Home Wisdom teeth How to properly install metal fence posts. How to install metal fence posts with your own hands

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How to properly install metal fence posts. How to install metal fence posts with your own hands

The reliability and durability of any fence largely depends on how correctly the structure’s supports were positioned and secured. Installing fence posts requires thorough preparation of the well or hole and careful alignment of the position of the supports during the assembly of the supporting frame. It is even more difficult to install fence posts on clay or drive supports into rocky soil filled with rock fragments, although such soil would be ideal for a foundation.

Conditions for installing fence posts

In a fence structure, the posts are the main strength element that holds the entire mass of the structure in a vertical position. Depending on the material used to make the frame and fence, the load on one post can range from 40 to 120 kg. If we add the high windage of the fence, it becomes clear that the requirements for the post must be quite stringent:

Ensuring maximum bending strength of the columnar support. To select the correct section, you need to know the maximum wind speed in a given area. For example, with a not very strong wind of 15 m/s, a load of 130-140 kg falls on a solid vertical fence sheet, so the support must be quite massive, and it must be driven to a considerable depth;
For heaving soils, the pillars are driven or buried below the freezing point of the soil. If the water level is significant, you can limit yourself to a hole or well to a depth of 1/3 of the height of the post for picket fences and slatted fences, and ½ for fences with a solid web;
For soft, waterlogged soils around the point where the support is buried in the soil, experts recommend making a transition section in the form of a blind area, laying a mini-foundation of brick or casting it from concrete.

For your information! The use of a concrete collar makes it possible to increase the rigidity of fastening the post in the ground by an order of magnitude, even if it is driven to a depth less than the recommended value.

In addition to installation speed and strength, the second, but no less important criterion for high-quality installation of poles is to ensure the most accurate positioning of the supports in height, along the contour line and deviation from the vertical position.

The easiest way is to use a building level, a plumb line and a marking cord. This set allows you to simultaneously hammer the post and periodically control the height and deviation from the vertical. Experts recommend plugging the pipe and checking the level every 100-150 mm of support settlement.

If the pole or support is not intended to be driven in, but dug in, you can use more complex devices, for example, such as in the photo.

One of the homemade devices that helps to score and control the deviation is shown in the video:

For straight sections of long fences, it is recommended to use a geoleveler, which provides high positioning accuracy. When driving in supports over a length of more than 15 m, cords give an error of 50-70 mm, which, for example, is unacceptable for laying sheets of corrugated sheets, since the error is visible to the naked eye.

Pole installation methods

Today there is no universal technology that allows you to drive any type of support into weak or strong soil. The second factor is cost; you can, of course, install supports or drive piles using construction methods, but in this case their installation will be more expensive than the entire fence. Therefore, when choosing a method for installing supports, you have to look for a reasonable balance between price and strength, based on the material, the size of the supporting elements and the amount of work.

Fence supports are installed in the ground in three ways:

Steel profiles or pipes are hammered or screwed into the ground under great mechanical force;
They dig into a pre-drilled hole or pit with the base reinforced with gravel, rubble stone or concreting;
In a combined way, using motorized drilling and support insertion methods.

For your information! The latter method is most widespread for installing a large number of steel tubular poles of increased diameter. The combined method eliminates the need for concreting, which significantly increases the speed of fence installation.

How to drive fence posts using a combined method

For small cross-section tubular posts, the easiest way is to drive the steel profile into the ground using a pad or sledgehammer. This is the most productive and crude way to install supports. The support is hammered in by a team of at least two or three people. One worker fixes the support at a point, the second and third in turn upset the profile post by hitting the top edge with a sledgehammer. A free or resting team member periodically checks the deviation of the pillar using a building level.

The combined process of installing pillars is carried out in several stages. After marking and clearing the installation site of turf, before hammering in the support, a hole of smaller diameter is drilled at the point, to a depth of 2/3 of the calculated depth of the column, but not less than 30-40 cm.

This method of preparation helps to hammer the pipe even in the most difficult soil. In addition, the reduced soil resistance to a minimum facilitates the initial alignment of the pipe along the vertical deviation.

The higher the pillars have to be placed, the more difficult it is to hammer in the support posts with a sledgehammer. A standard two-meter fence will require a pipe up to three meters long. Even taking into account the preliminary hole, the height is quite large, and it becomes inconvenient to hammer into the end part of the support with blows.

It is much easier to work with headstock hammers, with which you can hammer a post of any height, from one to five meters. The system consists of two parts. The first, in the form of a massive steel clamp, is rigidly attached to a tubular support, the second, made in the form of a heavy steel headstock, is simply put on the pipe. As the pipe sinks under the blows of the headstock against the clamp, the latter has to be rearranged and hammered until it settles completely.

The most difficult and time-consuming task is to hammer in a tubular profile with a square cross-section. First of all, due to the uneven deflection of the pillar and deviation from the vertical as it sinks into the ground. If you need to hammer in a large number of squares, in some cases it makes sense to use jigs or guides.

