Post Level - amzn.to/46TSYUN Post WaterProof Sleeve - amzn.to/3WXKlE7 Flex Seal- amzn.to/46Felc5 Sika Post Expansion Foam - amzn.to/4dx0IOh DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
I've done many fence posts with fast setting concrete and used a 3/8" rebar 3 to 4' long to push holes through the concrete powder and you will see the water disappear in these small holes all the way down. Works great.
My dad and I used to install posts for our neighbors and friends to help out around the farms in the area. You can avoid wheelbarrows and a lot of mixing by doing exactly what you did, but putting in 1/3 of the bag, pouring 1/3 water, then more powder, then water, and so forth in 3 or 4 increments. You don't need to stir or mix, but by adding the water at certain levels, it soaks in up and down and the whole thing sets. Never had a post fail due to concrete.
Kind of obvious that's the way it should be done. I've set at least two hundred posts around my prop. and that's what I did. Not sure why this guy missed that rather obvious and simply solution.
alternatevely, you pour some water into the hole, fill with 1/4 or 1/3 quickcrete, mix & repeat. Never hurts to drive a few galvanized nails/screws into post to prevent movement. Been doing it for decades in highly reactive soil & posts are solid as Day 1.
Same method here, and I put in quite a few mailbox posts as a handyman. I do also use the ground breaking rod to roughly mix or push any air pockets out of the mix, but only a few times as the mix sets up very quickly.
Ex fence builder here. We used to have a garden hose handy to spray water into the hole while pouring in the concrete at the same time. The concrete will also draw ground moisture as well. Also, we eliminated the need to stake the post by just holding the post close to plumb while dumping in the concrete, and then bumping it into level after the concrete was in the hole. As long as the post wasn't bumped afterwards, we never had an issue.
I was gonna say (as a concrete guy), to add some water to the hole before dumping the dry mix in. Get things hydrated, but for a mail box, whatever should work fine
Scott is just awesome. I'm a building mechanic here in Connecticut and I do electrical, plumbing, and carpentry. Even though I've been doing this work for 30 years, I love to watch these videos because I'm always learning something new. Scott always does things the right way and will go into detail on how things are done. You're never too old to learn things!
Two things. Pouring dry concrete on top of your gravel will just give you very gravelly concrete at the bottom of the hole. It will not give you the drainage you're looking for. Also, the concrete at the bottom of the hole, that was still dry after a few hours, will set up over the next days and weeks as it draws moisture from the ground. I do like the flex seal idea. That's a lot less of a mess than using a small roller and thinned roofing tar that I have used in the past when building a fence. Great video though. Most CZcamsrs just film themselves doing something. You actually purchased all the supplies and did all the work for the video.
I use roofing tar on bottom of the post and build up the concrete at top so water can't stand & soak in. Never had any issues. Got post I installed 20 years ago, still standing with no rot.
Growing up, my grandfather would always dip the ends of posts in used motor oil to seal them. He told me that if it starts to rot anywhere, it will begin at the endgrain because it’s like straws for the wood. I typically paint the ends instead of motor oil, but something else to think about
I use melted wax, like when I store my wood to dry out, but same same. I suppose any petroleum or latex product would suffice for the same results. Paint, deck sealer, oil etc...
I pre diped the end post in wood preservatives for minimum of 24 hours ( 1 week is the best). Now you know that the wood is no longer going to absorb moisture. Yes, even the wood is already pressure preservative treated from the lumber manufacturer. This prevents water draws upward from the ground. Then use a thin layer of roofing cement coated the 4x4 ends before pour concrete. Expect 35 + years on each post.
I've always dug a 36" hole, add 6" gravel, level post. Always premix concrete and pour into hole. I bring it slightly above grade and bevel it away from post. Never had a issue and still strong at 30yrs. Take Care
Actually the way you did it was correct. It drains well and keeps moisture away from going down the post. Only thing I would add is soak the post in used motor oil first.
I agree with this 100%. I'm going to repeat what you said! There is no reason to put organic material (dirt) around your post. This traps water and bacteria. Keep the post dry and sealed. To do this, seal the lumber, starting with end-grain, up to about 6" above the yard level with some oil based product, Henry's, (or similar). at bottom of hole, below end-grain, leave 6" gravel. Set post. Then mix actual concrete in a wheel barrow. Pour it in all the way up to a couple inches above grass. Bevel it away from post. Again, the top of the concrete pour is an inch or two proud of the grass, and the Henry's (or similar) is a few inches proud of the concrete. Now you can go so far as to seal the top of the concrete. Lastly, PT posts are of inconsistent quality. Coat them with Penofin or similar. If the fence boards need replacing down the line, no biggie. But redoing the posts, is work.
@@johnlux6905 thank you for this explanation and step by step process! I’ll be replacing my mailbox with post this weekend so this is helpful. Can I ask what the purpose of the oil is? To keep moisture away? Either way I’ll do as you say lol
Protip, if you really want that post to sit into the concrete, add some random nails/screws to the bottom of the post and add concrete into the hole. This way when the concrete dries, it'll literally have something to "bite" that's connected to the post. It'll be a PITA to take the post out if the post falls from a hurricane or tornado but by that time, you're going to be in more trouble with something else than the fence.
In 2011, my newly constructed house needed a mailbox. (Southern USA, no freezing, ever) I set the 4x4 into the ground as usual and used Quickrete. About 2 years later, the post became loose. However I cannot remember if the post was able to be wiggled within the concrete, or the concrete was able to be wiggled within the dirt hole. Doesn't matter. Had to be removed at that point. Needing to replace and upgrade to a nicer mailbox, I dug the entire first one out including the concrete. Then I set a new post in the same hole, but this time using expanding foam. That was 10+ years ago and the mailbox post is still rock hard sturdy. Zero wiggle. It was the first time I ever had used it. Totally miraculous. Recommend without reservations. Since the foam I used expanded somewhat above ground, the next day I began cutting the excess using a box cutter. The foam was very tough, definitely did not allow finger-poke-holes or even indentations, and really resisted being cut. So I switched to a hand saw which did the trick, using the box cutter only for the foam up against the wood. It's possible that you removed your experimental foam cylinder and tested it too soon. Despite what the manufacturer wrote on the package, the polyurethane probably needed well more than only two hours to fully cure. By the way, my newer mailbox post has one modification. I screwed in four thick, exterior lag screws into the underground portion of the 4x4, one on each side, several inches below the ground level. This was so the expanding foam would have more surface area to grab onto as it solidified around the mailbox post. The screws protruded about 3 inches from the post. That is, they weren't screwed all the way in. Probably this is why my post remains so incredibly sturdy more than a decade later. What is your opinion on that? I like the idea of FlexSeal and will use it next time. The clear version. And I will spray the entire underground portion, not just a few inches above and below the ground level. Do you think that is wise? At least one commenter wrote that it separated/expanded somewhat from his post resulting in it being a rainwater collector, if I understood his comment correctly. I plan to upgrade my mailbox again later this year because the sun and rain have been taking its toll on the wood above the ground. I'll do it in December when it cools down outside !!
I have always dumped one or two buckets of water into the hole first, then put the cement in, then put water on top. That way, the cement draws the water from both ends, and any excess water soakes into the soil.
My frost line is around six inches. I have pulled up 4x4 post where it was “dry set” by layering in about ten inches at a time with water on top and repeated until the hole pour is toppled off. Twenty years later I have had to remove some of these, during renovation projects, using the same method with a “HyLift” jack. They have all been perfect.
