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My neighbor who builds decks said my fence post holes weren't deep enough
After he told me I needed to go down 42 inches for our clay soil instead of the standard 30, I redid all 12 posts and that fence hasn't budged an inch through three freeze-thaw cycles - has anyone else been told to dig deeper than the guide says?
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ryan_shah381mo ago
Your neighbor telling you to go down 42 inches in clay is solid advice, I've seen too many fences heave up after one bad winter with shallow posts. Clay acts like a sponge when it freezes, so going below the frost line (which is usually around 36-48 inches in colder zones) is the only way to keep things stable long term. If you ever add gravel at the bottom of those holes, it helps with drainage too, just don't skimp on the concrete.
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wesleyb201mo ago
Yeah it's funny how that applies to so much stuff in life too. People cut corners because it saves time right now but two years later you're paying double to fix it. Same with painting or even just putting together furniture. Do it right the first time and you never have to think about it again.
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hall.joel1mo ago
You're talking about "do it right the first time" and I get it, but honestly sometimes people overthink this stuff. I've seen fences that were set in concrete poorly and heaved anyway, and I've also seen posts sunk in just 24 inches of soil with no concrete that stood straight for... I dunno, like fifteen years. @ryan_shah38 is probably right for heavy clay or real cold climates, but not every yard is a frozen swamp. I think people act like one bad winter is gonna destroy everything when really it's just dirt and wood, you can always fix it later if it moves.
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