How to set up fence posts?

Equal positioning and correct installation of fence posts is one of the key issues when building a fence. Properly verticalized supports are integral elements of the entire structure. In our article we will present some tips on what to keep in mind when installing them and what is the setting of fence posts.

Selection of fence posts

Before you start preparing the area of your plot for the installation of fence posts, you need to choose the right type of these brackets. On the Polish market you will find several options, including: round, profile and wooden posts. Each of these types has a different application and properties.

Steel round posts, in a galvanized version , with a diameter of 38 mm to 60 mm are most often used to install a fence mesh, as well as wooden fence stamps , which work well as a carrier of forest and temporary mesh. For the construction of panel fences, profiled, galvanized or hot-dip painted posts are usually used, with a standard cross-section of 60 mm x 40 mm.

Erecting fence posts – what is worth knowing?

Before you start setting up fence posts, plant the area of your plot and make sure that there are no stones, debris, tree roots or other obstacles left on the line of the planned fence. If the terrain has a large slope, have it leveled using heavy equipment. Only after such preliminary preparation can you start measuring and staking out the lines of your fence.

Prepare basic tools and aids: tape measure, ropes, boards and stakes, and then determine the location of individual posts, starting from the beginning and corner, and ending with the middle ones. Remember to keep an appropriate width between the starting posts, corresponding to the light of the gate and wicket.

Excavations for posts – how to make them?

Do you care about quick installation of the fence without the need for time-consuming formwork preparation? To make excavations for fence posts, you only need a drill and a shovel. Prepare round holes in the ground with a width of 30 cm x 30 cm or 40 cm x 40 cm (depending on the stability of the ground) and a depth of at least 70-80 cm, and then pour a layer of sand on their bottom.

Remember to carefully analyze the depth of the trench for the fence posts. A depth of 80 cm is the optimal value for the regions of the Polish west and central, and if your plot is located in the northeast or in mountainous regions where there are adverse weather conditions, low temperatures and strong winds, consider the depth of pits 100-120 cm.

How to evenly position fence posts?

The spirit level is a basic tool, necessary when erecting fence posts. On the Polish market you will find many different models of spirit levels, including: classic and special – post and magnetic, designed for the installation of fence posts. If the fence is to be stable and aesthetically pleasing, repeatedly check during assembly work whether the individual posts are arranged vertically.

Measure on both opposite sides of the bars to make sure that there is no deviation from the vertical on either of them. Start the assembly work from the posts located on the edge, and then using a string, mark the lines of the course of the internal posts. When planning the arrangement of posts , remember that the standard lengths of spans are from 2 m to 2.5 m, and for mesh fences it is 2.5 m. 

Positioning posts on uneven or unstable ground

If there are large fluctuations in the height of the ground level on your plot and you do not have the opportunity to level the area, use the so-called grading – a structure consisting of two or more levels. To position all fence posts evenly, start with the poles located at the gate and wicket, middle and corner.

Are you dealing with a lot of uneven terrain that you can't plant with heavy equipment? Keep in mind that your fence posts are designed to last for many years, so setting them is crucial in the context of the stability and durability of the fence. Remember to dig for posts in non-uniform, uneven ground only when it is hardened, at a depth of at least 100-140 cm, depending on the specificity of the substrate.

What to do to make the posts stand straight during assembly?

When installing the fence, immediately before pouring the holes under the posts with dry concrete, you can use additional supports of the post in the form of reinforcing bars, stones or small rubble. Such a solid stiffening will make it easier to keep the pole vertical and minimize the need to make adjustments to the setting.

An alternative to traditional concreting of posts is their embedding using a ready-made resin mounting mass. The time it takes for this material to dry is about 15 minutes, which makes the probability of tilting the pole minimal. If you have a small area and plan to install a light panel or mesh fence, the use of a quick mass will make it easier for you to correctly position the fence posts.