Drilling concrete fence posts

50Twuncle

Is it OK to drill concrete fence posts (hammer drill / masonary bit) - or not ?
I have read that they can shatter - yet others say it is possible ?
This is to mount a "pet proof" fence at 90 degrees to a garden fence ....
I also am considering mounting shelves in a "Comptons prestressed concrete garage" - same question - is it OK to drill ?

Sofitos

Yes, concrete post may crack, but it depends on how doing this - at first drill with smaller diameter then drill with larger diameter.

Dan-Dan

and make sure its your post not your neighbours before doing it!

casper_g

It's certainly possible, but can be tricky to drill accurately in these due to the steel reinforcement and aggregate, and if they're the slotted type then there isn't actually that much of an area to aim for. If you're drilling for a through-fixing there's a risk of blowing out the concrete on the back face as the drill comes through.


The last thing you want to do is make a mess of it - in the worst case scenario you could end up needing to dig out and replace the post.


Personally I'd explore options that didn't need drilling first. Something like this maybe: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Postfix-Slotted-Concrete-Fence-Brackets/dp/B00AD8EVEU

phoenix_w

Just to add my two penneth, we've done this and it's hard work. You may get some blow out when you come through, so you might need big washers if you're planning to bolt something to it. You'll also find it a lot easier with an SDS drill. Luckily we didn't hit any rebar!!!

50Twuncle

Thanks all for your advice