In college for landscape design, we were taught to fill the hole halfway with water, then add the concrete mix(because it would be a wet mix) then finish off the hole. then smooth out the concrete always sloping it away from the post (there was no flex seal in the 80's). Great video, by the way. Your videos are always so clear and informative. Good job!
This was the way I was taught as well .. pre-fill the hole part way and then add the post hole mix and then adding any water on top. takes longer to cure but all of the concrete is wet.
I did fence work a lot. Never liked the quick set stuff. 3+ ft hole.. bit of gravel.. 2 bags of mixed Crete per hole.. 30+yrs later.. still like new. There is always a good way.. a better way and overkill. I think 30 yrs is long enough.
Data point for fellow homeowners: 25 years ago I built a decorative front yard picket fence. Its structural needs were to not blow over in the wind, except for supporting the gate. It’s a bit less than 4’ tall. I used 3”x3” pressure-treated posts and 8’ pre-manufactured wood panels. I did use concrete for the gate posts, but the rest are just sunk into my heavy clay soil. I am in the South where frozen soil is not a concern. I painted everything with white primer. It still stands and still looks good. Not every fence needs to be set in concrete…
I’ve always mixed in water as I go when I set posts. Specifically, I’d add about 1/3 or 1/2 a bag to the hole, add some water, then mix it together in the hole with a long-handled spade or thin shovel. Repeat the process until I had the amount of concrete I wanted in the hole.
The Flex Seal tip is absolutely great! I will definitely be doing that next time I set a post. As for the Quickcrete that was still powder, over time that dry powder will eventually draw moisture from the soil around it which will solidify the rest of the concrete. That said, it's best to fill the hole half way, then add a half gallon of water. Then fill the hole and add the other half gallon. I've done that several times in the past.
I recently pulled up a couple of 4 x 4 treated grape vine posts. They were placed with only dirt around them and had been in the ground for at least 30 years. What I saw was that even though the above ground portion was weathered with some cracking, the below ground portion still looked new. My guess was that the consistency of the below ground conditions was a good thing as compared to the variations of seasonal weather that the exposed part saw. Pretty amazing.
This matches what I have found in my area. All posts I have had to remove that were placed in concrete have rotted at the point where the post enters the concrete from the top. Those placed directly in the dirt or initially held in place with rocks haven't even started rotting. My Dad taught me to backfill around a post with rocks before putting in any dirt.
@@amessnger or carpenter ants like we do. I just pulled up a pist that had been in clay soil for about 15yrs. No concrete. The end had a fair bit of decomposition and insect damage.
Thank you for the clear, concise narration. It is obvious you took time to plan out all the details you shared, and the extra effort showing the end results of the foam and concrete is appreciated.
This was something I have wondered about forever. I have seen people pour water into the hole and thought this may happen and with your video it proved the point. I still mix mine in a mixer then pour into the hole and glad I've done all of mine that way. Thank you!
9:27 ah ha!! As I suspected as well. When we did the 27 fence posts, we took a 3’ piece of rebar and jabbed down into the mix to get the water to get all the way down to the bottom. Worked quite well too. But I appreciate your video showing the dry cement in the bottom.
I built a 6 foot x 120 foot long fence 30 years ago, hand mixed and concreted every second post with pea gravel at bottom. Canadian winters and winds, only had to replace one post after someone backed into it. Never had those quik-cret bags back then.
I'v always set mailboxes with the dirt and rocks from the hole, tamping at last three times as I go, with a naked ground contact pressure treated post, haven't had a failure yet unless you count snowplow and drunk driving damage.
Good video. Once I learned to set post with sand, never went back to concrete. If it ever rots, it comes out very easy to be replaced. If the fence moves, just tap back in place and add more sand if needed.
Interesting. If the bottom of the post got wet, I guess sand would let it dry out better than concrete would. Also, in frosty winter, sand would create a dry zone around the post more able to allow for ice-induced sheer stress than concrete would. Never tried that, but gonna.
Pre mixed concrete in container or wheel barrel is Always stronger than dry pour especially slabs etc. Whenever cement is removed from ground, dry pours will crumble in your hands...It's worth a little extra work to mix thoroughly, Good video
I've removed several rotted posts over the years so I appreciate you mentioning sealing the posts. I use roofing tar/cement on the part of the post that goes into the ground up to about 6 inches above ground. I've been doing this for several years and posts are holding up. Also, I noticed when I removed old posts there were several where the cement was still powder several years after they had been placed. I assumed it was due to pouring the concrete in and then adding water. Because of this I've always mixed the concrete up in a wheel barrel and placed it around the posts.
Awesome video demo. You disproved my thoughts of the viability of foam. But the big take-away is adding the water to my hole. Thank you! It simply pays to break out the wheelbarrow and do it right!
Great video! My uncle helped me put up a new fence (steel posts) a couple of years ago, and the method we used for the concrete was a bit different. Rather than dumping the entire bag of concrete into the hole and then pouring the water on top, we dumped half the bag of concrete, then half the water, and then used a long bar to push down into the sludge a few times to create some holes for the water. Added more concrete, then more water, and repeated the process.
SWI Fence does a ton of videos on fencing install and mythbusting. You don't need to build some complicated bracing system. The concrete will hold the post in place once you pack it around the post. Dry pour anything with concrete is garbage. The screws in the base of a post don't make it harder for your post to come out, it makes it harder to get the concrete solidly along your post. Building a concrete mound above ground doesn't slow rot on the post, but it does make it really easy for frost to heave the post out of the ground. SWI fence has lots of great information and I highly recommend their channel.
I agree that SWI fence is a great channel. And they are against complicated bracing. Scott's system is NOT complicated and is reasonable for a one-man DIY operation. The SWI people need to keep checking plum while adding the concrete. Scott's system avoids the rechecking and rechecking. (Of course, SWI recommends not using concrete at all, but the same comment applies to just tamping in the dirt.)
I only add concrete to the corner posts and the gate posts. Otherwise i just use gravel and whatever rocks come out of the hole. We have more rock than soil here! I find that I don't try for perfectly level until I have about half the filler in the hole. Once there is enough filler the post isn't going to move. I have done a LOT of posts and I haven't had issues with them not been level.
When i built a chain gate, i used pressure treated 4 by4 posts . Put screws around the bottom,then i premixed the quick crete + poured it in 25 years later + it's still good as new I live in CT.
I love watching videos where people dig a hole and the ground is gorgeous black dirt instead of clay and rocks and roots like all of the places I've lived across the USA.
I always support premixing the concrete to "do it right". If you're going to dry pour, arguably the concrete at the bottom will pull the moisture from the soil and setup. You can also put in concrete, add water, more concrete, more water if you're going to "dry pour".
First up, thanks for the video. As someone who's done plenty of these I have only one consideration that is counter to your content, check for what the frost line is in your area and set your post depth to that. Also if you want to get potentially excessive make a bell shape in the dirt and put a few good size nails sticking out in different places of the buried post. You'll make the dirt around the concrete counteract the lift force of yearly frost and the shear strength of a thick nail will act to bond the wood to the concrete. I'm glad you did the quikset demo. I've always known what became evident and have seen elsewhere that even if it gains ground moisture over time, the psi strength is drastically reduced. Ya gotta mix it. You wouldn't eat a cake that just had components dumped in the pan.
Great video! I used the foam on my mailbox a few years ago and it is still standing strong. I think it is good for mailboxes but I'm not sure I would use it for a fence or deck. Flex seal was a good idea.