Small and thin pipes can be hammered using an electric jackhammer. At the same time, the speed and quality of immersion in the soil increases by an order of magnitude.

How to dig fence posts

The process of installing a pole using digging requires much more effort and time. But, unlike “hammered” supports, dug-in posts can be aligned almost perfectly, which, in turn, provides a very smooth surface of the fence.

The standard digging method involves drilling a well with a diameter of at least 20-25 cm. The depth of the well is chosen below the level of soil heaving. A gravel cushion is poured onto the bottom of the well, and the walls are lined with a layer of roofing material. A pole made of metal or wooden beams is installed in the hole and fixed with supports, aligned to the building level.

The pillar can be secured by pouring concrete, rubble stone or compacted gravel. Fixation by backfilling crushed stone can be combined with pouring concrete. In this case, the crushed stone is moistened with concrete mortar and carefully compacted in layers. At the well head, concrete is poured with a layer 20-25 cm thick.

To increase the stability of the support against heaving forces, a steel plate or cross made from angle sections is welded to the end of the steel pipe.

Conclusion

The fastest way to drive posts under a future fence is to use ready-made screw piles or geoscrews. The disadvantages of this method include the high cost of the piles themselves; each support will cost at least 1000 rubles. Since the load on the pipe from the weight of the fence is an order of magnitude less than the calculated value, in many cases such supports are made independently by welding two cutting knives to the end of the pipe. Installing such a fence post will take a maximum of two hours.

In the article we will look at the most popular options that help answer the question of how to drive fence posts. When building fences, many people have questions related to their fastening and installation, because there are several ways:

Various ways to install fence posts

As you know, fence posts can be:

brick;
metal;
wooden;
beautiful, decorative stone;
in the form of asbestos-cement pipes.

You can install supports from any material. It is better to properly reinforce it with metal pipes, round and profiled, with ears.

Ready-to-install poles with ears

The best support will be pillars made of bricks. You can use pillars made of brick, wood, or metal supports.

They will be supported on cast concrete pillars and on metal ones with a large cross-section.
But if you need temporary fencing or chain-link fences, then installation by driving in posts will be the most acceptable method.

About scoring methods

Use a regular sledgehammer and a wooden spacer if the pillars do not exceed two meters in height. This process is the most labor-intensive;
Hammering with the help of a headstock. Due to the guide part of this design, the impact forces of the driven pipes are aligned;
Using a pile driver. A special device that simplifies and speeds up the driving of posts.

Which cases are acceptable for driving and which are not?

Installation is permitted if:

The site has little stony soil;
There are marl rocks, that is, with a clay-carbonate composition.

Hammering fence posts by hand

This method cannot be used when:

The soil is too soft;
Rocky rocks are present at very great depths.

How to hammer supports with a headstock

The headstock, as a special tool, can be driven into poles even three meters long. This tool has several metal parts. It is used when it is necessary to drive in a wide and high post. You can make such a device yourself.

To do this, you will need a meter-long pipe so that its internal diameter is larger than the pole itself and so that it can be put on the pipe. Take a thick metal sheet and cut out a shape similar to the diameter of the pipe, weld the end of the pipe with it.

Drawing of headstock for driving posts

The end of the pipe must be welded with some heavy objects so that the headstock has a weight of up to 30 kg. Make two handles with handles, each one meter long, and wrap them with electrical tape to make it easier to work with them. When you install the post in the right place, put the headstock on it. Using the handles, you need to lift the structure and forcefully lower it down.

A tripod placed above a pole will also help. Weld a block onto the top. Using a rope, this block will make driving the fence base easier. The principle of operation is simple: you lift the block as high as possible and forcefully lower it down. Remember that such a folk device must have a diameter larger than the pole.

Drivers for driving fence bases

The principle used here is that upon impact, the device does not have springs or other mechanisms that would impede the movement of the hammer. This is a special device - a pile driver, with the help of which a series of blows is made.

This design simplifies and speeds up driving the posts. The pile driver machine helps to lift and install supports at the diving site. You can use either a self-propelled or non-self-propelled, manual pile driver.

Using this technique, the pillars are dragged to the place where they need to be installed, and then, according to the design position, they are immersed in the ground.

Having fixed one pillar, the pile driver is moved to the next working point. A device such as a pile driver can also dismantle pillars that have been concreted. It turns out that in a very short time you can redo the fence using a unit such as a pile driver.

How to prepare for work

Once you are familiar with the soil, calculate the correct number of pillars. Be sure to decide on the steps between them. Purchase the necessary material. For this method, it is advisable to use pipes with a diameter of 60 and a profile of 60 x 60. The minimum driving depth should be 1.2 meters.

Erecting a fence around a site or a specific building is a procedure that country construction cannot do without. The quality, durability and decorative components of the fence are as important as for other buildings. During installation work, the question always arises: “What is better: concrete or hammer in fence posts?”

