Bananas.org - View Single Post - Is setting fenceposts in concrete necessary in sandy soil?

sputinc7 · 04-17-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Hi Kat,

wooden posts should never be placed directly into concrete, but you should use a post
bracket as intermediary like the ones shown here:
Materials - Posts, Spikes and Supports: Post Bases and Brackets | RONA
concrete attracts moisture and wood in direct contact with it will accordingly rot a lot
faster. If you have a carport or if there is one in your neighbourhood, check them out
and you will see, that the wooden posts are separated from the concrete.

It is the same principle, why we do not store bananas on concrete floors when wintering
them bare root indoors, unless we cover the concrete first with plastic and then with
cardboard, before we lay down the banana stems.

Now to your crack "Before you giggle at a girl question like this...", let me assure you,
that 1/3rd to 1/2 of the guys here would have called that stuff 'cement' instead of
'concrete', as you did correctly, so kudos for that!

Good luck,
Olaf
PS: Don't be put off by the prices in that site. They are in CAD these things should be
a lot cheaper in USDs

Using treated posts, as you should, will ensure they won't rot until your fence needs replacing anyway. (You could paint them before using if it makes you feel better.) And, the post brackets you showed are a nice idea, but will not hold up in much wind. They have no leverage to hold a 6 foot tall fence upright on a windy day or especially in a storm. (Plus, the base will hold moisture on the wood, also causing more rapid rotting of the wood.) If you want it to last, use a larger post, such as 4x6 or 6x6, and definitely use cement. For a fence I didn't want to repair, ever, I would use a whole bag of cement each and 4x6 pressure treated posts put in the ground at least 30 inches. Use 6x6 posts and you will be able to replace the fence panels once without replacing the posts. I have built lots of fence as well as replaced a lot of improperly built fence.
Hope it helps. Steve.