charles_mitchell•3mo agoProlific Poster

Almost lost a fence to weak post holes last month

I was in a hurry on a backyard fence install. The dirt looked packed, so I didn't dig as deep as I should have. A week later, half the fence was swaying in the wind. It took a full day to fix all the posts. Don't make the same mistake I did, always go deep enough for stability.

4 comments

4 Comments

jana_jones2mo ago

My uncle always said to dig a third of the post length, which @wyatt_mitchell26 is right about.

robins832mo ago

Man, that brings back memories. I skimped on gravel for a shed base and the whole thing started sinking after a storm. Now I dig like I'm looking for treasure, just in case.

wyatt_mitchell262mo ago

After your experience, how deep do you actually dig now? Is there a specific depth that works for most sheds? @uma_williams asked about depth, and I'm stuck on that too. I learned the hard way that skimping on base prep leads to endless headaches. My rule is to dig past the soft topsoil until you hit solid ground, even if it feels excessive. It's boring work, but fixing a sunk shed is way worse.

uma_williams2mo ago

Tell me if anything inside the shed got damaged. How DEEP do you dig now to avoid a repeat?

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