What kind of posts are needed for a wooden fence? How to make and install wooden fence posts? We install wooden fence posts in concrete with our own hands

Any owner of a suburban area quite rightly tries to fence off his property in some way. Thus, the construction of a fence is always included in the list of priority tasks, and it is often started to be installed even before the construction of the main house begins. There are a great many design options for such fencing. But despite the very wide range of materials offered for sale, both general construction and specifically designed for the construction of fences, wooden fences remain one of the most popular.

Wooden fences have been used for centuries and have proven their practicality. True, fence supports were and remain a weak point - wood quickly succumbs to biological decomposition from constant contact with the ground, and the life of wooden posts, alas, is short-lived. But nothing in our time prevents us from finding a more thorough solution. For example, a wooden fence on metal posts will last much longer . It is these types of fences that will be discussed in this publication.

A fence made of a strong wooden fence is a pleasure for every owner to have on their property. Such canvases look good, and also fulfill their main purpose - protecting your home or cottage from uninvited guests.

Today there are many ways to build, which are used by summer residents and those who want to equip their plot. The post is the basis of the fence frame; crossbars (joists) are attached to it, and then the fence itself. The choice of a wooden base must be approached responsibly.

The construction of the fence consists of the following stages:

Installation of pillars;
Lag fastening;
Installation of boards.

How to build posts for a wooden fence so that they do not rot

There are many master classes on how to make fence posts yourself. It should be noted: you cannot cope here alone. Competent advice on the issue of processing and installation of wooden bases will not be superfluous. The fence support can be complemented with homemade decor. Woodcarving masters have a place to show their creativity.

Unfortunately, insufficient attention to the initial treatment will lead to inevitable consequences in the future - the fence begins to rot. It is very difficult to deal with processes once they occur. It's easier to prevent trouble.

To prevent the base of a wooden fence from rotting, the following rules must be observed:

Special treatment will not allow the beams to rot. Whatever wood you choose to build your wooden fence from, its base must be kept in a special solution, a septic tank to prevent rot and insects. Protective waterproofing of the lower part must be done before installation. And after the process, treat with sealant.
The concrete solution will also prevent the posts from rotting. Concrete is poured into the well where the support will stand. Make sure that the solution is poured under the base of the beam. Gravel is usually placed under the concrete solution, on which the post is placed.
It is recommended to burn or treat with resin the part that is in the ground before installing a wooden support. However, if you decide to install the fence on rocky ground or soft ground, this method is not suitable.
Rot of the underground part of the post at the installation stage is prevented with the help of an iron pipe 50 cm high, 2-3 mm thick. You just need to insert the timber into it. Ideally, it will be the same size as the pipe. It is highly advisable to coat the pipe itself with an anti-corrosion agent.

It should be remembered that the places between the pillar and the ground are most susceptible to rotting, since high humidity remains here. What causes timber to rot at height is that it does not have time to dry and because of this the wooden support deteriorates.

Correct installation of posts. What distance should be between wooden posts

In order for the support to last longer, you must adhere to certain rules. Having decided on the material and height of the wooden base, before starting the construction process, you need to answer the following questions:

- how deep should the post be driven into the ground?

- what material it should be;

- how to process the support.

The type of wood is important. It is believed that a wooden pole made of oak will last the longest. Larch, pine, ash are also famous for their good reviews. Coniferous and fruit-bearing tree species are not recommended for use in such buildings. Before installation, you will need to purchase solid hardwood logs. Unedged posts are used after sanding and drying for a year. Due to its properties, wood can become deformed during drying; it should be used only after complete shrinkage.

Mounting the columns begins with preparing a special pit. It is better to learn how to make holes for fence posts from knowledgeable people. Stock up on the necessary tools and don’t forget – the installation stage is very important. How strong the fence will be depends on the correctness of the actions.

The pillar is immersed in the hole after treatment with antiseptics and drying. The depth of the pit is from 50 to 90 centimeters (depending on the height of the pillar)

— The distance between the posts to which the fence is attached will depend on the area of the site. The optimal gap is 2.5 meters. It is this remoteness that contributes to the stability of the finished fence and its ability to withstand winds and external factors.

— Installing a support is not a difficult matter, but it is serious. It is important that there is nothing unnecessary on the territory of the future fence. The place where the fence will be placed must be cleared and marked.

The more reliable way to treat wooden fence posts

It is necessary to systematically treat the wooden base from destruction. Experienced builders claim that this way the structure will last longer. All tree species need this.