Great video, thanks for all the detailed instructions. I have to replace one of fence post that got loose during the last storm, I don't think it was ever replaced since the house was built 20 years ago. I will follow your DIY when I replace it. Thanks again!!!
Excellent video. Nicely demonstrated. When you were pouring the water , you should have a steel bar poking down around the pole. That way you can be more certain that water reached all the way down. Alternatively place a few pvc pipes (4 of them), pour the the quick concrete, add water and into the pipes. slowly them them out.
Loved this video. Answers plenty of questions and goes deep! Lol one thing I would like to address, mid west here, frost line 36” really deep 42” for post holes. I find the moisture content of our soil will really get all that concrete hardened by the end of the week! I prefer to extend the concrete just above the soil height protect that post from pooling water. Love that flex seal trick, that’s a keeper! Climate changes everything, Arizona is very different than Minnesota!
The end grain is always the most absorbent area of wood and needs to be sealed first. We used to use shellac, boiled linseed oil, or melted paraffin, while others have even applied glues. There are also products marketed specifically as end grain sealers but I have not used them. Otherwise, great vid and also many of the below comments from those with experience.
For a fence post in south Florida, where we're barely above the water table, we fill the hole with water first and then add the concrete. Sometimes mother nature does it for us, especially in the summer. Hurricane Wilma took down my fence, mostly breaking the posts off at the ground level, except for 2. The fence panels broke off. I discovered those were just in the ground with no concrete. I theorized that without concrete they were able to move a little in the wind and not break off. I pulled them straight up out of the ground without any tools.
I used the Sika foam on all our fence posts. Only 4 years in but no wiggle at all, and sturdy. Missouri weather. I hadn’t heard about sealing the posts but will when it Ned’s to be replaced. So far so good.
If you can go 20 inches you can go 30 inches and more. Do it. The gravel in the bottom is a good thing. The flex seal is good. Always premix. Very good demonstration, sir on how the easy way is the path to failure.
We've been using Henry's Foundation Coating/Sealer as we always seem to have a lot left over. Been working great. Probably a lot cheaper than flex-seal.
My technique is similar. Pour a bag, add water and then poke with a rod to help water seep through concrete (essentially stirring the concrete in the hole) . Repeat for another 1/2 bag, until 2 bags are added. Takes a little more time, but guarantees that the water has saturated all the concrete. I like the idea of spraying the sealer. Great idea. Thanks
Always premix your concrete beforehand for best results, that's my experience. Great idea with the flex seal, I'll have to try that next time. Great video btw!
Appreciate your methodical approach to answering the questions we may have. If you're pouring Two bags of Quikrete Fast-Setting mix into the hole and Then adding water, that would explain your result. The Quikrete instructions do say you can pour the gallon of water after dumping a bag of dry powder in, but dumping Two bags in and Then pouring two gallons of water in would be too much for the water to penetrate. (BTW, that expanding foam product can be dangerous - read some of the negative user comments on the orange big box store's website for that product.)
THANK YOU for doing this. Soooooo many people just don’t understand that you need to mix the concrete before it goes into the hole. While I’m not a fan of putting the post in the hole, your suggestions will help the posts last a little longer. I’m more of a steel or aluminum post person just because I want to do it one time and never again.
Really impressed with the amount of time and effort you put into demoing the setting of a post that you didn't actually need for your own use - really helpful and instructive!
What a great video! I appreciate you taking the time to pull the pole back up and having a good teaching moment. Went for the flex spray and loved how to pull the pole at the end. Thanks!
I tried the foam in place of concrete, and it was OK and seemed to do the as the commercial, but I prefer good old concrete. Your experiment was what I expected myself. When I used that fome I did it because I found a fiber optic cable that was not supposed to be there. So I called the phone company and they said don't put concrete on top of it. So I put a bucket at the bottom of the hole and used that foam. Now the bucket is on top, and the post with the foam.
The rot starts where the damp wood mixes with air, there are wooden ship wrecks, old boats buried being dug up, and Roman timber pile foundations still solid; so the sealant you are using is a good plan to extend life of post. The concrete of left dry will eventually draw in moisture and set, probably depends how much load you want the post to resist before this happens as to how much you need to be cured quickly. Your post looked well set in place to me.
I set posts in all gravel… packing into place with a sledge hammer. I have had 4x4 posts last 30+ years…. The all gravel allows all water to drain away… just last week I set a 4x6 as a mailbox post. Used pea gravel and the smashing down with the sledge hammer. I also burned the bottom of the post.
Wow, interesting concrete reveal. My fence was built with totally dry concrete in the hole. It was explained to me that ground water would moisten the concrete in the whole after job completed. I live in Florida and there is a lot of rainfall throughout the year. I hope that I wasn’t lied to!
Thats why you use a stick to push holes in the quick crete.- letting the water to mix all the way down-- To saturate the concrete -- very simple !! Done this many ,many times. Works wonderful!!
I live in Scotland, and that's why i mix my own concrete for my fence posts. It's a little extra work. I put my 4x4 fence posts in 20 years ago and painted the full post with bitumen paint 2-3 times. After they are in, i mix cement up and place at the bottom of the post in a round circle shape so water running down the post runs off so it doesn't rot , they are still standing
I pour half the bag in the hole then half the water and mix it up a little with the ram rod to get the water down into the powder. Then add the other half bag etc. Also, I just taper the top of the cement to just above soil level sloping away from the post to keep the moisture away instead of using the rubber seal which will likely not withstand years of weed whacking. A nice dome of concrete will.
Thanks for the good video with NO stupid music! I'll try sealing the post next time. I have always wet the hole, then added in the required water, dumped in the concrete and poked/mixed it with a piece of rebar or any strong stick like a broomstick. Maybe add a little more water if needed. I never braced the posts and just double checked for level after the concrete was mixed in the hole. Also, I make a cone around the post a few inches above ground level. Even with the cone, the posts seem to rot at ground level 15-20 years later.
I happened upon this video and I must say it’s a really really good video. And the comments are very helpful for options to your example if you can scroll past the complaints. Great video!
Love your video!! The only thing I do a little differently is I like bringing my concrete up to ground level and not add sod back. My reason is you don’t have to weed whack and your post doesn’t get beat up as you can mow around all sides of post. For the concrete part I don’t worry about the loose concrete below ground level because a few rains water will get to it. I know this because I have dug out ones I did the same as you did and they were solid below ground level over time. Love the flex seal idea and will start using that. Thank you very much for your video! 👍🤛🏻
I poured 1/3 of the bag, add water, and mix in the hole, then add the next third, add water and mix, etc... Did this on the mailbox I installed in 2009, and it's still very stable and solid. I didn't have Flex Seal in 2009, but I did spray paint the wood, before installing. I also used a pressure treated 4X4.
My father and I installed some metal post for a gate about 20 years ago. We would dump a back of concrete mix into the hole then add water and then take a rod and shove it down and pull it up in the concrete mix for a minute all around the poles and then repeat until we had the wet concrete level with the ground. Quick and easy way to mix the concrete and water rather than doing it in a wheelbarrow and then transferring it into the hole. And no need to clean the wheelbarrow.
Nonsense. It only proves what happens after four hours. The concrete at the bottom will draw moisture from the ground over time and harden just like the rest of it.
New subscriber here. 😊 This is the best post-setting video I've ever watched. I can't believe I didn't know about the post level tool. I have some maintenance projects coming up and that's going to be super handy. It's really difficult when you're working solo to get any kind of upright post to set level without walking around and around and adjusting little by little each time. Thank you so much.