Let us answer briefly - the choice of method for attaching the posts depends on the type of fence and the requirements for it.

Requirements for fence posts

In order not to have to repair the fence every year, it is necessary to ensure the durability of the posts. They must be able to easily withstand both the mass of the fence spans and dynamic loads.

It is necessary to take into account the safety margin so that the structure does not collapse from the action of wind, snowdrifts or animals.

The posts should not spoil the overall picture of the fence. If they do not fit into the composition, then it is necessary to hide them from prying eyes.

Selection of installation technology

Soil characteristics are the main criterion that must be followed when choosing a pole installation technology. High-quality installation of supports is possible during geological studies of the site to determine the depth of freezing and occurrence of groundwater.

It is not recommended to concrete pillars if the area has heaving soil. Otherwise, they may be “brought out” in the spring. The volume of frozen ground increases due to the water contained in it. This process is called soil heaving. The spring thaw causes the ground to thaw, and the water from it turns back into liquid, and the soil sags. The soil thaws unevenly - faster on the south side, which is why the pillars sag unevenly. In addition, melt water washes over the concrete base and leads to its destruction.

On hard soils, it is better to hammer in the pillars, but for sandy or sandy-clayey soils, concreting is recommended. Hammering is positioned as a quick way to install a base, so it is advisable to use it for temporary fencing.

Posts for massive fences should always be concreted. Concreting technology has the following advantages:

durability - on soils that are not subject to swelling, the fence can last up to 50 years;
anti-corrosion protection - concrete is not afraid of rust;
high stability of the structure - the fence supports do not wobble in the ground.

Concreting is divided into full and partial.

Partial

The essence of this technology is that the support is installed in the ground and partially filled with cement. This is a good chance to save on the construction of a fence. Suitable for stable soil and light loads.

There are 2 options for partial concreting:

For the first, a support is installed, and the lower part is compacted, as with normal butting. If the pole is metal, then it is better to drive it into the ground and concrete the rest. This option is appropriate when installing supports for a corrugated fence.

This technology may require the installation of formwork to prevent the soil from spreading. This is the fastest way to install supports. However, on heavy soils that practically do not absorb moisture, the pillars may become skewed after winter.

In the second option, the lower part of the well is filled with concrete mixture to the depth of soil freezing, a support is installed, then the upper part is filled with crushed stone and compacted. This option minimizes the impact of buoyant forces. This method is not without its drawbacks: when pouring the concrete mixture for the first time, it is more difficult to maintain the verticality of the support, and it will take up to 5 days for the concrete to “set.”

Full concreting

Economically justified if significant loads on the support are expected. Concreting on stable ground is the simplest. It involves installing a sand cushion up to 10 cm thick. Then a support is mounted and formwork is knocked together around it. The well is filled with concrete. To prevent the appearance of bubbles, it is pierced with steel rods. The installation of spans is carried out only after 3 weeks for the concrete to “mature”.

Supports installed using full concreting technology are resistant to temperature changes and are not afraid of precipitation. In this way, it is better to concrete massive fences in areas with sandy soil and groundwater.

If the site has “problematic” soil and there are no increased requirements for the fencing, then it is better not to concrete it, but to drive the posts into the ground.

To do this, a hole is drilled in the soil using a hand drill, the diameter of which is smaller than the support being installed. Then you need to drive the post into the hole with a hammer or sledgehammer. The narrower and deeper the hole in the ground, the more securely the post will be installed.

Advantages of the method

Advantages of the technology:

high installation speed;
there is no need to purchase specialized equipment;
protection of supports from soil heaving in places of moderate humidity;
saving.

Flaws

In this way, it is worth installing posts only for light fences, which are not characterized by “windage”. After winter or heavy rainfall, the supports may become distorted.

Other disadvantages of the technology for driving in fence supports are:

instability of the structure on peat, swampy and sandy soil;
deformation of pillars if the soil is too dense or if there are large stones in it.

This method is suitable for installing wooden fences and chain-link fencing.

It is not advisable to hammer posts for fences made of corrugated sheets, since it is difficult to install them at one level. The result will be a not entirely smooth fence. The method of driving into the ground in this case is justified if the corrugated fence is temporary.

When deciding which is better, concrete or hammering fence posts into the ground, you need to analyze a large number of factors. This includes the nature of the soil, the fencing material, the type of terrain, etc. Sometimes it is worth spending more money on installing a fence and protecting yourself from problems for many years to come.

The fencing of the site serves not only as protection from strangers, but also as an important decorative element that makes the first impression of the owner of the site. It is along the fence that passers-by and guests remember the house. Regardless of the cost of the material, installing a fence takes a lot of time and effort, so you want to ensure its maximum service life. The pillars serve as a supporting structure, and the durability of the entire fence depends on their quality and correct installation. This article will discuss how to properly install fence posts with your own hands.

What types of fence posts are there?

