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Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:36 pm
by Forestboy1978
How about using a bell shape concrete support!
Dig the hole 2ft 2" deep and approx 8" diameter! Right at the bottom of the hole just jab a digging bar in at an angle all round the base of the hole to enlarge it at bottom to about 12- 14" diamater for several inches up. Thus creating your bell bottom.
THEN
Drop in 2" hardcore or whatever and tamp it down. Insert and level your post. pour in concrete filling the bottom and being pushed in all around and then all the way up to the top and finally just make it 2" proud of the landline coming in at a 45 degree angle right to your 4" post.
You couldn't do this under all conditions but on the ones you could surely it would massivley reduce rot!
Ok flame me!
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:45 pm
by local patios and driveway
Hmmm, im not convinced it worth the effort, water can still get soaked in to the timber and sit in under the concrete no matter its shape. But its always good to consider these things, you never know where good lines of thought can take you, ask bic or gillette
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:48 pm
by Forestboy1978
I'm not convinced either, just putting it out there. Looking for the immortal fence post 
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:00 pm
by digerjones
they always rot at ground level. always last longer with no concrete. dragons den had a chap on putting the end of post in plastic sleave. well done for your thought process
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:10 pm
by Forestboy1978
That's my point. The 2" lip of concrete that protrudes out from the ground to 2" about ground level and angled roughly 45 to the post causes the water to run off the post and down the side of the concrete. Everything below ground is encapsulated in the concrete so remains dry or dryer. The 2" of tamped hardcore allows some drainage too.
I realise this isnt perfect and you wouldn't get paid extra for it but surely it would increase lifespan considerably. Anyway, I'm going to try it on my own fence when I have one that needs erecting or maybe a small fencing job that I can keep an eye on over the years..... decades lol
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:18 pm
by lutonlagerlout
IIRC you can buy plastic fencing thats rot proof
LLL
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:42 pm
by Pablo
You're thinking about things to much mate everything you're talking about has it's own inherant problems. It's best practice to slope the concrete away from the post and finishit above ground level but rarely can you do that due to it then being in the way of the paving or being to visible in lawns and beds. If you add stone to the bottom of the hole you're not improving drainage you're giving the water a void to drain to so the post sits in more water. Dig the hole a bit deeper than you need and throw in some concrete to level the post off tamp the mix in everry 150mm or soand it'll be as tight as it needs to be. now stop thinking to hard and get some sleep yer heid must be fried by now.
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:43 pm
by Pablo
There is an immortal fence post it's made from concrete and they not much more expensive.
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:18 pm
by Bob_A
I think concrete fence posts can look pretty good, especially the smooth finished very light grey (almost white) ones.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 12:28 am
by Thehandmadegarden
I've seen countless permutations of fence post details. You have to understand how wood decay works on timber and indeed how drainage works as Pablo said simple putting gravel in the bottom wont work. Decay occurs when the right conditions of moisture and air exist and that's around the neck. Placing anything against the post..concrete, plastic etc. will only hold the moisture. The same reason in Arboriculture we no longer paint tree wounds with bitumen as it holds the moisture.
Concentrate your efforts in ensuring that you are using timber posts to BS EN 335 to a Use Class 4.
If using 75mm square upgrade to 100mm Simpls!
Clive
www.thehandmadegarden.com
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:47 am
by lutonlagerlout
i replaced a 10 year old fence the other week
every 75mm post was rotten at exactly ground level
the stuff in the concrete was fine and the stuff above ground was fine
but 100mm above ground and below was as rotten as a pear
LLL
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:35 am
by michaelthegardener
lutonlagerlout wrote:IIRC you can buy plastic fencing thats rot proof
LLL
A customers neighbour had some put in about 5 years back there fadeing summut terrible now 
id sooner use wood myself looks nicer to me even if it dose rot
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:40 am
by Carberry
Bob_A wrote:I think concrete fence posts can look pretty good, especially the smooth finished very light grey (almost white) ones.
I've never liked the look of concrete posts.
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:34 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I am a big fan of slotted posts and gravel boards
I have down fences like that 20 years ago and apart from the panels the posts etc are fine
LLL
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:28 pm
by dig dug dan
I couldn't agree with luton more. See this pic. Its plastic posts and gravel boards. It happens to be my garden.
I ended up fencing in all three sides, and it hasn't faded.
The posts you can pick up one handed, cut with a handsaw, and drill easily if you need to
Concrete posts are a no brainer!
(btw the plastic ones are stronger)