Great video as always. After the Great Recession of 2008, I reinvented myself as a handyman. Over the years I've removed many, many rotted and loose posts. Posts installed using the shortcut method are easy removed, even the ones where the water was added incrementally. It's simply too much water with that method- water is the kiss of death for all concrete. Ask any engineer. Concrete mixed in a wheelbarrow or (my favorite) mixing tub using a hoe and using minimal water gets hard as a rock every time.
Agreed. Lay all the posts out next to each other on sawhorses and lay a piece of wood across them at the height you want the line. Spray all of them, then turn 90 degrees and repeat. Fast and easy way to seal your posts. You can do it standing up instead of on your knees and the post does not have to sit in the ground for a day waiting in the flex seal to cure.
@@MAGAMAN No, you said it, I made no such statement. You're more than welcome to stop by and demonstrate how easily the post pulls out of 3 year old concrete since YOU claim I made it harder for the concrete to get a "good grip" on the post. Maybe we can have Everyday Home Repairs post the video of you ripping my fence posts out of the ground so others don't make the same mistake.
Informative, helpful video. In west central Florida fence installers typically place 4x4 fence posts directly into the sandy soil (excellent drainage) without a gravel base or concrete around the post. As a homeowner with many posts I've observed that the posts will rot at ground level, not at depth. That being said your 4 inch above and 4 inch below ground level Flex Seal tip will probably delay rot by a factor of years. Unfortunately, fence installers aren't going to perform this step unless requested by the homeowner.
I have always used a layering technique for the concrete when setting posts. I add the concrete in 1/4 bag increments, tamping each layer and using a quart of water before adding the next layer. I have never had trouble with a lack of setup. I have never thought to use FlexSeal but I like the idea! I would say it might make more sense to spray the whole section that will be buried though, or at the very least the bottom of the post on the end grain.
I usually watch this type of stuff and not learn anything new, but seeing the lousy foam consistency, and spraying flex seal, nice stuff (I have a bucket style mixer you roll on its side that's very easy/convenient from decades ago, have done entire walkways with it in summer heat easy-peasy).
Very good advice. What have done is put a metal sleeve around the post and fill that with mix 2 or 3 inches above ground. Water never gets to the post. Some wouldn't like this due to looks but just fine for me for the fence between properties. This fence has lasted 3 replacements for the back fence replace by contractors. As far as water, I think the ground moisture would set the part that didn't get water and would be fine.
The professional fence installer by me doesn’t add any water to concrete bags for setting fence posts. It seemed wild to me, but I tried it and it worked. After a couple days, enough moisture is pulled from the soil to set up concrete mix. We are in Wisconsin with sandy soil.
We did this exact thing about 7 years ago when we put in our new privacy fence. My wife thought I was nuts putting flex seal on the posts but I was certain it would help since our last fence (we did install) rotted at ground level. We have been the only home that has not lost our fence due to 4 hurricanes and we only had one post (on a long backside run) that broke at the ground level. We are not sure why but we replaced it easily and it has held up great. We are going to put in another one at our vacation home and we plan to do it the same way.
Another vote for expandable foam here. I've had no problems at all and it's a pleasure to use vs concrete. I've used it on two mailbox posts over the years and they are super solid. For light duty needs, I recommend it.
Like you I always put a base of gravel at the bottom of the post. Then either pre-mix a half of bag or pour a half of bag of dry concrete down and add water. Now with a piece of rebar, poke, stab the concrete and slowly then add concrete and water while using that rebar to mix it all together.
I use quikrete alot...I put water in the hole. Let it soak in then fill the hole up with water again. I also have been using a shrinkwrap I bought at Lowe's (they had to order it). But I will be trying out that flex seal tip on my next project. I also prime and double coat paint my 4x4s and 6x6s and I use treated wood. I am guessing he didn't make his hole bell shaped because he wanted to pull up the post to see if the mix worked. Nice video, guy 😊
Agree! The Quickrete instructions specifically state to fill the hole "first" with water up to about 1/3 full. Then, add the dry concrete followed up with more water on top. There is no concern of adding too much water, but the secret is to make sure to fill the hole with water BEFORE dumping in the dry concrete!
@@JustSayN2O the wrap: postsaver it comes in a roll. I got six posts done out of one role (ordered at Lowe's); any good primer should do and exterior paint (i like water based with a semi gloss) the color I want the post to be when I am done. Good luck 🙂
@@JustSayN2O if all you're doing is one post you should try the spray on seal. The shrink wrap is expensive. Made for multiple uses and you'll need a heat gun. In order: primer, paint, seal. Good luck
I also drill in 4 deck screws (one on each side) on the bottom of the post, letting them stick out an inch or so. This lets the concrete ‘anchor’ that post from ‘popping’ or sliding up over time. Especially in northern climates with heavy winter, the post may shrink over time and/or develop a film which lets it slide right through the concrete. The screws fixes that problem.
I built a grape arbor in 1981, the 4x4"s are 2 ft in the ground. Like you I dug the hole a little deeper and used small stoned in the base. That arbor is 43 years old and srill very solid, I thing the stones in the base are the key
Post Level - amzn.to/46TSYUN
Post WaterProof Sleeve - amzn.to/3WXKlE7
Flex Seal- amzn.to/46Felc5
Sika Post Expansion Foam - amzn.to/4dx0IOh
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Won't the rubber flex seal decompose when constantly in water or moisture underground? Have you compared this to using Postsaver Pro-Wrap?
I've done many fence posts with fast setting concrete and used a 3/8" rebar 3 to 4' long to push holes through the concrete powder and you will see the water disappear in these small holes all the way down. Works great.
My dad and I used to install posts for our neighbors and friends to help out around the farms in the area. You can avoid wheelbarrows and a lot of mixing by doing exactly what you did, but putting in 1/3 of the bag, pouring 1/3 water, then more powder, then water, and so forth in 3 or 4 increments. You don't need to stir or mix, but by adding the water at certain levels, it soaks in up and down and the whole thing sets. Never had a post fail due to concrete.
Kind of obvious that's the way it should be done. I've set at least two hundred posts around my prop. and that's what I did. Not sure why this guy missed that rather obvious and simply solution.
@@SurfDweller Kind of obvious that he did this as an example. Not sure why this poster missed that rather obvious and simple solution.
THATS WHAT I WAS SAYING AS HE WAS DOING IT. HE MUST NOT HAVE MAKE KOOLAID BEFORE... BUT NICE VIDEO.
alternatevely, you pour some water into the hole, fill with 1/4 or 1/3 quickcrete, mix & repeat. Never hurts to drive a few galvanized nails/screws into post to prevent movement. Been doing it for decades in highly reactive soil & posts are solid as Day 1.
Same method here, and I put in quite a few mailbox posts as a handyman. I do also use the ground breaking rod to roughly mix or push any air pockets out of the mix, but only a few times as the mix sets up very quickly.
Ex fence builder here. We used to have a garden hose handy to spray water into the hole while pouring in the concrete at the same time. The concrete will also draw ground moisture as well. Also, we eliminated the need to stake the post by just holding the post close to plumb while dumping in the concrete, and then bumping it into level after the concrete was in the hole. As long as the post wasn't bumped afterwards, we never had an issue.
Same. Also I was taught to pour the concrete above the land level and crest a sort of small hill or slope so water can’t pool around the post.
Thank you.
I was gonna say (as a concrete guy), to add some water to the hole before dumping the dry mix in. Get things hydrated, but for a mail box, whatever should work fine
windy areas say No.
