Corner posts for field fence

[mysticokra]

I plan on fencing the goats and sheep with a 48" woven field fence. My neighbor suggested that using steel posts like the ones used in chain link fence would better than 4 by 4 wood posts for the corners because they don't rot. (I'll probably just use the regular metal fence poles for the span.)

If the expense is not an issue, would the chain-link posts take the strain as well as wood? Any reasons that this might not be a good idea?

[GareyD]

I don't think the galvanized post would take the strain of field fence corners...on a chain link fence the top rails help to distribute the weight/pull of the fencing...without the top rails those thin wall posts are pretty wimpy...

I personally won't use nothing less than 6-8 inch posts for corners, and then only with good bracing /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

GareyD

[mysticokra]

Thanks. Another friend suggested "..Unless you're going to use at least 6x6 treated posts for corners and H's wood is a waste of money. If you stretch the wire real tight like it should BE 4x4's won't hold up over the long haul. Find some 3 inch OD pipe , put 3 feet in the ground using a 9 inch diameter hole , it will take 2-80 pound sacks of sackrete per hole. 3 feet in the hole and 5 feet out. Then , weld some 2 1/2 inch pipe as horizontial braces between your vertical posts, and they should be 6 feet apart . NOW , you can stretch the [censored] out of that wire and your posts won't come out of the ground."

Is this overkill? Sounds pretty good to me.

[Gatorboy]

I would use ROUND wood posts -- tamped in, not with cement. I would build a brace corner (http://www.mytscstore.com/pages/advice/high_tensile_install_guide/high_tensile_install_guide_files/hi_ten_ins_fig2.jpe)

Posts like this will last at least 30 years. You should be able to buy 8' round posts for $7 to $9 each.

[Al_Wa]

Dave,

What "round wood" posts are you talking about that last thirty years? My experience with round posts has been poor. If the are naturally round, as came from a tree of that diameter, and untreated, the sapwood rots very quickly, even cedar. Railroad ties for corner posts are OK but heck on a chain saw. I use split cedar from trees that were 100+ years old tampted in as you suggest. These were split in a triangular shape ~ 10 inches on a side, might get thirty years from them.

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> What "round wood" posts are you talking about that last thirty years? </font color>

The kind you buy for high-tensile fencing. These are of course CCA pressure treated. Don't use cement, for that will cause the posts to rot alot faster.

I wouldn't put anything in the ground but treated posts. Treated posts should last 30 years without much problem.

[Al_Wa]

Thanks Dave, never heard of pressure treated round posts, I bet they are treated "peeler" cores from plywood mills.

Cowboy, my wife and I attended Cavalia (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001953233_Cavalia11.html) last night, I am sure you and your family would enjoy it. Unbelievable to me what a horse can be trained to do.

[JoeR]

I used H-Braces on my corners and every 300 linear feet. I use my tractor to pull the wire, and I mean pull!!! I have 8' long CCA posts, 6" diameter with no cement and 4' into the ground. They don't move even with all the pulling. Depending how much fencing I am doing, I will purchase them from the feed store or tractor supply. I must warn you to wear GLOVES!!! I am always pulling splinters out of my hands after doing any work with those posts, and I always forget to put gloves on until I get at least 2 splinters. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[mysticokra]

We're making good progress on this idea. Thanks for the help.

Now for the tough part. Can I hang a 16 foot gate on the posts or do they require a post separate from the fence?

[Gatorboy]

I recently put up some high-tensile fence and installed a 16' gate. (http://www.pbase.com/image/30385684.jpg) I have H-braces (http://www.pbase.com/image/30385679.jpg) on each side, for that is where I am pulling for each side of the fence.

[dwmartin]

I know that this is an old forum but here is my 2 bits worth: Two 8 foot gates are better than one 16 footer - less pressure on your posts - H braced.

[roughcut]

The kind you buy for high-tensile fencing. These are of course CCA pressure treated. Don't use cement, for that will cause the posts to rot alot faster.

How come they rot faster with concrete ? I built my pole barn with treated posts set in concrete,my wrap around porch is built on 6"x 6" treated set in concrete? Did I do wrong here ? /forums/images/icons/confused.gif

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> How come they rot faster with concrete ? </font color>

Concrete will rot the post faster for two reasons:

1. The lime in the concrete will eat away at the wood.
2. The concrete creates a nice pocket for rain water, and the post will just sit in constant contact with moisture, causing it to rot sooner.

All wood posts will rot eventually, but when it's time to replace the posts, the ones without concrete will be alot easier to replace.

[flponygirl]

A trick I learned to help keep the gate from sagging is to put an extra bolt (used to hang the gate) at the bottom of the opposite post. You can set the gate on top of this when it's closed as the bottom of most gates are hollow.

[ThistleKop]

<font color="blue">A trick I learned to help keep the gate from sagging is to put an extra bolt (used to hang the gate) at the bottom of the opposite post. You can set the gate on top of this when it's closed as the bottom of most gates are hollow.
</font color>


Excellent advice flponygirl. I use a variation of your idea at my gates. At the bottom of the post(if wood), I often pound a short scrap of PT wood vertically in the ground a few inches and nail it to the gate post. I can then lift the gate a little when closing to set on the support. A small concrete block works well, even a rock if you are blessed with rocks. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

TK