Pro tip: A homeowner in Austin showed me why my post hole depth was wrong

I was putting up a cedar fence last spring, using my trusty 24-inch auger and going about 30 inches down like I always do for a 6-foot panel. The homeowner, an older guy who used to work construction, came out and said, 'Son, you're digging to frost line for up north. Our ground here shifts with the heat, not the freeze. You need width, not just depth.' He was right. I was wasting time and effort. Now for most residential jobs in this area, I go 24 inches down but I make the hole a solid 12 inches wide, packing the concrete around the post to create a bigger 'foot.' It uses more concrete mix, maybe an extra bag every five posts, but the stability is way better. Has anyone else had to totally change their digging method when they moved to a new region?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthew12214d ago

Yeah, that's spot on. Learned the same thing in Arizona. Dry, sandy soil just doesn't hold like clay. Depth didn't do much. Started making a wider bell shape at the bottom of the hole, almost like a concrete anchor. Totally changed the game for wind resistance. You really have to watch what the local guys who've been there forever are doing.

grace_johnson914d ago

Arizona soil sounds like trying to set a post in a bucket of sugar. I can't believe depth didn't even help.