@@frez777the instructions on the bags I used a couple of weeks ago even said to add water first 😅
I like how you sacrificed a spot in your well-kept yard just to make this helpful video. You're the man.
My guess is there will be a hammock there in a future video, but THAT guy could make all of that unnoticeable in under 2 hours if he wanted.
Scott is just awesome. I'm a building mechanic here in Connecticut and I do electrical, plumbing, and carpentry. Even though I've been doing this work for 30 years, I love to watch these videos because I'm always learning something new. Scott always does things the right way and will go into detail on how things are done. You're never too old to learn things!
Two things. Pouring dry concrete on top of your gravel will just give you very gravelly concrete at the bottom of the hole. It will not give you the drainage you're looking for. Also, the concrete at the bottom of the hole, that was still dry after a few hours, will set up over the next days and weeks as it draws moisture from the ground.
I do like the flex seal idea. That's a lot less of a mess than using a small roller and thinned roofing tar that I have used in the past when building a fence.
Great video though. Most CZcamsrs just film themselves doing something. You actually purchased all the supplies and did all the work for the video.
I use roofing tar on bottom of the post and build up the concrete at top so water can't stand & soak in. Never had any issues. Got post I installed 20 years ago, still standing with no rot.
Growing up, my grandfather would always dip the ends of posts in used motor oil to seal them. He told me that if it starts to rot anywhere, it will begin at the endgrain because it’s like straws for the wood. I typically paint the ends instead of motor oil, but something else to think about
I use melted wax, like when I store my wood to dry out, but same same. I suppose any petroleum or latex product would suffice for the same results. Paint, deck sealer, oil etc...
Great idea. I always used a mixture of tar and diesel fuel and paint them to about 4 inches above the hole right to the end grain.
I pre diped the end post in wood preservatives for minimum of 24 hours ( 1 week is the best).
Now you know that the wood is no longer going to absorb moisture.
Yes, even the wood is already pressure preservative treated from the lumber manufacturer.
This prevents water draws upward from the ground.
Then use a thin layer of roofing cement coated the 4x4 ends before pour concrete.
Expect 35 + years on each post.
Piss and Vinegar works best for me.
This was excellent. You answered a lot of "what if" questions for those of us who might be attempting this for the first time.
Thanks for the feedback!
I've always dug a 36" hole, add 6" gravel, level post. Always premix concrete and pour into hole. I bring it slightly above grade and bevel it away from post. Never had a issue and still strong at 30yrs. Take Care
Actually the way you did it was correct. It drains well and keeps moisture away from going down the post. Only thing I would add is soak the post in used motor oil first.
I agree with this 100%. I'm going to repeat what you said! There is no reason to put organic material (dirt) around your post. This traps water and bacteria. Keep the post dry and sealed. To do this, seal the lumber, starting with end-grain, up to about 6" above the yard level with some oil based product, Henry's, (or similar). at bottom of hole, below end-grain, leave 6" gravel. Set post. Then mix actual concrete in a wheel barrow. Pour it in all the way up to a couple inches above grass. Bevel it away from post. Again, the top of the concrete pour is an inch or two proud of the grass, and the Henry's (or similar) is a few inches proud of the concrete. Now you can go so far as to seal the top of the concrete. Lastly, PT posts are of inconsistent quality. Coat them with Penofin or similar. If the fence boards need replacing down the line, no biggie. But redoing the posts, is work.
@@johnlux6905 thank you for this explanation and step by step process! I’ll be replacing my mailbox with post this weekend so this is helpful. Can I ask what the purpose of the oil is? To keep moisture away? Either way I’ll do as you say lol
@@captainedc I have such a stupid question but does it have to be used motor oil?
Protip, if you really want that post to sit into the concrete, add some random nails/screws to the bottom of the post and add concrete into the hole. This way when the concrete dries, it'll literally have something to "bite" that's connected to the post. It'll be a PITA to take the post out if the post falls from a hurricane or tornado but by that time, you're going to be in more trouble with something else than the fence.
In 2011, my newly constructed house needed a mailbox. (Southern USA, no freezing, ever) I set the 4x4 into the ground as usual and used Quickrete. About 2 years later, the post became loose. However I cannot remember if the post was able to be wiggled within the concrete, or the concrete was able to be wiggled within the dirt hole. Doesn't matter. Had to be removed at that point.
Needing to replace and upgrade to a nicer mailbox, I dug the entire first one out including the concrete. Then I set a new post in the same hole, but this time using expanding foam. That was 10+ years ago and the mailbox post is still rock hard sturdy. Zero wiggle. It was the first time I ever had used it. Totally miraculous. Recommend without reservations.
Since the foam I used expanded somewhat above ground, the next day I began cutting the excess using a box cutter. The foam was very tough, definitely did not allow finger-poke-holes or even indentations, and really resisted being cut. So I switched to a hand saw which did the trick, using the box cutter only for the foam up against the wood. It's possible that you removed your experimental foam cylinder and tested it too soon. Despite what the manufacturer wrote on the package, the polyurethane probably needed well more than only two hours to fully cure.
By the way, my newer mailbox post has one modification. I screwed in four thick, exterior lag screws into the underground portion of the 4x4, one on each side, several inches below the ground level. This was so the expanding foam would have more surface area to grab onto as it solidified around the mailbox post. The screws protruded about 3 inches from the post. That is, they weren't screwed all the way in. Probably this is why my post remains so incredibly sturdy more than a decade later. What is your opinion on that?
I like the idea of FlexSeal and will use it next time. The clear version. And I will spray the entire underground portion, not just a few inches above and below the ground level. Do you think that is wise? At least one commenter wrote that it separated/expanded somewhat from his post resulting in it being a rainwater collector, if I understood his comment correctly.
I plan to upgrade my mailbox again later this year because the sun and rain have been taking its toll on the wood above the ground. I'll do it in December when it cools down outside !!
I have always dumped one or two buckets of water into the hole first, then put the cement in, then put water on top. That way, the cement draws the water from both ends, and any excess water soakes into the soil.
this guy high IQs
Easy and many people been doing it for years
My frost line is around six inches. I have pulled up 4x4 post where it was “dry set” by layering in about ten inches at a time with water on top and repeated until the hole pour is toppled off. Twenty years later I have had to remove some of these, during renovation projects, using the same method with a “HyLift” jack. They have all been perfect.
In college for landscape design, we were taught to fill the hole halfway with water, then add the concrete mix(because it would be a wet mix) then finish off the hole. then smooth out the concrete always sloping it away from the post (there was no flex seal in the 80's). Great video, by the way. Your videos are always so clear and informative. Good job!
This was the way I was taught as well .. pre-fill the hole part way and then add the post hole mix and then adding any water on top. takes longer to cure but all of the concrete is wet.
@@doughenderson4345 9:54
I did fence work a lot. Never liked the quick set stuff. 3+ ft hole.. bit of gravel.. 2 bags of mixed Crete per hole.. 30+yrs later.. still like new. There is always a good way.. a better way and overkill. I think 30 yrs is long enough.
Data point for fellow homeowners: 25 years ago I built a decorative front yard picket fence. Its structural needs were to not blow over in the wind, except for supporting the gate. It’s a bit less than 4’ tall. I used 3”x3” pressure-treated posts and 8’ pre-manufactured wood panels. I did use concrete for the gate posts, but the rest are just sunk into my heavy clay soil. I am in the South where frozen soil is not a concern. I painted everything with white primer. It still stands and still looks good. Not every fence needs to be set in concrete…
I’ve always mixed in water as I go when I set posts. Specifically, I’d add about 1/3 or 1/2 a bag to the hole, add some water, then mix it together in the hole with a long-handled spade or thin shovel. Repeat the process until I had the amount of concrete I wanted in the hole.