The traditional material for making pillars is wood. Today, wooden poles of proper quality are a rather expensive solution. They are made from solid hardwood logs. The most resistant to adverse environmental factors (temperature changes, humidity, mold fungi) are pine, larch, ash, oak, acacia and mulberry. In second place is a group of spruce and fir. Species such as birch, maple, linden, aspen, alder and beech are unsuitable for making poles. To increase the service life of wooden poles, additional treatments with antiseptic preparations and firing before charring are required. The choice of this type is often related to the landscape design style. As a rule, a wooden support is used for a fence made of the same material.

A universal and common solution is metal poles. They go equally well with a wooden picket fence, chain-link mesh and metal profile. In addition, such a support can withstand significant loads. Metal is more durable than wood, but requires pre-treatment to prevent rust. To extend service life, the paint layer is updated annually. Two options are possible: hollow welded pipes of a certain diameter and from a metal profile with a square cross-section. There are strict requirements for the diameter of the pillars and the thickness of the metal, ensuring practicality and reliability of operation. The optimal diameter is 6 cm with a wall thickness of 2 mm. Attaching logs and other fence elements to a metal support is simple and quick.
Asbestos cement and concrete pillars They are characterized by a high level of durability, but they also have a number of disadvantages, in addition to the high price. Asbestos-cement pipes are inconvenient when installing a fence, are not compatible with all materials, and are prone to rupture under the influence of freezing water that enters the hollow space through the open top. Concrete pillars are rarely used and are mainly used for powerful and colorful fences.
Brick pillars characterized by complexity of installation and high decorativeness. Specialists with professional skills take part in the construction of such pillars, which greatly increases the cost of the support. Before installation, foundation equipment is required, onto which the entire load of heavy pillars will be transferred. Durability is largely determined by correct installation, otherwise the pillars will warp and the fence will need reconstruction.

When choosing material for poles, they are guided by financial capabilities, characteristics, installation features and the requirements of the architectural style. Forged fence structures look impressive with brick pillars.

Installation of wooden fence posts

To mark the perimeter of the site, it is better to use posts with a diameter of about 15 cm; for intermediate posts, a diameter of about 10 cm is allowed. The tree needs to be dried and pre-treated with a solution of copper sulfate or a modern antiseptic drug to destroy microorganisms. The lower ends are tarred and wrapped in roofing material.
For better protection from moisture, the pillars are painted with oil paint. When installing, they are oriented so that the top of the once-growing tree is at the bottom. This trick will prevent water from rising through the microcapillaries and moisture accumulation inside the column.

The wooden support is installed mainly for lightweight structures, so its fastening can be quite simple. Using a drill, a hole is made about half a meter deep with a height of the above-ground part of the pillar up to 1.5 m. As the height of the fence increases, the embedment depth also increases, observing the rule that the buried part should be 1/3 of the entire length of the post.
The diameter of the hole is twice the diameter of the pillar. The drill must be held strictly vertical to obtain a straight, even hole. Next, a layer of crushed stone or construction expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the recess to drain rainwater. The pillar is installed strictly vertically (its position is checked by a level), after which the sides are covered with crushed stone or broken brick. As the material falls asleep, it is periodically compacted using a crowbar. After each compaction, the position of the pillar is checked.
For durability of fences, wooden posts can be installed in metal sleeves, which serve as a casing for the entire buried part. In this case, the sleeve must pass closely to the tree, eliminating the possibility of water penetrating inside. For this purpose, metal cylinders with a slightly smaller diameter than the pillar are used.

How to Install Metal Fence Posts

The strength of metal poles allows them to withstand even heavy structures and significant wind loads (fence made of corrugated sheets), so they must be firmly fixed. To install metal supports, concreting and driving into the ground are used.

There are two methods of concreting. In the first method, a hole is made with a slightly larger diameter than that of the post. And then the space between the vertically installed pillar and the ground is filled with concrete. The second method is to fill the hole with concrete and then install the post. In this case, a stronger fixation is ensured.
Concreting is used on sandy soils with good water permeability and not prone to bulging.
Driving in pillars with a sledgehammer is the simplest and most reliable method, but it requires physical effort and skill. The post is driven into a hole of smaller diameter for a tight fit to the ground. This method is suitable for fences of light structures and is used on heavy soils with dense soil. A positive point is the ease of reconstruction of the fence in case of distortion - the pillars are leveled using the same sledgehammer.

You can purchase metal poles with a spiral at the end. Screw piles are screwed into the soil, ensuring its sufficient compaction.

Installation of asbestos cement fence posts

The most common pillars are about 12 cm in diameter. Asbestos-cement support is not considered strong, so it is only suitable for lightweight structures. With proper installation, the service life exceeds 50 years.
The holes are drilled to a depth of about 80 cm (with a column height of more than 2 m), making an expansion at the bottom. The expansion is filled with concrete, and the walls are reinforced with a roofing felt tube, which should protrude by 15 cm. Wooden formwork is made around the protruding part of the roofing felt. The pit is filled with concrete, but not completely. While the solution has not hardened, insert an iron rod or pin slightly shorter than the pole itself.

