Helping You Understand the Purpose and Functions of Different Fences

Follow These Tips For Digging Post Holes For A Fence

29 October 2021 by Devon Ramos

If you are planning a DIY fence installation, one of the hardest parts of the job will be digging the holes for the fence posts. The holes need to be quite deep to accommodate those tall posts, so you'll want to get the job done right the first time. Here are some tips to follow when digging your post holes.

Get The Right Tool For The Job

While you can dig the post holes with a shovel, this is a job that can benefit from a special tool to speed up the process. Consider renting a power auger that is going to dig the hole out quickly and efficiently. Even if you do not have many post holes to dig, using a power auger is going to eliminate almost all the physical labor necessary to remove the dirt. 

If you don't have access to a power auger, a hand auger is a cheap and effective tool to get the job done. You twist this tool into the ground and pull up the loose soil. It's much more effective than using a shovel or post-hole digger since it requires less force to break up the soil.

Mark Your Post Holes Carefully

Chances are that you are going to be digging all the post holes at once before you start installing the fence. The best way to carefully mark your post holes is with stakes and string. You can use stakes to identify exactly where the holes will be, and you'll want to tie a tight string between each post. You can use the string to help verify that the line of post holes is straight and to take accurate measurements between each stake. Now is the time to make alterations to your planned post holes before you start digging.

Know How Deep To Dig

There are a few general rules to follow when digging a post hole. Know that the height of the fence is going to be a factor in how deep you need to go since you want the hole to be ⅓ of the fence's height. This means you need at least an 8-foot fence post if you plan to install a 6-foot fence since a minimum of 2 feet of the post will be underground. 

You'll also want to dig your hole deep enough to be beneath the frost line, which may be longer than the minimum amount of fence that needs to be buried underground. Plan to leave some extra room at the bottom of the hole for gravel as well, which will assist with drainage. 

Talk to a fence installation professional to get additional help.

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