Rules for choosing timber

When choosing a timber, you should immediately look to see if there is any delamination on it, or if it is infected with grinders. Insects love wood and can completely destroy a post. It is important that there are no knots on the material; they negatively affect the strength of the timber under mechanical stress. If there is mold on it, the structure will begin to rot even after treatment with special means.

How to get rid of pests? The septic tank will solve the problem. In the fight against bugs, other means are chosen: zinc chloride, copper sulfate, creosote oil.

What to do if a wooden support rots and cannot be saved? It’s better to say goodbye to such a beam by replacing it with a new one.

Impregnation of wooden fence posts - guarantee of durability

Treating the posts with antiseptics, opening them with bitumen, wrapping the lower part with waterproofing: measures that contribute to the long service life of the wooden base of the fence.

Special septic tanks will help protect the timber on the surface or completely saturate it. The result of the action depends on their type. Impregnations that penetrate the wood completely are more effective. Such remedies as Aidol Langzeit-Lasur, Belinka, interior Sauna are known. Some of them are perfectly compatible with paint and varnish (Senezh-ecobio).

Impregnations are divided into anti-bug and anti-rot agents, but there are also universal preparations. However, the products should not be water-based. You can choose those that protect wooden poles from fire (Pirilax).

The longevity of the post and fence will depend on several factors: material, proper installation, and maintenance with regular pest control treatments. Choose the most affordable option and forget about rot and damage while admiring your sturdy wooden fence.

A pole designed for a specific load may be made of wood, concrete, polymer or iron. But for a regular fence, natural materials have always been used, which is why wooden posts are most often placed along the site.

It would seem that what is so difficult here? I cut it to the required length, placed it in a trench and secured it with soil. But in construction, even the most ordinary one, there are developments, experience of generations and its own rules.

What are there

So, during construction it can be used as a pillar:

Wood;
Metal;
Concrete;
Brick;
Stone;
Asbestos cement.

Features and Properties

Several decades ago, wooden poles were the most budget-friendly building material for everyone. Rarely could anyone afford to fence a site with a round pipe or reinforced concrete.

What are the advantages? For low picket fence a wooden pole is the most profitable. Any board will rot over time, but replacing it with a new one is easier when the entire structure is completely dismantled.

Reliable and durable. Moreover, for the fence it does not matter what kind of shape the post will be. You can order round, square, rectangular posts. With the correct construction calculations, almost any fence by weight can be erected on metal poles.

Another special feature is that the iron or steel pole is pre-equipped with special fasteners. It is easiest to weld arcs and fasteners for the fence section to it. Well, if the wooden fence itself is on an iron profile, then after installing the posts, you can very quickly attach all the parts into one very strong structure using a welding machine.

Advice! Some manufacturers skimp on protective equipment, so it is better to treat steel poles yourself against corrosion.

Expensive and difficult to work with material. It is used extremely rarely for private construction. Of course, if the post is not poured into the mold right on the site.

But homemade products rarely look aesthetically pleasing, and factory-made concrete fence posts need to be purchased at an expensive price, then delivered and unloaded (quite difficult without a crane). But installation is not even easier, because the mass of each is large, it must somehow be fixed in the ground.

Prefabricated structures are quite bulky and massive. But a fence with brick pillars looks very expensive in the photo and in real life.

You shouldn’t be afraid of the cost of the material itself, and the work on the post, because a finished fence on such a basis will last a very long time.

Interestingly, inside any post structure made of brick or stone is a modest steel post (usually a square section). This is what they are guided by when pouring a strip foundation for the entire area. Otherwise, distortion in the future cannot be avoided.

Asbestos cement

Cheap and cheerful stuff. It is bought very rarely specifically for private construction. Typically, asbestos-cement poles are used in industrial areas.

Of course, any material has its difficulties, but this one is not suitable for fastening. For example, fixing logs on a level cylinder is not an easy task. Everything is clear in the photo:

And sometimes savvy builders make do with just a crimping device, which is very impractical for a fence.

Prices

How to make wooden poles with your own hands

It is worth noting that the durability of the structure always depends on the quality of pillars made of any material. This applies not only to installation.

