Help with putting post in ground with cement
- Thread starter paulri
- Start date
So snow plows aren't an issue .
When I did my fence at my old house, I poured a concrete base & mounted the 4x4's on top of it with L Brackets and epoxied studs.
Similar to this but had dual bolts on upper & lower sides of the bracket:
Makes replacement of either brackets or boards FAR easier.
Similar to this but had dual bolts on upper & lower sides of the bracket:
Makes replacement of either brackets or boards FAR easier.
Assuming you have conceded to purchasing a longer 4x4; I highly recommend this "Sika mix in the bag, expanding foam" worked great for my replacement mailbox and post.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sika-33...tructural-Posts-Mailbox-Sign-483503/205671519
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sika-33...tructural-Posts-Mailbox-Sign-483503/205671519
Forget the concrete, with only 8"of post in the ground the concrete will just be a nightmare when you have to redo it. Get a very large flower pot and cut a 4x4 hole in the bottom. Put the post down through the hole in the pot and put you post in the ground. Have someone hold the pot up while you fill the hole and pack it down. Then put the pot on the ground and fill it with dirt. Plant some flowers in the pot and call it good. If someone hits it with a car you just set it back in the hole and put the dirt back in. Use a plastic or fiberglass pot and you will get 7 or 8 years out of it.
If you are adamant about using the existing post you can use attach it to a grade level concrete base using a black Simpson strong tie 4x4 base. Bolt some anchor bolts to the 4x4 base, dig your hole to desired depth, fill with concrete and stick the assembly in the wet concrete. Make sure it is all level, plumb and square with the road. After the concrete sets come back and attach the post to the base with lag screws. It ain't cheap but it will be sturdy. I have anchored several stair rail posts this way where the footer on the brick step foundation stuck out where I needed to dig the hole.
Overkill is underestimated !
If you wanted to keep your stock 4x4 ignore the concrete, pound in a long metal stake or threaded rod (or 2) to the required depth then you can either drill a hole in the middle and slide the post onto the stake or screw the post down to the stake(s)
In this area a 4x4 treated or not, buried 8’ or not will just rot and fall over after a while.
In this area a 4x4 treated or not, buried 8’ or not will just rot and fall over after a while.
I think concrete is overkill and a pain to get out come replacement time...pea gravel is a better choice IMO. Regardless, like others have said longer pole is a must.
Perhaps. The old post survived several years without concrete, but because I'm inserting a new post, I wanted to do the job right so I don't have to do it again in a few more years. I have had 4x4 posts here, in a privacy fence get pulled down because of occasional heavy rains we get, when they are not fast in concrete.
I live in Arizona's Mohave Desert. Same desert, different spelling. In the summer the plows take care of the flash flood debris, in the winter they plow the snow. They are very much an issue in both states.So snow plows aren't an issue .
Only because I'm shopping around for one--have you looked at mail box post spike? Drive into the ground, secure post with some screws. There's a couple of types. [I have to replace mine as it's used to hold bear bird feeder. 3 guesses as to why it's in need of replacement.]
I don't think I've ever seen a snow plow in my neighborhood, and I've lived in the same house 25 years. I know in the mountains they use them; I doubt in my local area any municipality or county facility has them.
8" of firm support is enough to hold the post but 8" of concrete in the ground isn't enough. The weakness would be in the interface between the concrete and the ground rather the concrete and the post. I would make a narrow hole 12" - 16" deep and then partially fill with concrete to within 8" of the top before putting in the post.