10
•
Be sure to dig your post hole as straight down as possible. If you live in an area that freezes heavily in the
winter, digging a post hole that is wider at the top than the bottom can allow for heaving of the post in
deep freeze conditions.
•
The rule of thumb is that a post hole should be roughly three times the diameter of the post you are
setting. So if you were setting a 2x2 post, the hole should be at least 6” across (2x3 = 6). A wider hole will
not hurt anything, but it will require more concrete.
•
Before digging your post hole, be sure to account for the height of the post that needs to remain above
ground. To determine how much post you need above ground vs buried in ground, take the following
into consideration:
o
The height of your fence panels
o
How much of a gap you want under each panel for grass trimming/ landscaping (ideally 1-3”)
o
The style of fence panel being used (flat top or finial tipped)
•
EXAMPLE
- Let’s say we have a 4’ tall fence panel style with finial tips on top, 6’ long posts and we want
a 2” gap at the bottom of the fence. You would set your post so that 4’2” was sticking up above ground
and your post hole was 1’10” deep (4’2” above 1’10” buried = 6’ post length).
•
Once you have determined the depth of your post holes, it’s time to start digging. Be sure to check your
post hole depth and width as you go. Keep loose dirt away from the top of your hole. You can utilize a
flat object at the top of your post hole and a tape measurer to monitor the depth as you proceed.
•
If you accidentally dig too deep, add gravel (not loose dirt) to the bottom of the hole. It can actually be
beneficial to over dig your post hole by 2-3 inches and add gravel at the bottom, but it is not required.
The gravel will allow for water to drain away and unlike loose dirt it will not compact over time. It also
makes fine tuning your above ground post height much easier.
Installing the Fence Panels and Posts
Your aluminum fence panels and posts will be installed together and set in concrete at the same time. Before
you begin mixing concrete, you will want to familiarize yourself with the different post types and set them by
the post holes in your layout.
NOTE – If your project requires our flange post inserts, wall brackets or swivel brackets; be sure to
read all of the sections before marking or cutting anything. Installation measurements will differ if
using any of those three specialized pieces of hardware.