The Flex Seal tip is absolutely great! I will definitely be doing that next time I set a post. As for the Quickcrete that was still powder, over time that dry powder will eventually draw moisture from the soil around it which will solidify the rest of the concrete. That said, it's best to fill the hole half way, then add a half gallon of water. Then fill the hole and add the other half gallon. I've done that several times in the past.
Id rather not poison the earth.. the wood wont rot for at least 10 or 15 years
Absolutely the best course on YT DIY University! Great information! Thanks!
I recently pulled up a couple of 4 x 4 treated grape vine posts. They were placed with only dirt around them and had been in the ground for at least 30 years. What I saw was that even though the above ground portion was weathered with some cracking, the below ground portion still looked new. My guess was that the consistency of the below ground conditions was a good thing as compared to the variations of seasonal weather that the exposed part saw. Pretty amazing.
This matches what I have found in my area. All posts I have had to remove that were placed in concrete have rotted at the point where the post enters the concrete from the top. Those placed directly in the dirt or initially held in place with rocks haven't even started rotting. My Dad taught me to backfill around a post with rocks before putting in any dirt.
You must not have termites in your area lile we do
@@amessnger or carpenter ants like we do. I just pulled up a pist that had been in clay soil for about 15yrs. No concrete. The end had a fair bit of decomposition and insect damage.
The rest of the concrete will soak up rain water and harden
Thank you for the clear, concise narration. It is obvious you took time to plan out all the details you shared, and the extra effort showing the end results of the foam and concrete is appreciated.
That's why I always premix the concrete,..
Thanks for the information,..
This was something I have wondered about forever. I have seen people pour water into the hole and thought this may happen and with your video it proved the point. I still mix mine in a mixer then pour into the hole and glad I've done all of mine that way. Thank you!
SWI Fence did a video and when they pulled the post out, the concrete fell of the post.
9:27 ah ha!! As I suspected as well. When we did the 27 fence posts, we took a 3’ piece of rebar and jabbed down into the mix to get the water to get all the way down to the bottom. Worked quite well too. But I appreciate your video showing the dry cement in the bottom.
We did the same. Made sure we had enough water and did a mix/poke/ppokey in the hole. The massive Deck is solid.
I built a 6 foot x 120 foot long fence 30 years ago, hand mixed and concreted every second post with pea gravel at bottom. Canadian winters and winds, only had to replace one post after someone backed into it. Never had those quik-cret bags back then.
Thanks for the feedback!
I'v always set mailboxes with the dirt and rocks from the hole, tamping at last three times as I go, with a naked ground contact pressure treated post, haven't had a failure yet unless you count snowplow and drunk driving damage.
Good video. Once I learned to set post with sand, never went back to concrete. If it ever rots, it comes out very easy to be replaced. If the fence moves, just tap back in place and add more sand if needed.
Interesting. If the bottom of the post got wet, I guess sand would let it dry out better than concrete would. Also, in frosty winter, sand would create a dry zone around the post more able to allow for ice-induced sheer stress than concrete would. Never tried that, but gonna.
Pre mixed concrete in container or wheel barrel is Always stronger than dry pour especially slabs etc. Whenever cement is removed from ground, dry pours will crumble in your hands...It's worth a little extra work to mix thoroughly, Good video
I've removed several rotted posts over the years so I appreciate you mentioning sealing the posts. I use roofing tar/cement on the part of the post that goes into the ground up to about 6 inches above ground. I've been doing this for several years and posts are holding up. Also, I noticed when I removed old posts there were several where the cement was still powder several years after they had been placed. I assumed it was due to pouring the concrete in and then adding water. Because of this I've always mixed the concrete up in a wheel barrel and placed it around the posts.
Awesome video demo. You disproved my thoughts of the viability of foam. But the big take-away is adding the water to my hole. Thank you! It simply pays to break out the wheelbarrow and do it right!
Great video! My uncle helped me put up a new fence (steel posts) a couple of years ago, and the method we used for the concrete was a bit different. Rather than dumping the entire bag of concrete into the hole and then pouring the water on top, we dumped half the bag of concrete, then half the water, and then used a long bar to push down into the sludge a few times to create some holes for the water. Added more concrete, then more water, and repeated the process.
I wrap the top of the post in rubber roofing and add a layer of aluminum to the area just above the ground. String trimmer protection,
I put a mailbox post in about 6 years ago using the expanding foam. It is still rock solid in the ground.
Me too. 10+ years ago. The post does not wiggle within the foam, and the foam does not wiggle within the surrounding dirt. Totally recommend.
SWI Fence does a ton of videos on fencing install and mythbusting.
You don't need to build some complicated bracing system. The concrete will hold the post in place once you pack it around the post.
Dry pour anything with concrete is garbage.
The screws in the base of a post don't make it harder for your post to come out, it makes it harder to get the concrete solidly along your post.
Building a concrete mound above ground doesn't slow rot on the post, but it does make it really easy for frost to heave the post out of the ground.
SWI fence has lots of great information and I highly recommend their channel.
I agree that SWI fence is a great channel. And they are against complicated bracing. Scott's system is NOT complicated and is reasonable for a one-man DIY operation. The SWI people need to keep checking plum while adding the concrete. Scott's system avoids the rechecking and rechecking. (Of course, SWI recommends not using concrete at all, but the same comment applies to just tamping in the dirt.)
I only add concrete to the corner posts and the gate posts. Otherwise i just use gravel and whatever rocks come out of the hole. We have more rock than soil here! I find that I don't try for perfectly level until I have about half the filler in the hole. Once there is enough filler the post isn't going to move. I have done a LOT of posts and I haven't had issues with them not been level.
When i built a chain gate, i used pressure treated 4 by4 posts .
Put screws around the bottom,then i premixed the quick crete + poured it in
25 years later + it's still good as new
I live in CT.
How deep did you go?
@@DONALD1951 about 2 ft
I love watching videos where people dig a hole and the ground is gorgeous black dirt instead of clay and rocks and roots like all of the places I've lived across the USA.
I have to use a pick to break up the solid shale anywhere I want to plant something.
I always support premixing the concrete to "do it right". If you're going to dry pour, arguably the concrete at the bottom will pull the moisture from the soil and setup. You can also put in concrete, add water, more concrete, more water if you're going to "dry pour".
Thank You for going to all that trouble and extra work to show us the correct process. That was awesome!
First up, thanks for the video. As someone who's done plenty of these I have only one consideration that is counter to your content, check for what the frost line is in your area and set your post depth to that. Also if you want to get potentially excessive make a bell shape in the dirt and put a few good size nails sticking out in different places of the buried post. You'll make the dirt around the concrete counteract the lift force of yearly frost and the shear strength of a thick nail will act to bond the wood to the concrete.
I'm glad you did the quikset demo. I've always known what became evident and have seen elsewhere that even if it gains ground moisture over time, the psi strength is drastically reduced. Ya gotta mix it. You wouldn't eat a cake that just had components dumped in the pan.
I used the expandable foam when I set the post for my mail box after 10 years it's still very strong.
Foam is garbage.
Mine too. 10+ years.
Great video! I used the foam on my mailbox a few years ago and it is still standing strong. I think it is good for mailboxes but I'm not sure I would use it for a fence or deck. Flex seal was a good idea.
