How to Install a Wood Fence Post: 2 Easy & Durable Methods

This article was co-authored by Mike Garcia and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween . Mike Garcia is a Licensed Landscape Contractor and the Founder of Enviroscape LA, a full-service landscape design and construction firm in Los Angeles, California. With over 30 years of experience, Mike specializes in sustainable landscape practices. Mike holds an Ornamental Horticulture degree, C-27 Landscape Contractor and D-49 Tree Service Contractor licenses, and Permaculture Design, California Naturalist, International Certified Professional Pond Contractor, and Pond Building certifications. He is one of eight Internationally Certified Pond Builders in the world. Enviroscape LA has won landscape and water feature awards from the International Professional Pond Contractors Association (IPPCA), National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP), and the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA). Mike is a past president of the CLCA and currently serves on their local Board of Directors. Enviroscape LA has been featured in PONDS USA Magazine, Pond and Garden Lifestyles Magazine, and the Los Angeles Times. Mike has appeared on Extreme Home Makeover, HGTV's Landscapers Challenge, and A & E's series Fix That Yard. This article has been viewed 960,865 times.

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To install a wood fence post in soil or gravel, start with a post made of a sturdy material, such as heartwood or pressure-treated sapwood with a heartwood core. If the top of the post isn’t already beveled, cut it at a 45-degree angle to encourage rain to run off, which will reduce the risk of water damage. Brush a non-water-based wood preservative, such as copper naphthenate, on both cut ends of the post. Let the preservative dry for 24 hours before you install the post. Use a post-hole digger to dig a hole with straight, even sides in the gravel or soil where you plan to put the post. Make the hole deep enough so that about ¼ of the post is under the ground. For instance, if your post is 8 ft (2.4 m) tall, your hole should be about 2 ft (.6 m) deep. If you’re working with soil, make the diameter of the hole as close to the size of the fence post as possible. For gravel, make the hole a little wider. For instance, if the fence post is 4 by 4 inches (10 by 10 cm), make the hole about 8 inches (20 cm) across. To promote better soil drainage and keep the bottom of the post from rotting, drop about 2 inches (5 cm) of gravel in the bottom of the hole, then pack it down firmly with a stick or a piece of scrap wood. Center the post in the hole and make sure it’s level, then fill in the hole around the post with soil, gravel, or crushed stone. Pour in the filler a little bit at a time and pack it down firmly before adding more, until the hole is completely filled in. Finally, build a small hill of soil or gravel around the base of the post for extra stability. If you’re installing the fence in soft sand or soil, you might need to reinforce the post with concrete. To do this, start by making the hole a little wider and deeper. For a 4 by 4-inch (10 by 10 cm) post, make the hole about 12 inches (30 cm) across. It should be deep enough to cover at least 1/3rd of the length of the post, plus an extra 4-6 inches (10 to 15 cm) at the bottom for gravel. Pour the gravel into the bottom of the hole and tamp it down firmly, then slide the post into place. Wedge a pair of stakes into the hole on either side of the post to keep it standing. Place some pieces of scrap wood between the stakes and the post and lightly nail or screw them into place. Add another few inches of tamped gravel around the base of the post, then fill in the rest of the hole with concrete up to just above the surface level of the soil. Use a trowel to shape the concrete at the base of the post into a low, sloping mound, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) above the soil surface at its highest point. Once the concrete sets, seal the gap between the concrete and the bottom of the post with a sealant designed to bond concrete and wood, such as silicone or latex caulk. To learn more from our Professional Landscaper co-author, like how to dig the holes for your fence posts, keep reading the article!

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