Next, after the rod is secured with mortar, the post is put on and the remaining space is filled with concrete up to the edge of the formwork. In this case, the structure does not come into contact with the ground at all and is securely fixed. To protect against rupture under the influence of freezing water, the cavity of the pillars is filled with concrete to the very top, forming a convex cap to prevent the accumulation of water.
A less labor-intensive method is also possible, similar to installing metal pipes, in which the pillars are buried in the ground and filled with concrete. But its use is allowed only on sandy soils.

Installation of brick fence posts

Installation of brick masonry pillars begins with the preparation of a strip foundation. To do this, broken bricks are placed in a dug trench and concreted. At the site of the future pillar, strong reinforcement with several metal rods is installed, which will serve as a frame. Wide pipes can be used.

The top of the foundation is covered with waterproofing material. Before starting masonry, check the correctness of the markings. The first row is checked for evenness using a level. Bricks are laid around the frame, and the resulting cavity is filled with concrete.

Installing brick pillars requires skill and is rarely done independently without the involvement of specialists.

Method of installing pillars on heaving soils and with close groundwater

Heaving soils are dangerous because they can push pillars along with poured concrete to the surface. After just 2-3 years, the promised durability of the fence may be eroded. Close proximity to groundwater increases corrosion and decay, and also causes changes in the upper layer.
In such cases, it is necessary to use more labor-intensive, but also more reliable methods of installing pillars. Many practitioners advise increasing the depth of the holes below the groundwater level. This method entails excessive consumption of the solution and does not always pay off.
The following method is considered more effective. Crushed stone or expanded clay is laid out at the bottom of the prepared hole in a layer of 20 cm. After installing the post, the space is also filled with crushed stone to a depth of 15 cm to the ground level. This remaining 15 cm is filled with concrete. The crushed stone layer provides good drainage and does not pose an obstacle to the flow of water. The concrete top guarantees a strong fixation of the post. Although many builders in such cases refuse concrete altogether.

General steps for installing fence posts

After choosing the material for the poles and the optimal installation method, they begin to prepare all the necessary tools. You will definitely need a garden auger, a shovel, a crowbar, a cord, a building level, and drainage material. Depending on the chosen method, you may need a sledgehammer, roofing felt, a container for preparing the solution and cement.
The critical stage is planning and laying out the site. Along the perimeter, in place of the future pillars, pegs are driven in, along which the twine is stretched. In this case, each peg must stand strictly opposite the neighboring one. They plan to install pillars of larger diameter in the corners for high loads. The recommended length of one section - the distance between two posts - is no more than 3 m. If the fence structure is heavy, then the distance is reduced to 2.5 m to avoid sagging.
After installing the first corner post, proceed to the second corner post, leveling its height relative to the first using a hydraulic level. Between the two pillars, two cords are stretched at the bottom and top, which will serve as markers when installing intermediate ones.
If there is a significant difference in height (more than 25 cm), it is planned to install additional poles and install a stepped fence. Auxiliary supports with greater strength are installed in the locations of gates and car gates.

When fixing a pillar, its position is checked with a vertical level. It is important that all the pillars are not only the same height, but also stand level. When using concreting, work on fixing the fence begins no earlier than 3-5 days to allow the solution to completely set and harden.

Fence posts video

To install a fence on your summer cottage, you can do it yourself if you choose the most versatile method and material. At the same time, the fence will last for quite a long time and without the hassle of annual repairs. Metal posts with chain-link mesh have become the most popular lately; fences made from profiles are often found. It is impractical to build wooden fences in a budget design from low-grade wood. For more complex structures using asbestos-cement and brick supports, the help of specialists will be required.

The construction of any fence begins with the installation of the supporting part - the pillars. The more securely they are installed, the longer the fence will last under the influence of winds and bad weather. Therefore, this stage of work is the most critical and must be carried out according to technology. After familiarizing yourself with it, you can confidently place poles and build a fence with your own hands without the involvement of hired workers and equipment.

Methods of mounting supports - which one to choose?

When erecting fences, 3 methods of installing supporting structures are practiced:

direct driving into the ground;
partial concreting;
complete pouring of concrete into the underground part of the rack, including the installation of a strip foundation.

Note. In turn, partial concreting is carried out in two ways - pouring the so-called concrete collar or filling the well below the soil freezing line.

Pole installation options

Each of the listed methods is used under certain conditions, depending on the quality of the soil, its saturation with moisture and the degree of freezing. In addition, the choice of technique is influenced by vertical and lateral loads created by the weight of the structure and its windage. An important rule applies to solid fences: they must be able to withstand wind loads, which sometimes exceed the weight of the fence.

