Securiing posts to ground

[Just4Fun]

I have searched on here about how to secure posts (such as fence and gate posts) to/in the ground, and how to prevent the posts rotting. It seems putting posts in the ground, possibly in concrete, is a bad idea and it is better to use some kind of metal foot to go in the ground and have the wooden posts fixed to that. Please correct me if I have misunderstood that.

My concern is with how strong this can be. The wooden posts seem to be fastened to the metal feet with just a few screws or possibly bolts. I am making a panel (think something like a billboard) that will be heavy and will catch the wind a lot and it seems to me that this will put a lot of strain on those fastenings. I can imagine them working loose over time, especially in soft wood. Are they really secure?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd be tempted to concrete concrete posts in and if needs be mount the woodwork to them.

 

[sammy.se]

Maybe something like this, but in my opinion if it is going to catch the wind, then I'd even avoid both wood and concrete posts, and just use scaffolding poles, cemented into the ground at a good 1m depth.

https://www.travisperkins.co.uk/Supreme ... 1MEALw_wcB

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[sunnybob]

Even a normal fence post needs one third of its length in the ground. in a windy area you want to go even deeper.

Scafffold poles do not have much sideways strength without angled supports.
I know, I live in a VERY windy area and its common to see scaffold pole signs bent all out of shape.
I would use concrete, and cover with wood if needed.

 

[RobinBHM]

I have searched on here about how to secure posts (such as fence and gate posts) to/in the ground, and how to prevent the posts rotting. It seems putting posts in the ground, possibly in concrete, is a bad idea and it is better to use some kind of metal foot to go in the ground and have the wooden posts fixed to that. Please correct me if I have misunderstood that.

My concern is with how strong this can be. The wooden posts seem to be fastened to the metal feet with just a few screws or possibly bolts. I am making a panel (think something like a billboard) that will be heavy and will catch the wind a lot and it seems to me that this will put a lot of strain on those fastenings. I can imagine them working loose over time, especially in soft wood. Are they really secure?

Use post savers for each post or make your own by wrapping the post with bitumin flashing and use a heat gun and seam roller.


https://www.postsaver.com/Postsaver-jou ... .html.html

 

[Bm101]

What Robin said.
Although I haven't seen that product (it looks excellent) there have been diy versions of it for ever using various combinations of sand and rubble bags etc.
I used to work for a company called Walls and Fences. Guess what we specialised in? A lot of it was commercial or agricultural steel fencing or dry stone walling.
To add perspective to the posts rotting in the ground argument....
Nearly every post I saw driven with a steel spike foot over the years had either come loose or rotted at the base. Granted we were often there expressly to repair fences so there is the false positive argument lol. Personally, I (and I base this on my personal experience only) would use any solution other than steel spikes.
They can't be driven far enough for stability over any length, the base fitting still encourages compaction and rising rot/water damage.
The fence in my garden is arris and plank. The posts are starting to go at the bases. I presumed rot and cement but actually they appear to be just driven posts! Ok. :shock:
I dug a 3 foot hole by each, dropped new posts in after chamfering the tops on the chop saw. Filled the holes with water. Added postcrete,
battened casually to keep plumb.
I'll drag the fence over and bolt it all up somehow on my own.
But yeh it will last best part of 15 years.
Fixed!

 

[gwaithcoed]

This is the method I have used, 2 x2ft lengths of quarter inch flat steel strip bolted to the post with 10 mil threaded rod. Dig a hole, place shuttering around the top, place the post in the hole keeping it clear of the shuttering with a 2inch thick wooden block, ensure it is upright and fill the hole with concrete. Been in place for 20 years.

Alan

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