Let's begin with an oak pole is rarely used. Due to the price per 1m3, it is advisable to abandon oak for the construction of fences. And the price for non-built timber (category 2-3) will suit everyone.
It is better to buy any untreated wood by season. Ideally, this is material cut down in late winter or early spring. At this time, the wood “sleeps”, there is a minimum of resin in it.
Drying must be done independently, on the territory of the future stand. This is the only way to accurately achieve that 15% humidity.
If the installation is planned without an antiseptic (the tree will simply dry out and go to work), then the part of the trunks that will fit into the ground must be burn until coal forms. It is the coal that will repel moisture in the most moist parts of the pillars (melt water boundary).
The drying process takes from 4 to 12 months. Moreover, the logs are necessarily stacked and preserved.
During the installation process, a hole or hole for the post must be made as soon as possible. Otherwise, loosening is possible in the future.
Pillars It is forbidden to varnish or paint before planting in place.
For good protection, it is better to take the lower part of the pillar, immersed in the ground. bitumen impregnation. This is essentially a resin, and wood fibers will acquire the necessary layer of protection from moisture and dampness with it.
The upper part of the column will also always absorb moisture, so either cut at an acute angle(snow and rain will simply flow down the trunk), or cover it with some decorative
The posts are selected to the entire height of the fence. Therefore, the total length will be equal to the height of the fence plus half of this value, buried in the ground.

How to protect wooden poles from damage - in the video

Of interest is not only the video, but also the comments to it, where viewers share their own experiences.

A reliable and durable fence needs high-quality supporting elements. For this reason, gardeners should familiarize themselves with how to dig fence posts from various materials. Proper installation of load-bearing structures will increase the strength of the fencing element and emphasize its style and shape. When considering how to carry out the work correctly, keep in mind: a support frame installed in accordance with the technological sequence will increase the service life of the fence.

When is concreting contraindicated?

Pouring pillars with concrete is a simple and reliable way to install them. But there are a number of factors in which there are indications for driving or butting of the support. Experts highlight the following points:

the properties are located on heaving soils that subside in the spring;
high level of precipitation in winter. Melting snow leads to the destruction of the concrete base;
hard soils justify hammering - a quick method convenient for arranging temporary fences;
lightweight fence products. Concreting is suitable for strengthening massive structures made of brick, concrete or solid sheet metal.

Carrying out work on the construction of a fence on problematic soil involves digging, hammering or butting a support. By selecting elements from different materials, you can reduce the load on the ground.

Types of materials for poles, their advantages and disadvantages

When selecting building materials for supporting elements, take into account the strength, ability to withstand the load of the main fabric, and wind resistance. Manufacturers offer several types of elements for fencing construction:

Wooden supports

Eco-friendly wooden poles are ideal for constructing lightweight structures - demarcating a garden area or temporary fences. Before installation, the wood is treated with special impregnations that prevent rotting and destruction. The maximum service life of lumber supports is 20 years.

Asbestos cement pipes

Installing a fence structure on such supports is a reasonable decision. The material is distinguished by its affordable price and high performance indicators. Asbestos-cement products:

do not rot;
do not deform over time;
are easy to maintain.

Supporting elements have only one drawback - fragility. Asbestos sheets require increased care during transportation and installation. The second nuance that needs to be taken into account is hollowness. To prevent splitting, do not install posts in sub-zero temperatures or wet weather.

Metal pipes

The optimal combination of quality and cost. A country fence made of a metal picket fence, profiled fence, chain-link mesh, plastic or Euro picket fence is securely placed on metal structures. Iron supports have a number of advantages:

strength, resistance to wind and mechanical loads;
high load-bearing capacity, thanks to which it is possible to install a fence made of solid metal sheets or asbestos-cement slate;
long period of operation - up to several decades;
the possibility of reusing the pipe;
quick installation and treatment with special means;
increased resistance to weathering.

The dug or concreted element is connected to the sections of the fence using bolts, clamps, and welding.

Concrete supports

The large weight of the supporting elements presupposes reliable installation - the presence of a foundation. The frame made of concrete pillars has the following advantages:

strength. Cement grade M300-M500 is more reliable than wood;
long service life;
the possibility of decoration using stone, textured plaster;
ease of self-installation.

The pillars have a significant mass, so it is better to strengthen them with a foundation. Owners who are counting on installing support posts for a country fence without the need for concreting need to pay attention to other options.

Elements built from bricks

Brick pillars not only form a stable base for the fence, but also serve as a decorative element. Constructing brick pillars with your own hands is a very labor-intensive and costly process.
Each support has advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is that the material for the frame ensures the stability of the structure. The choice of specific material depends on the builder’s budget.