Load on a solid fence made of corrugated sheets

Simply driving posts into the ground allows you to speed up construction and significantly reduce its cost. In contrast to these advantages, the method has numerous disadvantages:

A post driven into soft or loose soil (chernozem, clay, sand) will quickly become loose in the wind and tilt when solid fence sections with large windage are attached to it. The latter includes corrugated sheets, polycarbonate and various wooden boards.
If the height of the fence exceeds 2 m, then the wind will turn out the clogged post in any case, even together with a chain-link mesh that is transparent to the air flow.
In areas with clayey, moist soil that swells at subzero temperatures, such supports will come out of the ground by 5-10 cm in the first winter. After which they will finally be tilted by the wind.
After driving, the post is not able to bear a large load in terms of mass. Metal structures or artistic forging elements cannot be attached to it.

Heavy fence made of forged elements

From the above it follows that driving in racks can be used under the following conditions:

when your site has hard or rocky soils;
driving into soft soil is possible if the height of the fence does not exceed 1.5 m, and the spans are made of mesh - chain-link or other wind-transparent material;
if it is necessary to quickly erect temporary fencing;
when constructing wickerwork or low decorative fences near flower beds and front gardens.

To fence the front garden, posts can be driven into the soil

Concreting will require a lot of labor, time and money. Just hardening the concrete will take you 3 weeks, not to mention buying the ingredients to prepare the mixture and finding a concrete mixer. In return you receive the following bonuses:

durability (the fence will easily stand for 30-50 years, depending on the material);
proper concreting is used on all types of soil;
reinforcement with concrete mixture is suitable for all types of fences, including heavy ones (stone, brick, metal structures, forging).

Fence with brick pillars

Note. Racks cannot be concreted in swampy, oversaturated soil. But in such situations, driving will not help; you need to build a pile-screw foundation.

It turns out that the choice of installation method for racks depends on the conditions in each specific case. Hammering saves time and money, but is not always applicable. Concrete is used everywhere and provides reliability and durability for any structure, although it is more expensive. On stable, dry soils, construction costs are reduced by partially concreting the supports.

Materials for pillars

To install a fence erected around a plot of land, the following types of poles are used:

from wooden beams and logs;
from various rolled metal products - profile and round pipes, channels and angles;
made of brick and concrete.

Wooden fence

Reference. Channels and angles are used either singly or double, welded into a “box”.

As a rule, wooden posts are installed when constructing a fence made of slabs, boards or thin logs (picket fence). They are also convenient to use together with plasticized mesh or chain-link mesh. The advantages of wooden poles are:

low price;
ease of processing and fastening of fence sections;
fracture strength of the material, lack of flexibility, like metal;
The supports can be given a wonderful appearance using wood carving, varnishing or painting.

Palisade with wooden supports

The use of wood as fence posts has one significant disadvantage - the material quickly deteriorates from exposure to weather conditions. To prevent a wooden stand from rotting in 10-15 years, it will have to be treated with an antiseptic and periodically painted. There is also a danger of the fence catching fire from an accidentally thrown cigarette butt.

Rolled metal is a universal solution for the construction of various fences, but it is also more expensive. Although steel pipes also need to be protected from corrosion, they will last much longer than wooden racks. Sections made of various materials, from wood to forging elements, can be attached to metal. Steel posts are also used in the construction of permanent fences - they serve as the core of a brick pillar, to which wickets and gates are subsequently welded.

Steel pipe serves as a frame for brick supports

Reference. For quick assembly of fences made of corrugated sheets and polycarbonate, ready-made kits of metal profile pipes and fastening elements for them are available for sale.

Euro fence with concrete pillars

Concrete pillars are installed complete with a so-called Eurofence, consisting of individual slabs decorated with a relief pattern. In other cases, using concrete supports is impractical due to the high price and complexity of installation (the racks are quite heavy). But they also “live” for a long time - up to 50 years, and are not afraid of winds, precipitation and temperature changes.

Selection of columns by section

timber with a section of 10 x 10 cm, minimum - 8 x 10 cm;
log with a diameter from 100 to 150 mm;
for a stockade it is better to take round timber of the maximum size - 15 cm.

For pillars, it is advisable to select logs of the same diameter

When selecting wooden supports, you should pay attention not only to the cross-section, but also to find out the type of wood. Birch and poplar are of little use for outdoor structures because they rot quickly. The best choice in terms of price/quality ratio is softwood materials. They contain a significant amount of natural resins that help resist environmental influences.

Profile pipes for fence

When selecting metal poles, consider the following recommendations:

with a fence height of 2-2.5 m, take a profile pipe cross-section of 60 x 40 mm; for a one and a half meter fence, products measuring 40 x 40 mm will be used;
the optimal diameter of a round pipe is 57 mm;
take the maximum size of corners and channels installed individually to be 90 and 160 mm, respectively.

Diagram showing pipe cross-sections

Advice. To ensure that steel supports last at least 20 years, choose rolled metal with a wall thickness of at least 3 mm.

