamper they just keep feeding rock until she won't tamp no more .



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pair-a-dice farm

05-13-2007 18:08:07




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
Here in Arkansas we use crushed limestone like we put on driveways. It sets up almost as good as concrete and allows water to perk through so the post don"t rot as bad. We do have a rock crusher close by and can get it for about $5 a ton.



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Haywood

05-13-2007 16:44:34




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
There is a fella on another board who sells premade post holes that you cut to length.

Has a whole truckload of them :<)



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David Snipes

05-14-2007 14:40:57




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Haywood, 05-13-2007 16:44:34  
I would like some of those - as long as I don't have to dig a hole to put them in.



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135 Fan

05-12-2007 21:20:38




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
Why not use a piece of 3 or 4 inch pipe or used drill stem? You could make a point on one end like a bale spear (not 100% needed but would keep water out and make pounding in easier) and then make a hand powered post pounder. My old neighbor made his whole fence this way. It went around 3 acres. He did a lot of welding for an oilfield driller and traded some of his work for the drill stem for the posts, sucker rod for 3 cross pieces and also weld on pipe caps to put on top of the posts. He roll welded all the caps on first and then rented a post pounder. For the areas where he couldn't get in with the post pounder he used a home made hand one. You need a piece of pipe about 18 inches to 24 inches long that fits over your posts. Then weld a heavy plate on one end to cap the post. Preferably 3/4 of an inch or more. You want it to be heavy but not so you can't lift it. Then make two U shaped handles out of round bar that are welded opposite of each other. Make the handles at least a foot long and out far enough to give lots of hand clearance. Some people just have 2 bars sticking out each side but the U handles work better and add a little more weight. To put the posts in just use your new pounder like a pile driver. Put it on the post and slide it up so it is only on the post about 6 inches and then slam it down until your post is the right height. Kind of an opposite slide hammer. It works very well. If you don't have a welder, any shop could make you one pretty cheap. You might be able to buy them as well but usually the home made ones are heavier to do an easier and faster job. Someone on here probably has a picture of one. Hope this helps. Dave

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135 Fan

05-12-2007 21:13:08




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
Why not use a piece of 3 or 4 inch pipe or used drill stem? You could make a point on one end like a bale spear (not 100% needed but would keep water out and make pounding in easier) and then make a hand powered post pounder. My old neighbor made his hole fence this way. It went around 3 acres. He did a lot of welding for an oilfield driller and traded some of his work for the drill stem for the posts, sucker rod for 3 cross pieces and also weld on pipe caps to put on top of the posts. He roll welded all the caps on first and then rented a post pounder. For the areas where he couldn't get in with the post pounder he used a home made hand one. You need a piece of pipe about 18 inches to 24 inches long that fits over your posts. Then weld a heavy plate on one end to cap the post. Preferably 3/4 of an inch or more. You want it to be heavy but not so you can't lift it. Then make two handles out of round bar that are welded opposite of each other. Make the handles at least a foot long and out far enough to give lots of hand clearance. To put the posts in just use your new pounder like a pile driver. Put it on the post and slide it up so it is only on the post about 6 inches and then slam it down until your post is the right height. Kind of an opposite slide hammer. It works very well. If you don't have a welder, any shop could make you one pretty cheap. You might be able to buy them as well but usually the home made ones are heavier to do an easier and faster job. Hope this helps. Dave

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Tallperson

05-12-2007 18:10:06




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
If I were you I'd forget about wood posts if this area is consistently wet. Here in Colorado and when I lived in Illinois I made all my fence corners and brace sections out of old oil field pipe welded together at the appropriate angle for the corner. The uprights cut to 8 feet, and the cross rails 6 feet long. Here in Co. We are running 5 strands of barbed wire. So the lower cross brace is welded in at 3 feet from the bottom of the post and the upper cross rail a foot down from the top. I also weld a short piece of any scrap steel to the bottom of the post so it bonds well to the concrete placed in each hole. If you are running just four strands you can shorten your up rights or set them four feet deep and move the lower cross rail up correspondingly... You will never have to replace these corners again because of rot, nor will they ever catch fire and burn up. a problem that occures out here from folks burning the weeds in irrigation ditches and loosing control of there fires.. Also if you use 2 inch pipe you can dig a much smaller hole and use a bunch less concrete. And there is sackrete out there that will set up under water.. Good luck.. Tallperson

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Bus Driver

05-12-2007 16:37:35




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
The anticipated burial depth is not mentioned. 2 feet deep in wet ground may not be very solid. 4 feet deep for a post will really be a solid installation.



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joe5

05-12-2007 14:33:48




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
try going to your local electric company..around here they will give you all the old telephone poles you want..they are soaked with creasote to keep them from rotting..i have them around my pasture..cut in 8ft sections with chain saw 4 ft in the ground...good luck



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Illinois Farmall

05-12-2007 16:03:25




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to joe5, 05-12-2007 14:33:48  
I should have eloborated more in my first post. I do have large telephone posts that are very solid and heavily creosoted that I'll be using for the posts since that area is usually wet. A post driver is not an option due to the location (too many trees to get access). My main concern is being able to set the posts as soon as possible and have them reasonably solid in the damp/wet ground. The backfill from the hole would be way too wet at this point for any kind of solid compaction. Thanks for your replies.

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Don L C

05-13-2007 16:24:51




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 16:03:25  
How about burying a pice of post 3ft, crossways about 1 foot under ground aginst the cornerpost.....set them deep.....



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Thunderr

05-12-2007 11:51:04




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-12-2007 11:27:57  
The problem with setting a post in concrete is that below ground it will stay wet all the time and rot very quickly (and be alot of work to remove). My preference is always to fill the postholes with gravel, something that will drain well. But considering the standing water, those posts are gonna rot fast anyways, so concrete may be your best bet there to make the corner post solid. Use cedar i guess, and dunk the buried part of the post in tar to make it last maybe.

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Tom43

05-12-2007 16:59:36




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Thunderr, 05-12-2007 11:51:04  
The only kind of posts for corners is Osage Orange(hedge) at least a foot in diameter. They will wear out a couple of holes.



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steveormary

05-12-2007 18:06:15




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 Re: Setting fence posts in wet ground in reply to Tom43, 05-12-2007 16:59:36  
Now there you go,Osage Orange a ft in diameter.Put them down 3-4 ft.and pack them in gravel.

steveormary



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