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Installation of fence posts without concrete

11 October 2022

Concreting fence posts is a tedious activity. First you need to organize equipment and materials. Later, you lay the concrete in holes, underpinning or prefabricated connectors and wait for it to set. Are you looking for alternative fixing methods? Check what is the installation of concrete-free fence posts, when it can be used and what are the disadvantages of this type of solution.

Why is concrete the most commonly used for the installation of fence posts?

Why do most people choose concrete to attach fence posts? The answer to this question is simple: it is a proven, generally available and cheap material that perfectly keeps various metal structures vertical. Concrete is used both for stiffening pipes and fence profiles, as well as for the construction of foundations and posts for entrance gates.

Concreting posts is the most popular method of installing fences, chosen by professionals and amateurs. High-quality concrete supports the fence for decades, does not crack and forms a uniform structure with the ground. This material does not require complicated processing, binds relatively quickly and protects the metal against moisture. What, instead of concrete, should be used for the construction of the fence and are there any equally effective techniques for the installation of poles?

When you plan a temporary fencing made of forestry mesh, you dig the impregnated poles into the ground, harden – and it’s ready. How to embed metal fence posts in the ground without concrete? There are several alternative types of mounting that can be divided into 2 groups:

  1. Economic (makeshift) methods:

– driving pipes or profiles without ballast, directly into the ground;

– placing the posts in narrow wells and supplementing them with aggregate.

  1. More expensive and more advanced methods:

– anchoring the poles on steel bases screwed into the ground;

– the use of resin mounting masses for wells and connectors;

– fixing with the use of fixing mixtures (to be connected with water directly in the ground).

Provisional methods work well when you want to fence a large field, orchard, recreational plot or small animal enclosure quickly and cheaply. However, there is a high risk that the metal poles will rust and require regular maintenance. For the installation of a representative fence around the property, instead of concrete, you can use anchors or fixing mixtures – thanks to them, you will maintain the functionality and aesthetic appearance of the fence longer.

Fastening masses for fence posts instead of concrete

Currently, more and more owners of small properties choose quick-setting compounds for fence posts instead of concrete. This solution works when the fence is short and you want to finish the construction as soon as possible or you don’t know how to prepare a traditional mortar. What is the difference between the lashing masses and the usual concrete? Instead of cement, aggregates and sand usually contain polyurethane resins.

The light, resinous mass sticks to the post after a few minutes and fills the holes for the fence tightly. You do not need a wheelbarrow or a concrete mixer to prepare it. The fast binding pace makes the installation of vertical elements fast. Remember, however, that chemical masses are usually very toxic. They are also not suitable for the stabilization of high and heavy fences.

Installation of fence posts without concrete – when can it be done?

Fence posts do not always require concreting. In what situations is this possible? For example, when you want to put up a light, openwork panel fence, a fence made of ordinary braided or forest mesh. You also don’t have to pour concrete under the posts if:

– the ground around the plot is stable and non-absorbent;

– there are no hills and large slopes on the property;

– you are planning to build a temporary fence, which will ultimately serve no longer than 2-3 seasons.

Fence posts for panel fences and nets can be driven directly into the ground, if it is sandy or sandy loam. The soil for the fence should be non-absorbent, it cannot retain water or freeze excessively in the autumn and winter period. Do you have clay on your plot? So forget about installing concrete-free poles. Metal poles will be unstable, corrode quickly and deteriorate due to moisture.

Embedding fence posts without concrete: disadvantages of the solution

What are the main disadvantages of installing concrete-free posts and why is this solution often a failure?

– poles embedded directly in the ground rust faster and tilt under the influence of the weight of the fence or the action of the wind;

– post anchors are narrow and light – sometimes they are not able to hold high fences vertically;

– mixtures imitating concrete are expensive and unprofitable in the case of long fences;

– ready-made fixing masses may lose their properties after a few seasons due to frost and moisture, which will cause the columns to tilt.

Remember that building a fence without a solid support of posts is like putting a house on sand – without strong foundations, the structure will collapse. So before you start the assembly work, make an on-site inspection of your plot, consult a specialist and choose the right solution to avoid costly repairs.