Great video, thanks for all the detailed instructions. I have to replace one of fence post that got loose during the last storm, I don't think it was ever replaced since the house was built 20 years ago. I will follow your DIY when I replace it. Thanks again!!!
Excellent video. Nicely demonstrated. When you were pouring the water , you should have a steel bar poking down around the pole. That way you can be more certain that water reached all the way down. Alternatively place a few pvc pipes (4 of them), pour the the quick concrete, add water and into the pipes. slowly them them out.
Loved this video. Answers plenty of questions and goes deep! Lol one thing I would like to address, mid west here, frost line 36” really deep 42” for post holes. I find the moisture content of our soil will really get all that concrete hardened by the end of the week! I prefer to extend the concrete just above the soil height protect that post from pooling water. Love that flex seal trick, that’s a keeper! Climate changes everything, Arizona is very different than Minnesota!
I'd think adding water with every bag, or half bag, would work properly instead of adding water all at the end.
This.
Agreed.
Or just mix it up instead of wasting time and being dumb.
Either way works. One way isn't better.
@@MAGAMAN yes, this!
I've seen fence people use that dry installation method and always thought it was a quick way to do the job. I'll pre mix it myself on the next job.
The end grain is always the most absorbent area of wood and needs to be sealed first. We used to use shellac, boiled linseed oil, or melted paraffin, while others have even applied glues. There are also products marketed specifically as end grain sealers but I have not used them. Otherwise, great vid and also many of the below comments from those with experience.
For a fence post in south Florida, where we're barely above the water table, we fill the hole with water first and then add the concrete. Sometimes mother nature does it for us, especially in the summer.
Hurricane Wilma took down my fence, mostly breaking the posts off at the ground level, except for 2. The fence panels broke off. I discovered those were just in the ground with no concrete. I theorized that without concrete they were able to move a little in the wind and not break off. I pulled them straight up out of the ground without any tools.
I used the Sika foam on all our fence posts. Only 4 years in but no wiggle at all, and sturdy. Missouri weather. I hadn’t heard about sealing the posts but will when it Ned’s to be replaced. So far so good.
If you can go 20 inches you can go 30 inches and more. Do it. The gravel in the bottom is a good thing.
The flex seal is good. Always premix.
Very good demonstration, sir on how the easy way is the path to failure.
We've been using Henry's Foundation Coating/Sealer as we always seem to have a lot left over. Been working great. Probably a lot cheaper than flex-seal.
Gold ingots are cheaper than FlexSeal.
Thanks for sharing. the old practice is the best by mixing it together.
My technique is similar. Pour a bag, add water and then poke with a rod to help water seep through concrete (essentially stirring the concrete in the hole) . Repeat for another 1/2 bag, until 2 bags are added. Takes a little more time, but guarantees that the water has saturated all the concrete. I like the idea of spraying the sealer. Great idea. Thanks
Always premix your concrete beforehand for best results, that's my experience. Great idea with the flex seal, I'll have to try that next time. Great video btw!
Thanks for the feedback!
The concrete mix will absorb moisture from the ground an turn solid within a day or so below the water line that he found.
Appreciate your methodical approach to answering the questions we may have.
If you're pouring Two bags of Quikrete Fast-Setting mix into the hole and Then adding water, that would explain your result. The Quikrete instructions do say you can pour the gallon of water after dumping a bag of dry powder in, but dumping Two bags in and Then pouring two gallons of water in would be too much for the water to penetrate.
(BTW, that expanding foam product can be dangerous - read some of the negative user comments on the orange big box store's website for that product.)
THANK YOU for doing this. Soooooo many people just don’t understand that you need to mix the concrete before it goes into the hole. While I’m not a fan of putting the post in the hole, your suggestions will help the posts last a little longer. I’m more of a steel or aluminum post person just because I want to do it one time and never again.
Or just fill the hole with concrete( sonotube maybe) and set the post above grade using a metal connector to the concrete.
Really impressed with the amount of time and effort you put into demoing the setting of a post that you didn't actually need for your own use - really helpful and instructive!
Here to help 👍
What a great video! I appreciate you taking the time to pull the pole back up and having a good teaching moment. Went for the flex spray and loved how to pull the pole at the end. Thanks!
I tried the foam in place of concrete, and it was OK and seemed to do the as the commercial, but I prefer good old concrete. Your experiment was what I expected myself. When I used that fome I did it because I found a fiber optic cable that was not supposed to be there. So I called the phone company and they said don't put concrete on top of it. So I put a bucket at the bottom of the hole and used that foam. Now the bucket is on top, and the post with the foam.
Wow. Excellent video. As a homeowner who has sunk many posts, this is the best.
The rot starts where the damp wood mixes with air, there are wooden ship wrecks, old boats buried being dug up, and Roman timber pile foundations still solid; so the sealant you are using is a good plan to extend life of post. The concrete of left dry will eventually draw in moisture and set, probably depends how much load you want the post to resist before this happens as to how much you need to be cured quickly. Your post looked well set in place to me.
I set posts in all gravel… packing into place with a sledge hammer. I have had 4x4 posts last 30+ years…. The all gravel allows all water to drain away… just last week I set a 4x6 as a mailbox post. Used pea gravel and the smashing down with the sledge hammer. I also burned the bottom of the post.
Wow, interesting concrete reveal. My fence was built with totally dry concrete in the hole. It was explained to me that ground water would moisten the concrete in the whole after job completed. I live in Florida and there is a lot of rainfall throughout the year. I hope that I wasn’t lied to!
Thats why you use a stick to push holes in the quick crete.- letting the water to mix all the way down-- To saturate the concrete -- very simple !! Done this many ,many times. Works wonderful!!
I live in Scotland, and that's why i mix my own concrete for my fence posts. It's a little extra work. I put my 4x4 fence posts in 20 years ago and painted the full post with bitumen paint 2-3 times. After they are in, i mix cement up and place at the bottom of the post in a round circle shape so water running down the post runs off so it doesn't rot , they are still standing
You can also put the water in first, then the concrete and mix. Works a treat.
I pour half the bag in the hole then half the water and mix it up a little with the ram rod to get the water down into the powder. Then add the other half bag etc. Also, I just taper the top of the cement to just above soil level sloping away from the post to keep the moisture away instead of using the rubber seal which will likely not withstand years of weed whacking. A nice dome of concrete will.
Great job. What I have done is mix the concrete in a 5 gallon bucket, in order to mix it more thoroughly. I have also mixed it in a wheelbarrow.
Thanks for the good video with NO stupid music! I'll try sealing the post next time. I have always wet the hole, then added in the required water, dumped in the concrete and poked/mixed it with a piece of rebar or any strong stick like a broomstick. Maybe add a little more water if needed. I never braced the posts and just double checked for level after the concrete was mixed in the hole. Also, I make a cone around the post a few inches above ground level. Even with the cone, the posts seem to rot at ground level 15-20 years later.
Wow, thanks for going through all that extra effort to pull it back out! Great info!
Great example, nice touch. thanks.
I happened upon this video and I must say it’s a really really good video. And the comments are very helpful for options to your example if you can scroll past the complaints. Great video!
Love your video!! The only thing I do a little differently is I like bringing my concrete up to ground level and not add sod back. My reason is you don’t have to weed whack and your post doesn’t get beat up as you can mow around all sides of post. For the concrete part I don’t worry about the loose concrete below ground level because a few rains water will get to it. I know this because I have dug out ones I did the same as you did and they were solid below ground level over time. Love the flex seal idea and will start using that. Thank you very much for your video! 👍🤛🏻
Thank you for pulling out!!! I've always wondered if it soaked all the way down!!!
thanks for the detail Scott. Your videos are always heads and shoulders above your peers
I poured 1/3 of the bag, add water, and mix in the hole, then add the next third, add water and mix, etc...
