Can we talk about setting posts in wet clay?

I nearly lost a whole section of fence last month because the clay was too soft. I waited a day for it to dry out a bit, then packed gravel around the bases. The posts are rock solid now, and it saved me from having to redo the work. Always check the ground conditions first.

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3 Comments

jordan3816mo ago

Why not just set them wet and brace them straight?

5

anthonyy556mo ago

Man, i used to swear by setting posts wet and just bracing them tight. Then i saw a whole line of fence posts crack when the concrete cured too fast in summer heat. @jordan381, watching them all lean the next spring even with good braces changed my mind completely. Now i always pack dry mix around the post and let the ground moisture set it slow, no cracks and they stay put.

8

umamurphy5mo ago

Listen to anthonyy55, he's seen the concrete crack and the posts lean. Wet setting is like trying to rush a cake, it just falls apart. Trust the guy who already watched his fence do the wave.

6