The yard of any house is a sanctuary outside of your home to relax and feel one with nature. Privacy within this yard is always preferred and therefore a fence may need to be built to ensure this security. The initial step to building a fence starts with installing posts around the perimeter to determine the layout for the yard. The following steps will go over how to properly install a fence post in a concrete base
1. Using a tape measure, a layout of the area for the fence needs to be determined. Once the points of stabilization are determined, stakes need to be inserted at each of these points to recognize where the fence posts will be located.
2. Once the layout has been determined and lines run from each stake, the tape measure will then be used once again to determine the height most acceptable to your privacy and in accordance with any village or city laws.
3. Venturing down to your local hardware store, purchase fence posts that are longer that your desired height so that the base of the post will be deep enough in the ground to support the fence. It is always best to err on the side of caution in purchasing the posts with an over abundance of wood being the best option.
4. Most big brand hardware stores allow you to rent heavy machinery based on a daily contract. In this instance, it is definitely advised to rent a post-hole auger rather than purchasing. Once rented, you will be using the auger to create a compact hole 3-4 inches deep where one of the stakes is located.
5. A sand and gravel mixture will then be used to fill the bottom of the hole. This is done to keep moisture away from the wood to protect against any deterioration that may damage the integrity of the wood post.
6 Take the post and place within the hole. Make sure that the post is directly in the middle with the same amount of space on either side of the hole. The post should reach the height desired for the fence while also maintaining the 3-4 inches into the ground for support.
7. Once the post is level with the ground, anchor the post to the ground with wire anchors used for playground sets or spare wood nailed to the base. This is done to keep the post steady, stable and level within the ground during the concrete process.
8. The concrete that you buy needs to be a melting pot of compound materials. Some guidelines require equal amounts of sand, gravel and concrete mixture while others say to use one more than the others. My personal opinion and what has worked for me in the past would be equal amounts of cement and sand with an extra amount of gravel being used to add to the consistency.
9. The heavy consistency concrete concoction can now be poured slowly into the hole. Do not hesitate when pouring because any stoppage can cause for air pockets and that will crack the cement. A nice slow consistent pour to the edge of the hole is advised.
10. Level out the post so that it is even with the ground. The concrete mixture will move it slightly no matter how much you think the anchors will hold it in place. Once adjusted to the correct measurements, add extra mixture to form a pyramid shape around the base of the post so that there is more protection against the elements at the base to avoid erosion of the wood.
Additional Resources: Renovation HQ, DIY
