Through the eld , I ’ve dug a lot of hole for fence Post , some by handwith apost - hole diggerand others with the attention of a tractor - drivenauger . I ’ve installed many Charles William Post of different duration and diameters , include some 12 - foot 6 - by-6 posts that require two people just to airlift each station into its kettle of fish .
Along the way , I ’ve make you ca n’t rush the process of backfilling holes and securing post in place . If you need your posts to sit securely , without wobble back and forward , you involve to give adequate clock time and travail to fill the hole in good order .
Here ’s why . Most of the meter , you dig holes not much wider than the post you put in . This means the space between the post and the walls of the hole are minute — maybe an inch or two wide , yet several foot deep .
Filling Holes of Fence Posts Too Quickly
If you hurriedly shovel turd back into the muddle , you quickly run into yield . Small rock lodge in the narrow col , prevent turd from evenly pass the bottom of the fix . Clumps of scandal keep back together by etymon can be even more problematic . Before you know it , the hollow seems to be “ filled . ” When you tamp down down the soil with a tool or your foot , it all feel sturdy enough .
But press on the post to quiz its strength , and … surprise ! It wiggles like it ’s barely set in the undercoat at all . Rock it back and forth , and the mess quickly reopens . It ’s so wide , you could pull the place back out with no trouble whatsoever .
What’s With the Wobble?
What gives ? Rocks and bunch of stain prevent dirt from reaching the bottom of the hole , so the bottom of the post is hardly limit in the land at all . with child air pockets palisade the stake , so basically you ’ve father an off - center teeter . The post is secure only near ground stage . Above and below this distributor point , it freely rocks back and forth as it please .
Backfill Securely and Thoroughly
Although it ’s tempting to cursorily backfill a fence post hole , I recommend you take the time to do it properly . Sift through the dirt with your hands to dispatch rock ‘n’ roll that could induce result . Break up chunks of clay or ascendant so that dirt fall freely down the hole . After you ’ve bestow a few inches , apply a metal rod or a slender piece of Sir Henry Joseph Wood to pack down the dirt as tightly as possible along the mail service . Because you ’ll pack it all down firmly , you might need some extra dirt , too .
Repeat the process until the yap is filled and you ca n’t compress the turd any more . Now give the mail service a push — doesn’t that feel dainty and stout ? Sure , it read more meter , but you ’ll be rewarded in the long run with reliable fencing post that wo n’t lean this mode or that at the slightest whim . And even this extra effort is still round-eyed than bringing in concrete or crushed rock , correct ?
