Any concrete producer will tell you that it should be mixed wet and then poured. Apparently, removing the original posts left very large holes, which the previous fence builder filled with concrete. Fill the hole with Fast-Setting Concrete up to 3 to 4 inches below ground level. Turns out they used the type of mix you just dump dry in the hole w/o water, and the ground moisture is supposed to set the concrete. Dry-packing as we install, allows us to make final adjustments and wet all footings at once when the fence is completely perfect and ready for … Concrete is not necessary. I had a privacy fence installed by the "pros". Pour water in the hole before and after the concrete and "poke it with a stick" to make sure. Depends on the scale of the project… ie in a fence post hole the temps will make **** all difference, even in a mass pour for deep trench filled footings. You can toss eggs, milk, flour and sugar into a cake pan unmixed, cook it and get something that sort of resembles cake. Fast-setting concrete is ideal for installing fence posts since it doesn't need to be mixed in a bucket or a wheelbarrow. With a single piece of metal in the concrete (the post) there are only two significant points of failure. So my buddy is dealing with a lot of concrete. Supposedly they set the posts 40" deep in concrete. Either the post can break (unlikely) or the concrete around it can be loosened up. im jaded by the price difference as well as the quantity difference. Once you’ve finished digging your post holes, add about three to four inches of gravel into the bottom and compact it using a post or a 2x4. With vinyl posts you do not want to rely on rain/ground water to set the concrete. Concrete is the most secure material for setting fence posts, especially if you have sandy soil. hey so i've been building a couple fences lately and have been premixing with a concrete mixer i bought which was a couple hundred. DO Apply Caulk to Each Fence Post. Mixed Concrete in a Fence Post Hole. Step 6 Pour about a gallon of water per 50 lb bag into the hole and allow the water to saturate the concrete mix. Also, you may want to set your posts about an inch deeper than where you want the tops. my question is can you mix the standard quikrete that comes in an 80lb yellow bag $4.50 the same way you would do the fast setting quikrete that come only in the red 50 lb bag for $5.25? If the privacy fence has significant area there could be a lot of wind load, unlike with a fence post. Step 7 Wait about 4 hours to begin constructing your fence or applying heavy weight to your post. Properly treated posts should not rot any more in concrete, than in soil. Corner posts that are not set in concrete, can pull out from the tension of the fence. Drive in only, all line posts. If the concrete was not completely dry, the post could move around causing a gap between the semi-dried concrete and the post. Otherwise, when you thread your rails in the posts will crawl all over the place. However, even if the concrete around it breaks up, the fence will still be held in place by the inserted post. Double-check that the post hasn’t fallen out of level, then let the concrete harden. Think of it this way. NOTE: mix will set hard in 20 to 40 minutes. Using premixed concrete rather than dry concrete will ensure ultimate security. Gravel may be okay with dense, clay-heavy soil, but in looser soil, concrete is the only thing that will truly keep your fence posts stuck in place. Concrete trucks drive around with mixing wet product for a reason. 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