Where to start?

The formation of supporting elements for the fence is carried out in several stages. A rational step would be to draw up a schematic work plan.

Preparatory activities

Construction tasks include solving the following issues:

design;
determining the location, marking and cleaning the area;
preparation of instruments;
selection of raw materials for support;
development of design and connection of the fence to the landscape of the site.

Compliance with the step-by-step list will save you from unnecessary expenses on building materials and minimize time costs.

List of materials

Before installing fence posts, you should prepare construction tools, the list of which consists of:

borax;
scrap;
level;
hydraulic level;
roulette;
shovels;
twine;
crushed stone;
water;
sand;
raw materials for supporting elements.

The use of the above tools does not require special skills and knowledge in carrying out construction work.

Marking the fence structure

The fencing installation technology begins with the sequence of the following work:

Clear the soil of vegetation, debris, and roots.
Mark the area.
Calculate the number of supports for the frame.

The correct ratio of supporting structures to the weight of the fence increases the service life and reliability of the building.
Algorithm for marking the fence:

We install supporting elements around the perimeter of the future frame within a radius of 2 - 3 meters from each other.
To evenly distribute the load, we place pillars of a larger cross-sectional diameter at the corners of the fence.
We give the correct shape to the structure using twine, which passes through all corners.

How deep the post needs to be buried depends on the condition of the soil: if it is dry and loose, the trench goes underground at a distance of 1-1.2 meters, if moist, it requires additional meters.

Mounting options for support pillars

Backfilling of pillars - how to do it correctly

Using a drill, we make indentations in the places where the pegs are fixed. To drain groundwater, you will need a base of crushed stone and sand.
Installation of pillars using the backfill method requires the following steps:

We install a support in each hole, strengthening it with wood wedges.
We use a level to measure the deviation from the vertical line.
We do backfilling. We fill in the crushed stone layer by layer, each time moistening and thoroughly compacting the building material. Make sure that the buried post is in a perpendicular position.
The last layer is made of sand.
Gradually fill the trenches with concrete solution, making small holes to avoid relief and swelling of the surface.
To protect the frame from seasonal phenomena, we use metal plugs at the top of the supports.

It is necessary to install structures without pouring concrete if a lightweight building material is used for the future fence that does not place a large load on the supporting parts.

Hammering method - step-by-step implementation

It is necessary to drive pillars made of metal piles. Iron, of course, is easier to bury, but hammering is a more reliable option. We perform the event like this:

We drill several trenches in the ground, smaller than the diameter of the support.
We control the immersion depth of the drill, allocating about 60% of the pipe to it.
We measure the perpendicularity of the location of the rod.
Climbing onto the stepladder, we hammer the post with a sledgehammer.

To simplify the work, you can rent a mobile device for driving iron piles, which operates on the principle of a compressor.

Subtleties of installing poles for different materials

For a support made of a specific material, a specific butting algorithm is provided. Mistakes when dismantling the base can lead to deformation of the entire fence.

Installation of wooden fence posts

Natural building material is easy to process. The downside of wood is its low resistance to insects and weather conditions. Structures made from lumber are not durable, so they are justified for a frame made of light load-bearing elements.
Installation of wooden beams does not require much effort:

For a pillar 2 meters high, we make a trench. We deepen it into the soil by 0.5 m, taking into account that the buried part should be 1/3 of the entire length of the log.
The diameter of the recess is the cross section of the pillar multiplied by two.
We cover the bottom of the pit with crushed stone. In case of groundwater leakage, it is advisable to use expanded clay.
We adjust the vertical position of the support with a level and fill it with crushed stone.

Metal sleeves, which serve as the basis for mounting lumber supports, will help give the pillars stability.

Installation of metal poles

The metal support does not deform under the weight of the heavy structure. Its arrangement has several nuances:

The pillars must be buried to a depth of at least 1.5 meters, and during installation, use concreting and driving into the soil.
Before installation, metal bases are coated with a primer to prevent corrosion.
Concreting is carried out on level soil with high water permeability.
To securely fix it to the ground, the pole must be placed in a trench of a smaller cross-section than the base of the support.
the rod is driven in with a sledgehammer.

To prevent the accumulation of groundwater in the body of the pipe, caps or covers made of metal are used.
You can construct a reliable fence with your own hands. To achieve the strength of the fence cloth, take care to install reliable posts for the country fence without the use of concreting.