# Fence posts into a hard ground?  any experts advice?? HELP



## Kezzabell2 (22 December 2015)

So one of the delightful creates has managed to knock a fence post out from the entrance to the field shelter

When my Dad fenced it off for me 2 years ago, there was one massive solid, strong post in the ground already, but one of the ponies has some how broken it!  by the looks of the damage the post is totally rotten, so does need replacing but the only issue I have is the ground is basically hardcore with a bit of mud on top.  

When my Dad did the other fencing it was really difficult to get posts in, he is a diamond driller and tried drilling to get a post in and even that didn't help!

So now he has a tractor with a post whacker or in but hasn't had to use it yet!  so is it likely that it would help, or would a new fence post be more likely to break because the ground is so solid?  anyone with experience with this?


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## Enfys (22 December 2015)

Tractor and post whacker is the way to go  
As long as the post is sound, and you are not trying to go through solid rock it should not break. 
We used to fence whole paddocks in mid winter when the frostline was 4' down. New posts and tractor power


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## Dry Rot (22 December 2015)

Ordinary farmers like me, punch a hole for the post using a heavy steel bar called (locally) a "pinch". I suspect professional fencers will have a similar bar that can be used with a hydraulic fence post machine. Every so often, the pinch is moved around, from side to side, to make the hole bigger. When you have a decent sized hole, the new post is knocked in with a mal or maul (basically, a sledge hammer with an extra wide head). Most farm sales will have these tools at a reasonable price. Or just get your fencing contractor to pop in and do it when he is passing.

http://www.hodgefencing.co.uk/shop/tools.php


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## mirage (24 December 2015)

We do what Dry Rot says. I put in a hitching post over the summer and had to soften the ground first by pouring water on it,then used the steel bar to gouge a hole, rocked it from side to side to make it wider and whacked it in with a maul. Then the post went in and we used a fwo handled post rammer to ram it down.


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## Kezzabell2 (24 December 2015)

Dry Rot said:



			Ordinary farmers like me, punch a hole for the post using a heavy steel bar called (locally) a "pinch". I suspect professional fencers will have a similar bar that can be used with a hydraulic fence post machine. Every so often, the pinch is moved around, from side to side, to make the hole bigger. When you have a decent sized hole, the new post is knocked in with a mal or maul (basically, a sledge hammer with an extra wide head). Most farm sales will have these tools at a reasonable price. Or just get your fencing contractor to pop in and do it when he is passing.

http://www.hodgefencing.co.uk/shop/tools.php

Click to expand...

Ah yes, this was how my dad did the other posts but the ground is honestly ridiculously solid!  I couldn't even get little plastic posts in some spots today!  not to mention the flaming energiser stake!  

Will get a couple of posts and try with the tractor post whacker, hopefully it will be able to do it!


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## crabbymare (24 December 2015)

a few days ago I watched a friend get some posts in solid ground and she used an old metal spike that she bashed in with a sledgehammer and every few inches she hit it sideways as she walked round it and took it out then put it back and started again  out. this made a hole through whatever it was that was so hard and then the post went in with her up a ladder to bash it and me holding the ladder. not very health and safety but it worked and the post is solid. if the old post has rotted could you dig down a bit to get the rest out and have a ready made hole or is that not possible?


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## Suechoccy (25 December 2015)

If u don't have access to a tractor but u do have a post-thumper then get 5-6 buckets of water and wet the site thoroughly to soften the ground, then drive the post in with the post-thumper.


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## Cahill (25 December 2015)

the posts these days ain`t what they used to be.
have post over 25 years old still in place but ones from a couple of years ago have rotted out.
i think this is due to certain chemicals now banned (creosote? )
i understand that you can boil your posts in oil in a metal barrel to make them last longer but i have never got around to doing this.


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## Dry Rot (25 December 2015)

Looking at that post again, it may be just the picture but it looks as if it is a 4"x4" (that's 100m square to the children on here) and not a 'normal' 3"x3" fence post. It is not going to be driven in with a pinch and mal. The tractor mounted whacker might do it but I think I'd be digging that in. If you get someone to do that, get them to ram stones and gravel down the sides of the post to secure it, NOT concrete as the lime will rot the post and leave a big hard lump to be removed/broken next time. I'd also replace the neighbouring posts as they are probably rotten too. Someone with a small excavator? I'd do it by hand, but then I'm old and stupid -- and I don't like spending money!


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## Mike007 (25 December 2015)

Cahill said:



			the posts these days ain`t what they used to be.
have post over 25 years old still in place but ones from a couple of years ago have rotted out.
i think this is due to certain chemicals now banned (creosote? )
i understand that you can boil your posts in oil in a metal barrel to make them last longer but i have never got around to doing this.
		
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Modern pressure treated posts wont last more than 5 years at best because the treatment is nigh on useless (or so my local pressure treating plant inform me!)It is better to try to obtain posts cut from naturaly durable timbers . Chestnut posts ,Ideally left standing with the points in good quality creosote or at a pinch ,old engine oil thinned with a bit of diesel .Larch ,Douglas fir and Oak are all good.


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## PeterNatt (25 December 2015)

Depends what is there buy you may need a pneumatic drill to break up the concrete.


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## Cahill (25 December 2015)

Mike007 said:



			Modern pressure treated posts wont last more than 5 years at best because the treatment is nigh on useless (or so my local pressure treating plant inform me!)It is better to try to obtain posts cut from naturaly durable timbers . Chestnut posts ,Ideally left standing with the points in good quality creosote or at a pinch ,old engine oil thinned with a bit of diesel .Larch ,Douglas fir and Oak are all good.
		
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all a bit silly- not proper treatment (to save the planet ??? ) and we end up having to fence more often with more wood


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## twiggy2 (25 December 2015)

Cahill said:



			all a bit silly- not proper treatment (to save the planet ??? ) and we end up having to fence more often with more wood 

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if it is ethically sourced it is from fairly young woodland and more is planted than harvested , coppicing is also good or woodland and wildlife it replaces what a natural fire would do in many respects. I wonder how the  pollution created from the harvesting and transporting compares to the old fashion preservatives.


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## rabatsa (26 December 2015)

You could drill a hole with a tractor mounted post hole borer first then whack the posts into place.


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## Dry Rot (26 December 2015)

rabatsa said:



			You could drill a hole with a tractor mounted post hole borer first then whack the posts into place.
		
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Got one. The first obstruction and the shear bolt breaks. I had to get more shear bolts for mine from the USA as I could not find a supplier in the UK.


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## turnbuckle (26 December 2015)

All I can say is you are rather lucky to have hard ground right now. The ground here is such that you could push a post in with a finger...


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