The Part of Your Fence You'll Never See Matters Most

In this post:

• Why the posts decide how long your fence lasts
• What a proper footing looks like
• The four questions to ask any fencer about posts

When you look at a new fence, you look at the panels. The colour. How straight the top line is.

But the part that decides whether your fence lasts 20 years or two is underground. You'll never see it. And that's exactly why some contractors cut corners there.

One review I read stuck with me. The posts started rotting after about two years. When someone finally dug one out, there was no concrete in the hole at all. Another homeowner found their posts simply weren't deep enough to hold the fence up.

What the posts actually do

Every post is an anchor. Wind pushes on a fence like it's a sail. A 1.8 m Colorbond fence catches a lot of wind, and all that force goes straight down into the posts.

If the post isn't set deep enough, or the concrete around it is too thin, the fence starts to lean. Usually after the first big storm.

What a proper footing looks like

As a rule of thumb, a standard 1.8 m fence post goes in around 600 mm deep. Soft, sandy or reactive clay ground can need more. Gate posts and end posts need more again.

The post sits in a solid surround of concrete, not a token scoop at the top. The concrete is shaped so water runs away from the post instead of pooling against it.

For retaining walls we go further. We set sleepers into galvanised steel H-beam posts, because steel doesn't rot in the ground the way timber does.

Why corners get cut here

Digging is the slowest, hardest part of the job. Concrete costs money. Once the panels are on, nobody can see how deep the hole went.

That makes footings the easiest place to save time and money. It's often how a very cheap quote stays cheap.

What to ask

• How deep will the posts go?
• Will every post be set in concrete?
• Are gate and end posts set any differently?
• What happens if a post moves in the first year?

A good fencer will answer these straight away, without needing to check. If the answer is vague, ask again.

On every Synergy job, every post is set in concrete. It's not an upgrade or an extra on the quote. It's just how a fence should be built.

Common questions

How deep should fence posts be?

As a rule of thumb, around 600 mm for a standard 1.8 m fence, and deeper in soft ground or for gate and end posts.

Does every post need concrete?

For a boundary fence, yes. A post without concrete moves in wet ground and wind, and timber posts rot faster.

Can a leaning fence be straightened?

Sometimes, but if the posts are shallow it usually means resetting them properly. Tightening screws won't fix it.

Keep reading

• We didn't get the job. Six months later, we got the referral.
• Why did my new gate start sagging?
• How much does a Colorbond fence cost in Brisbane?

Want it done properly from the ground up? Call us on 07 2141 7748, get a price online or let's have a chat.