Abby Containment

[BMFScout]

on the poles I think it matters how long you want them to last. I think with the thickness and depth of the poles I could just replace all the cedar some day if it ever rotted out. If you don't plan on being there more than 10 years let's say, wooden poles should be great. My dad used wooden poles on the fence he built probably 15 years ago, and they probably have needed to be replaced for the past 5. They will be replaced soon with metal poles. I used cedar on everything, I could go look at what I paid for the stuff if you think it would help, but probably not being as you are in Colorado.

[Graystroke]

fawk a manual post hole digger! If you really want the schiznit rent a skid steer w/ an auger attachment. mucho $$ to rent...probably around $350 for the auger and skid steer. ...and for the ultimate overkill on a fence pour a 1'X1' (6" above ground , 6" below ground, 1' wide) footer like my Dad's neighbor. He is doing it w/ a little mixer too. He has been at it for over a month (1 acre lot and probably over 400' of fence) My fence has a concrete footer (small flush to the ground one) that was probably poured in the 50's and it is still there....makes the fence dog dig proof and keeps you from having to edge it. saves the end of the fence boards from rot also b/c you don't have to have shove them on the ground to keep the dog from trying to get out.

[BMFScout]

Don't have a dumb dog, case solved. We did almost 300' of fence in 2 days. Boo-yah bee-yotch! It would be nice to have a concrete footer like I do under the wrought iron part of the fence, but that is overkill.

[Graystroke]

Don't have a dumb dog, case solved.

It's called having a set of nuts and smelling ***** in the spring.

[agjohn02]

$.02 a set of post hole diggers ... learn a good skill

PhD

[Doug Krebs]

We dug (53) 3' foot holes. **** not having an auger. If I hadn't had an auger they would have been 2' holes... I know the clay up here is not conducive to the clapper type hole diggers, the manual auger ones work better. The one's with a honda motor on top work better.

Oh I agree an auger would be faster and easier. It seemed from hippies description this wouldn't be a huge fence. I also share the jew with the hippy! Do 5 a day after work and it won't be so bad.

[jerryg79]

on the poles I think it matters how long you want them to last. I think with the thickness and depth of the poles I could just replace all the cedar some day if it ever rotted out. If you don't plan on being there more than 10 years let's say, wooden poles should be great. My dad used wooden poles on the fence he built probably 15 years ago, and they probably have needed to be replaced for the past 5. They will be replaced soon with metal poles. I used cedar on everything, I could go look at what I paid for the stuff if you think it would help, but probably not being as you are in Colorado.

what the hell do you do to a fence to kill a 4x4 in 10 yrs? The ones at my mom's house are 15 yrs old and show no signs of rot.

[uglyota]

x2 on "fawk post hole diggers". I learned that valuable skill when I was about 8, perfected it through high school, and have been trying to forget it ever since.

yeah I know landscape timbers are treated, I was asking if you use treated for the horizontal 2x4s that go between them.

This is a pretty huge fence, but posts are already there for 2 sides of it. Just need to augment the neighbor's chain link. It's still probably a couple hundred feet (edit: it's right at 100 ft; 17 holes)

[BroncoJo]

x2 on "fawk post hole diggers". I learned that valuable skill when I was about 8, perfected it through high school, and have been trying to forget it ever since.

yeah I know landscape timbers are treated, I was asking if you use treated for the horizontal 2x4s that go between them.

This is a pretty huge fence, but posts are already there for 2 sides of it. Just need to augment the neighbor's chain link. It's still probably a couple hundred feet

Yes use treated for everything, or cedar. An hand held auger doesn't make it super easy just faster, a water hose and post hole digger is still what I suggest. *This is coming from someone who has no idea what kind of soil you have.

[BMFScout]

what the hell do you do to a fence to kill a 4x4 in 10 yrs? The ones at my mom's house are 15 yrs old and show no signs of rot.

Are they cedar? I don't know what my dad's are. The old neighbor used to abuse them with a weedwhacker that's for sure.

[jerryg79]

Are they cedar? I don't know what my dad's are. The old neighbor used to abuse them with a weedwhacker that's for sure.

i doubt it, they are whatever the same cheapass builder who failed to put rebar in my aunt's driveway, put in. it may have something to do with the differences in soil betw houston and dallas. Most every fence I've seen in dallas has metal posts, i always wondered why since i dont know of one that i've seen in houston.

[bburris]

Wood fence posts anywhere but on the coast (Corpus, Beeville, Houston, etc) don't last as long because it's too dry is what Jimmy's fencing redneck buddy told me. The metal poles don't rust out as fast as they would in that climate, either.

[BMFScout]

John is an expert when it comes to fencing and drinking beer.

[jerryg79]

Wood fence posts anywhere but on the coast (Corpus, Beeville, Houston, etc) don't last as long because it's too dry is what Jimmy's fencing redneck buddy told me. The metal poles don't rust out as fast as they would in that climate, either.

That is a theory, yes, but then why do they use wooden fence posts in midland, where it is drier then it would ever be in dallas...

[Fredo]

because people in midland are stupid? Maybe it's so dry it doesn't get a chance to rot the wood? Maybe dallas is a mix of dry and wet and wreaks havoc on wood? Maybe this is the dumbest ****ing theoretical debate we have ever gotten into?