The pillars to which the gate leaves and wicket are attached carry an increased load, so their cross-section must be larger. As a rule, a profile pipe size of 100 x 120 mm or a round pipe diameter of 109 mm is sufficient. The cross-section of the channels and angles remains unchanged, but for gates they are combined in pairs by welding into a “box”.

Calculation of basic parameters for do-it-yourself installation

Measure the overall length of the fence using a tape measure. Determine the height of the fence for safety reasons and based on personal wishes. As practice shows, it is not economically feasible to build a continuous fence more than 2.5 m high. The optimal height to save materials is 2 m (a six-meter pipe is divided into 3 parts).
Determine the height of the pillars. The principle is this: to create a reliable support lever in the ground, the stand must be immersed in the ground at least 1/3. If you plan to build a 2-meter fence, then at least 1 m of the support must be in the ground, then its total length will be 3 m.
Count the number of columns depending on the interval of their installation.

Fences with a height of more than 2.5 m are best made of mesh

Advice. At the preparatory stage, it is worth coordinating the construction with the neighbors, so that later there will be no disputes regarding the delimitation of plots.

It is important to choose the correct step for installing the supports, depending on the area and windage of the fence. The distance between the posts should be between 2 and 3 m. A smaller interval is not advisable from the point of view of economy, and a larger one sharply reduces the reliability of the structure. The exact selection is made on an individual basis.

Solid fence with an optimal distance between posts of 2.5 m

Calculation example for a fenced area length of 13.4 m with a fence height of 1.5 m:

If you divide this distance into 4 sections, then the pitch of the pillars will be 3.23 m. With such a span length, the fence can be built from brick or chain-link mesh on metal posts. It is extremely undesirable to install corrugated sheets or other solid material; the racks will be shaken by the wind.
Dividing into 5 sections will give an optimal interval of 2.56 m. This is a suitable option for most fences, both wooden and metal.
If you divide the distance into 6 spans, then the length of each span will be 2.12 m. The reliability of such a fence will be excellent, although the cost of construction will increase. But here you can save on the cross-section of the pillars and take a smaller standard size according to the assortment.

An example of a breakdown into 4 spans

Advice. The optimal distance between the posts of a solid fence 2 m high is 2.5 m. This is the best option in terms of price/reliability ratio when it comes to the most popular fences made of corrugated sheets on metal supports.

An example of a breakdown into 5 spans

If you choose the optimal step of 2.5 m, then the construction of the fence will require 6 supports protruding 1.5 m above ground level. According to calculations, the total length of the post together with the underground part is 1.5 / 2 x 3 = 2.25 m, with a margin of 2.5 m. In total, 2.5 x 6 = 15 m of pipe or channel will be required.

Breakdown into 6 spans

Reference. Concrete Euro fences have a fixed span length of 2 m, so calculating the number of posts is not difficult.

How to install fence posts by driving

To carry out construction work you will need various tools and equipment:

measuring instruments - tape measure, liquid level;
long twine and pegs for marking;
manual or mechanized drill;
sledgehammer or portable hydraulic hammer;
bayonet shovel;
tamper

If you plan to install wooden posts, they must be treated so that they do not rot in the ground. First, cover the entire support with an antiseptic composition such as Novotex or Biosept, and then tar the underground part with molten bitumen.

Advice. The bitumen coating must adhere firmly to the surface, otherwise it will peel off when driving the post. For this reason, it is not recommended to use cold bitumen compounds and primers to protect racks.

Painted metal supports

Before installation, the underground part of the metal poles must be cleaned of rust, coated with a primer and also applied with hot resin. The operation will not take much of your time, since the bitumen hardens quite quickly.

Work order

The first stage of installation of the supporting part of the fence is marking. Stretch a string on stakes between the extreme points, and then measure along it the calculated intervals between the posts, marking their installation points. The installation technology is as follows:

At the designated points, drill wells of the calculated depth. The diameter of the drill should be 2-4 cm less than the cross-section of the post. When drilling, try to hold the tool vertically and not swing, so as not to break the walls of the hole, which will cause the post to fall in there without any driving.
It is advisable to trim the ends of the wooden posts, this makes it easier to insert them into the hole.
Compact the bottom of the well with a tamper and add some sand or small crushed stone.
Hammer the first post to the required height with a sledgehammer. Here you will need the services of an assistant who will support the end of the support and prevent it from vibrating from impacts.
Repeat the previous operation with the last post and pull a rope between them to break off the top level.
Drive in the remaining posts, focusing on the level of the string. Cover them with earth on all sides and compact it.

Marking the fence on the site

Important! In order to maintain a clear vertical when installing pillars, it must be controlled during the drilling process. It is impossible to align the support when driving if the hole is drilled crookedly. But if this happens, then you can correct the matter in the manner described below.

