Concrete around fence posts?

[Bubbas Boys]

Anytime we have built a deck in the last 10 years we always used concrete in post holes. I have been hearing that folks say no now. Thoughts? Also, if you do use it do you mix it first or put it in dry? Thanks!

[kbrothers]

I used to work for a guy putting up pole barns and he had us dump it in around the posts dry

[7thswan]

Not for fencing. We just put rock in and tamp the soil in real tight with the handle end of a shovel.

[ceresone]

For our deck, we put down a concrete base--used deep flowerpots set in ground filled with concrete--then a 4 sided metal piece was set on and into this--post was then bolted to it--so none of the pst touched ground. fencepost--filled and tamped down rocks--then poured dry concrete over it

[Gravytrain]

The only problem we've ever had with using quickrete is in heavy soils if the cement isn't tamped down you can get a top heavy ball of cement that will easily pull out of the ground. This is less of a problem in gravely ground. I prefer to drive in posts in mucky or clay soils and cement in gravely ground.

If I had ground that was dry most of the time I would just tamp it down well.

[geo in mi]

Galvanized chain link posts are usually set in concrete either dry or poured. You can get bags of dry pour now for that purpose--and some just put regular concrete in the hole to let it harden. But it's best to put wooden posts on piers made of concrete forming tubes for pouring the concrete. At the least, on deck posts you should put the concrete in the bottom, underneath the treated post, and flared out to help keep the concrete from sinking down in wet conditions. Why?

Because if they are set in concrete, one of two(or both) things will happen. Water will cause the wooden post to swell up and break the concrete--or the concrete will encase the water around the post and cause it rot sooner than if it could drain.

geo

[Ozarks Tom]

For building supports I've always augered down about 2', filled the hole with concrete, set a "J" bolt in, and when dry used a metal base with lag screws through the sides into the post. Never had a sign of deterioration in the posts. I just make sure the concrete is higher than the surrounding ground so water can't pool around the post.

For fence posts I set the post itself in mixed concrete, doming it slightly so water doesn't pool, and use angled braces at the pull posts. For the angle braces I auger down about 2', and set a "J" bolt in about 3" high. Then I cut the angles, and drill a hole in the bottom angle to set over the bolt, and lag screw the upper part of the brace to the post. I've found it to be a lot stronger than "H" bracing.

[littlebitfarm]

Have to say that my fence posts set in concrete are snapping at ground level. The ones set in tamped road pack are all doing just fine.

[fordy]

............Depends upon your location ! In soil that maintains a high moisture content the portion covered will decompose over time , where as in say Arizonia , the bottoms should last a long time . For instance in Tx , the standard Bwire fence used cut cedar posts planted in the soil and they have lasted 50 years and longer . This was before the intro of Tposts .
............When I built a fence and a customer specifically wanted all their corners , H's and T's built from large cedar posts I would 'Paint' the grounded portion with Roof Tar and give them time to cure in the sun before being planted . Unfortunately , I don't think I'll be around to inspect them when they are removed to build a new fence . , fordy

[farmrbrown]

Since this is about decks and not fence posts, I'll just answer in my usual diplomatic way.....
Don't listen to any fool that tells you not to concrete your deck posts. Let THEM go to the emergency room and be on the TV news one day, not you.

You can mix it in the hole, that's the way I do fence posts, or mix it in a wheel barrow and pour/shovel it in, that's the way I do deck posts.
You'll probably use a bag or two for each post depending on the size of your footer. Naturally, on my deck of 3 stories, I have a 8 cubic ft footer, on a single story, you might just use a 1 cubic ft footer.

[JoePa]

Now a days you don't put posts in the ground when you are building a deck or some building - in time the posts will rot even with pressure treated wood - they usually rot right where the ground and post meet - what is now done is you dig a hole - put in a form and fill the form with concrete - you can put bolts into the concrete at this time to match the formed plates that you will put on the concrete or drill holes after the concrete has hardened and put fasteners made to go into concrete - then attach the formed plates - you then attach your posts to the secured plates -

[adimice]

Having built miles of fence, several decks, 2 pole barns with 6X6"s, all planted with nothing but well tamped soil, no rocks, no problems. Trying to keep a 6X6 straight when it's fastened to metal plate and bracket, is really difficult. I have found that as the cement sets up, it contracts and gets loose in the ground. Plantem' deep, well tamped, no rocks, no cement.

[jwal10]

6" of good tamped crushed rock in the bottom and then tamp the post tight with it, lets the water drain away. Even the good pressure treated posts rot, encased in concrete. All small buildings and decks built on deck blocks, decks lag screwed to building. Pole barns built with the heavy pressure treated green solution tamped with crushed rock....James

[Harry Chickpea]

I've become a fan of the precast cement feet used for 4"x4" deck posts. Scrape the ground down to the hardpan, place the foot, and go from there. The load on a deck is nowhere near the load on a house and they stay in place remarkably well. Over 7 years, I doubt our freestanding decks have shifted more than 1/4". Zero rot. The carpenter bees are more of a problem than those feet, and carpenter bees aren't that bad here. Mind you, I wouldn't use them for a two story deck, and would be cautious using them if the deck tied in to a sill.

[rambler]

For a pole barn, you want a doughnut around the bottom to hold the post as an anchor.

For a fence post in my clay soil, no. Waste of time, money, effort. Leave little blobs of concrete all over the place if you want to rebuild fence. If done wrong the concrete makes the wood rot out faster.

So I would say no.

Paul

[Declan]

Originally Posted by Bubbas Boys

Anytime we have built a deck in the last 10 years we always used concrete in post holes. I have been hearing that folks say no now. Thoughts? Also, if you do use it do you mix it first or put it in dry? Thanks!

Ideally now I think your are supposed to use concrete pier below grade and set a post attachment bracket into the concrete before it dries and then bolt your post into the bracket.

[deb_rn]

We live in town and have to go by "the rule book". If you have "rules"... it's probably best to follow THEM! It's been 20 yrs since I built one and the rules were insane THEN!

Debbie

[am1too]

Originally Posted by Bubbas Boys

Anytime we have built a deck in the last 10 years we always used concrete in post holes. I have been hearing that folks say no now. Thoughts? Also, if you do use it do you mix it first or put it in dry? Thanks!

I only concrete corner posts at the present. the rest are t posts. When I do more than 300 feet I will have a concreted post 3 or more feet deep with a bell bottom. It depends on the weather and soil conditions if I do dry or wet.

Now I see the thread says fence and the OP talks about decks.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by am1too

I only concrete corner posts at the present. the rest are t posts. When I do more than 300 feet I will have a concreted post 3 or more feet deep with a bell bottom. It depends on the weather and soil conditions if I do dry or wet.

Now I see the thread says fence and the OP talks about decks.

..................I started the fence discussion , but the same rules apply to wooden posts for decks as they do for wooden fence posts ,. the holes are just a little deeper ! , fordy

[am1too]

Originally Posted by fordy

..................I started the fence discussion , but the same rules apply to wooden posts for decks as they do for wooden fence posts ,. the holes are just a little deeper ! , fordy

I would think so. I just tried to explain my apparent confusion.