Did this on the mailbox I installed in 2009, and it's still very stable and solid.
I didn't have Flex Seal in 2009, but I did spray paint the wood, before installing.
I also used a pressure treated 4X4.
My father and I installed some metal post for a gate about 20 years ago. We would dump a back of concrete mix into the hole then add water and then take a rod and shove it down and pull it up in the concrete mix for a minute all around the poles and then repeat until we had the wet concrete level with the ground. Quick and easy way to mix the concrete and water rather than doing it in a wheelbarrow and then transferring it into the hole. And no need to clean the wheelbarrow.
Yeah, that sounds like it would work better to get a mix.
Great video! I always fill the hole halfway with water, then dump the concrete in.
Digging the post up after the fact was a great idea. It proved dry filling a hole is a bad idea.
Nonsense. It only proves what happens after four hours. The concrete at the bottom will draw moisture from the ground over time and harden just like the rest of it.
Thank you for this! Flex seal is a great tip. Also - Thanks for the dry cement experiment! Great to know!
New subscriber here. 😊
This is the best post-setting video I've ever watched. I can't believe I didn't know about the post level tool. I have some maintenance projects coming up and that's going to be super handy. It's really difficult when you're working solo to get any kind of upright post to set level without walking around and around and adjusting little by little each time. Thank you so much.
Great video as always. After the Great Recession of 2008, I reinvented myself as a handyman. Over the years I've removed many, many rotted and loose posts. Posts installed using the shortcut method are easy removed, even the ones where the water was added incrementally. It's simply too much water with that method- water is the kiss of death for all concrete. Ask any engineer. Concrete mixed in a wheelbarrow or (my favorite) mixing tub using a hoe and using minimal water gets hard as a rock every time.
This is fantastic. I've always wondered about quick setting concrete... and the flex seal idea is gold!
I like to paint posts head to toe before sinking it in the whole.
If you have a whole fence line, it is much easier to spray before assembling (IMHO)
Yeah batching the painting process would be much faster. Thanks for the feedback!
Agreed. Lay all the posts out next to each other on sawhorses and lay a piece of wood across them at the height you want the line. Spray all of them, then turn 90 degrees and repeat. Fast and easy way to seal your posts. You can do it standing up instead of on your knees and the post does not have to sit in the ground for a day waiting in the flex seal to cure.
I've wrapped the post below grade in ice and water roofing membrane with success (so far anyway).
So you are saying you made it more difficult for the cement to get a good grip on the wood?
@@MAGAMAN
No, you said it, I made no such statement. You're more than welcome to stop by and demonstrate how easily the post pulls out of 3 year old concrete since YOU claim I made it harder for the concrete to get a "good grip" on the post. Maybe we can have Everyday Home Repairs post the video of you ripping my fence posts out of the ground so others don't make the same mistake.
Informative, helpful video. In west central Florida fence installers typically place 4x4 fence posts directly into the sandy soil (excellent drainage) without a gravel base or concrete around the post. As a homeowner with many posts I've observed that the posts will rot at ground level, not at depth. That being said your 4 inch above and 4 inch below ground level Flex Seal tip will probably delay rot by a factor of years. Unfortunately, fence installers aren't going to perform this step unless requested by the homeowner.
I have always used a layering technique for the concrete when setting posts. I add the concrete in 1/4 bag increments, tamping each layer and using a quart of water before adding the next layer. I have never had trouble with a lack of setup. I have never thought to use FlexSeal but I like the idea! I would say it might make more sense to spray the whole section that will be buried though, or at the very least the bottom of the post on the end grain.
Great video, I'm about to install a post in front of my house for address numbers and this video definitely helped! Thank you
I usually watch this type of stuff and not learn anything new, but seeing the lousy foam consistency, and spraying flex seal, nice stuff (I have a bucket style mixer you roll on its side that's very easy/convenient from decades ago, have done entire walkways with it in summer heat easy-peasy).
Very good advice. What have done is put a metal sleeve around the post and fill that with mix 2 or 3 inches above ground. Water never gets to the post. Some wouldn't like this due to looks but just fine for me for the fence between properties. This fence has lasted 3 replacements for the back fence replace by contractors. As far as water, I think the ground moisture would set the part that didn't get water and would be fine.
The professional fence installer by me doesn’t add any water to concrete bags for setting fence posts. It seemed wild to me, but I tried it and it worked. After a couple days, enough moisture is pulled from the soil to set up concrete mix. We are in Wisconsin with sandy soil.
You should 'post' this on all social media platforms
Oh man! Nice one 😂
We did this exact thing about 7 years ago when we put in our new privacy fence. My wife thought I was nuts putting flex seal on the posts but I was certain it would help since our last fence (we did install) rotted at ground level. We have been the only home that has not lost our fence due to 4 hurricanes and we only had one post (on a long backside run) that broke at the ground level. We are not sure why but we replaced it easily and it has held up great. We are going to put in another one at our vacation home and we plan to do it the same way.
Another vote for expandable foam here. I've had no problems at all and it's a pleasure to use vs concrete. I've used it on two mailbox posts over the years and they are super solid. For light duty needs, I recommend it.
Like you I always put a base of gravel at the bottom of the post. Then either pre-mix a half of bag or pour a half of bag of dry concrete down and add water. Now with a piece of rebar, poke, stab the concrete and slowly then add concrete and water while using that rebar to mix it all together.
I use quikrete alot...I put water in the hole. Let it soak in then fill the hole up with water again. I also have been using a shrinkwrap I bought at Lowe's (they had to order it). But I will be trying out that flex seal tip on my next project. I also prime and double coat paint my 4x4s and 6x6s and I use treated wood.
I am guessing he didn't make his hole bell shaped because he wanted to pull up the post to see if the mix worked.
Nice video, guy 😊
Agree! The Quickrete instructions specifically state to fill the hole "first" with water up to about 1/3 full. Then, add the dry concrete followed up with more water on top. There is no concern of adding too much water, but the secret is to make sure to fill the hole with water BEFORE dumping in the dry concrete!
What shrinkwrap, primer and paint do you use? I'm planning on replacing my mailbox later this year. Thanks.
@@JustSayN2O the wrap: postsaver it comes in a roll. I got six posts done out of one role (ordered at Lowe's); any good primer should do and exterior paint (i like water based with a semi gloss) the color I want the post to be when I am done.
Good luck
🙂
@@jrcastillo2824 👍
@@JustSayN2O if all you're doing is one post you should try the spray on seal. The shrink wrap is expensive. Made for multiple uses and you'll need a heat gun. In order: primer, paint, seal.
Good luck
I also drill in 4 deck screws (one on each side) on the bottom of the post, letting them stick out an inch or so. This lets the concrete ‘anchor’ that post from ‘popping’ or sliding up over time. Especially in northern climates with heavy winter, the post may shrink over time and/or develop a film which lets it slide right through the concrete. The screws fixes that problem.
I built a grape arbor in 1981, the 4x4"s are 2 ft in the ground. Like you I dug the hole a little deeper and used small stoned in the base.
That arbor is 43 years old and srill very solid, I thing the stones in the base are the key
Man you deserve 100 likes per person for all this work you went through. Thanks for doing this and sharing it. Wish I could give you 100 likes !
Thanks so much!
A good and honest demonstration!