Photo instructions for driving in racks

When driving the column, an assistant must support it. Drilling a hole with a motor drill This is what a finished well looks like for driving Using hammering, the frame is installed in 1 day

Installation of backfilled pillars

To implement this method, you will need medium-sized stones, broken bricks and tiles or large crushed stone. The installation procedure is as follows:

Drill or dig a hole to the required depth. It should be 10-15 cm wider than the cross-section of the support.
Compact the bottom of the hole and fill it with crushed stone. Have a helper place the post and hold it upright using a building level.
Fill the space between the soil and the stand with stones or crushed stone, compacting it periodically.
Sprinkle the installed column with soil on top and compact it.

Scheme of backfilling supports

Reference. There is an old-fashioned way to secure the support tightly using backfill. You need to make a liquid solution of clay and water and pour it between the stones into each hole. The clay will fill all the pores and, after hardening, will hold up no worse than concrete.

Video on driving posts

Instructions for concreting supports

This technology involves full or partial filling of columns with a concrete mixture of grade M100 in dry soil and M150 when the ground is wet. To calculate the amount of materials required for concreting, use the data from the table, which shows their volumes for preparing different grades of mortar.

Calculation table for concrete, cement and other ingredients of concrete mixture

Knowing the number of holes for supports and their depth, it is easy to calculate the total consumption of building materials. When fully concreting, no more than 4 standard buckets of concrete are placed in a hole 1 m deep. Additionally, prepare the following materials:

roofing felt or plastic film to separate the concrete mixture from the ground;
sand for adding to the bottom of the well;
pieces of reinforcement or corners for anchoring.

Building materials for concreting pillars

The set of tools used is the same as for driving, only instead of a sledgehammer you will need a concrete mixer. As a last resort, you can do without it and prepare the mixture on a sheet of metal using a shovel. To fix and anchor metal posts, you need to prepare a welding machine.

How to concrete: pouring technology step by step

The first stage of work, consisting of marking and digging holes, is carried out using the technology described above. Complete concreting of pillars is carried out in the following sequence:

Compact the bottom of the hole, add sand and compact it again.
Install the support and level it vertically in two planes, using a building level.
Fix the pipe in the design position by welding the cutting corners to it so that their ends rest against the soil. If the posts are wooden, then nail strips to them or simply wedge them with large stones.
Cover the bottom of the well and earthen walls with roofing felt or film. The goal is to prevent the milk from leaking out of the concrete, which reduces the strength of the latter.
Prepare a concrete mixture and place it in a hole with a stand. During the pouring process, make sure that it does not deviate from the vertical and is level.

Full concreting of the rack

Advice. In the first 20 min. after pouring, when the concrete releases excess water, the position of the column can be adjusted in order to align the vertical.

Vertical adjustment after concreting

Complete hardening of the concrete mixture occurs after 3 weeks. Until then, it is not allowed to carry out work that could load the columns. The most you can do is clean them and paint them.

How to install and concrete columns: photo

Filling the hole with concrete The pit is filled to the top with concrete It is better to cover the edges of the well with roofing material
Fixing the stand with supports Using a rope is more convenient to determine the installation point of the pole Preparation of concrete mixture

About partial concreting: what depth to bury and what is the distance between the columns

If the soil on your site is dry and not free-flowing, then it is pointless to spend materials on a full fill. It is enough to make a concrete collar for each column using the following technology:

Dig a hole half the calculated depth, but make it 20-25 cm wider than the section of the rack.
Take the finished support and hammer it in the middle of the bottom of the hole to the required depth. Compact the soil around the pipe and add sand.
Perform anchoring and roofing felt formwork as described in the previous section.
Fill the hole with concrete mixture.

This is how frost heaving forces act on fence posts

The method is convenient in that it is easier to align a post halfway into the ground vertically and fix it in this position. But this technology, like complete concreting, is not applicable in heaving soils. In severe frosts, the soil will push the entire structure out. To prevent this from happening, use the following instructions:

Find out exactly what the freezing depth of the ground is in your area. Calculate the total height of the supports using the following formula: above-ground part + freezing depth + 0.5 m.
Prepare a mixture of crushed stone and sand to replace the heaving soil around the post.
Drill a hole so that the drill goes 0.6-0.7 m below the border of the frozen soil. Make a 10 cm layer of sand and compact it.
Install the support and secure it in a vertical position.
Fill the hole with concrete to a height of 0.5 m.
After the monolith has set, fill the well to the top with a mixture of sand and crushed stone.

Concrete is poured no higher than the frost line, and then crushed stone is poured

Note. Considering that in some regions of the Russian Federation the soil freezes to 2-2.5 m, the fence posts will be very long and the well will be deep. Therefore, the choice of material for pillars is small; only steel pipe is suitable.

When the moisture-saturated soil is replaced with crushed stone, and the concrete monolith is located below the freezing line, the forces of frost heaving will not be able to push your support out of the ground.

How to properly concrete pillars - video

As you can see, the technology for installing fence posts does not contain any particular difficulties. Also, no special equipment is required to complete the work, but if you have a concrete mixer or hydraulic hammer, things will go much faster. It is better to build a fence with an assistant, since most operations are inconvenient to perform alone.