One question that comes up quite a bit when it comes to fence planning and construction is whether or not posts should be set in concrete as opposed to inserted directly into the ground. With this blog post, let’s tackle that question and explore a few scenarios in which one method might work better than the other.
Right off the bat, let me say that we at Chainwire Fencing Specialist strongly recommend setting posts in concrete for any permanent fence we design for our clients. If fence posts are not set in concrete, they invariably will sag and fail structurally with time. To prevent this, we use our tried and true method of setting fence posts that goes far beyond just digging a hole and throwing some concrete in before inserting the post.
But when might we not recommend inserting fence posts into concrete?
One clear example is when the fence posts are wooden. The mean reason against this is that it will actually speed up the wood’s rotting process and make it extremely difficult to remove and replace the posts.
The concrete acts as a cup, sealing moisture and rain around the wooden post, not allowing it to spread away from the area naturally as it would were the wooden post inserted directly into the ground. A much more effective technique that we employ is to set the wooden fence posts in gravel.
Another scenario in which you may wish to avoid setting fence posts in concrete is when you anticipate the fence being taken down within a short while – for example, if you’re only putting it up for a specific event that will last a short while. Setting the fence posts in concrete will make the effort to remove the post much greater that it is perhaps worth for the time the fence will be standing.
If you’re still a little unsure as to whether or not concrete-set fence posts are suitable for your particular project, feel free to give us at Chainwire Fencing Specialist a call. Our experts will gladly assess your specific needs and let you know what will serve you best.