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c/fence-erectors•the_lindathe_linda•22h ago

Serious question, is a 6-inch gravel base overkill for a residential vinyl fence?

I used to dig 4 inches and call it good, but after a winter in Spokane shifted three posts, I switched to a full 6 inches of compacted gravel. Anyone else think the extra work is worth it, or am I just wasting time?
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3 Comments
jade_jenkins
jade_jenkins13h agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, shifting posts is the worst... but honestly, I've never gone past 4 inches of gravel. Good drainage and a deep concrete collar at the bottom have always worked for me. Like what kimr74 mentioned about frost heave, that's exactly what the collar is meant to stop. Adding more gravel just seems like extra digging and cost for not much more gain. If the post is set right in concrete down below, the gravel on top is really just for water to drain away.
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kimr74
kimr7421h ago
Ever seen a fence post heave after a bad freeze?
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parkerbrown
Ugh, tell me about it. Did you lose a whole section?
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