Fence posts

Yorkie1

The fence posts in my garden were put directly into soil, and some are now loose - causing the fence panels to wobble.

Assuming the bottom of the post is still sound (not rotten), if I get postcrete or postfix, can I just dig a hole and apply as per instructions?

I don't want to go to the trouble and expense of getting someone in to remove the fence panels and redo the posts if there's another way to do it. (I don't have the strength or skills to start DIY'ing replacement panels etc).

savemoney

I had new fence put up last month home made job made by a pro (not me) I did help we dug hole must be at least 2-3 foot deep and used the B&Q post mix stuff he doesn't normally use that stuff but supplier was out of stock I thinkw e used a bag and half for each hole as one wasnt enough. I dont think you can do it with moving fence as you need quite a bit of depth and room for a long thin shovel. You could use metaposts but be careful with them as you need to make sure no cables/drains are near by. My friend in trade wont use them for that reason

keystone

Yorkie1 wrote: »

The fence posts in my garden were put directly into soil, and some are now loose - causing the fence panels to wobble.

Assuming the bottom of the post is still sound (not rotten), if I get postcrete or postfix, can I just dig a hole and apply as per instructions?

I don't want to go to the trouble and expense of getting someone in to remove the fence panels and redo the posts if there's another way to do it. (I don't have the strength or skills to start DIY'ing replacement panels etc).

Yes support the post so it's vertical. Dig around the post and use postfix.

Cheers

keystone

savemoney wrote: »

My fried in trade wont use them for that reason

I know its a typo but thats just made my day!! :rotfl:Thanks.

Cheers

phill99

Adding more concrete isn't going to stop the post wobbling. Its rotten at ground level.

You need to use one of these

http://www.wickes.co.uk/concrete-repair-spur/invt/542503/

This is a concrete post about 4 feet high. You need to dig away the concrete around one side of the existing post (the side in your garden), put half of the concrete spur post in (from above link) and concrete it in (postcrete or something similar). Then the top half which is sticking up above the ground is bolted to the wooden post and you have a permenant repair.

I've used loads of these on different customers fences and they work really well.

SailorSam

I've suggested this on here before but what ive done once you have the posts secure is drill holes in the side of each panel so that you can get thin rope to tie the panels to the post and also to the adjacent panels, so that they cannot blow out.

keystone

phill99 wrote: »

Adding more concrete isn't going to stop the post wobbling. Its rotten at ground level.

OP did say IF they are not rotten. They may not be. In all probablity you are right and they are but OPs question was based on them not being rotten.

Cheers

Yorkie1

Thanks all.

I haven't dug down to investigate yet, but the joiner I've had in today to replace a big panel and associated posts further down the garden, said that the posts themselves were absolutely fine - it was the fact that a previous DIY'er had just put them straight into the ground which was the issue.

There is currently no concrete around any of the fence posts.

I'm hoping it's the same further up the garden and that I can salvage the situation with MSE approach which will buy me a few more years at least.

sandy2210

never put concrete round a wooden post it just causes it to rot at ground level

savemoney

They rot in any case whether concrete or other ways like metapost. They should last if you get tantalise wood at least 15 years

sandy2210 wrote: »

never put concrete round a wooden post it just causes it to rot at ground level