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Talked to an old mason last Friday and he made me rethink how I set posts
I was on a job in Asheville last week putting up a 200 foot run of cedar privacy fence. An old mason named Hank was pouring a footer nearby for a retaining wall. He came over and watched me dump Quickrete around a post. He just shook his head and said "you're gonna be back in 3 years to replace that." I asked what he meant. He said concrete holds water against the wood and rots it out from the inside. He said to use gravel instead. Let the water drain. I argued with him for a bit about stability and wind load. But he just shrugged and walked back to his forms. I sat there thinking about it and then I did some reading that night. Now I'm halfway through digging out the last 12 posts I set to switch to gravel. Has anyone else made this switch from concrete? How do you handle gate posts with the gravel method?
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charlesschmidt4mo ago
Wait, he actually had his posts fall over with gravel? I figured gravel would drain good but never thought about it not holding up in a storm like that.
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flores.mark4mo ago
Honestly wonder if people just don't tamp their gravel enough. I've seen fences held up with nothing but packed dirt and rocks for like a decade before they start sagging. Not saying concrete is useless but it's not like every gravel post is gonna fold in the first big storm. Gate posts might be a different story though I'll give them that.
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waderamirez4mo ago
Tbh, I had a buddy try the gravel method after his fence turned into a leaning tower of Pisa in a storm. He learned the hard way that hinge side posts need something heavier, so maybe pour concrete just for those gates.
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