How to install fence posts using a post hole digger?

3rd March 2020


How to install fence posts using a post hole digger


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		For installing fences and other projects requiring multiple holes, you may want to plan the locations of the posts more accurately than if you were just installing an individual post.

		Step 1 – Plan fence line Firstly you will need to plan where you wish to install your fence. In doing this, it is often helpful to use stakes and a piece of string as a guideline.


		Step 2 – Mark fence line When you have decided on your ideal position, use your string to draw a line across the ground to indicate the line of your fence posts. The string will indicate where the outer edge of the post will be placed.

		Step 3 – Measure Next, use a measuring tape to mark where each post will go. This step ensures that there is an equal distance in between each post.

		Step 4 – Mark post hole Place a stake into the ground, along the string line, to indicate where each post will go. This should now give you a clear and accurate idea of how your fence will look.

		Step 5 – Start digging Once you have your post holes marked out, you can remove the first stake and start digging with your post hole digger. For information on using this tool, see How to use a post hole digger

		At this stage you may find it helpful to use a the chisel edge of a digging bar to loosen up soil and break up any roots around the hole’s edge, as this will lessen the pressure on the post hole digger and also speed up the digging process.

		Keep digging until your hole is the required width and depth. A useful rule of thumb to remember is that you normally need one foot hole depth for ever four feet of post.

		Step 6 – Tamp hole base Once your hole is dug, use the digging bar’s tamper head to flatten the soil at the bottom of the hole. This helps to make sure the soil around the bottom of the hole doesn’t move once the post is planted, keeping it straight and solid in the ground.

		Step 7 – Insert gravel Fill the base of your hole with an inch of gravel. This will allow any water to drain away and reduce the risk of the post rotting.

		Step 8 – Plant post Insert the post into the hole, making sure it is in a sturdy position.

		Step 9 – Backfill hole Finally, backfill the hole with the dirt that was previously removed from the hole, making sure it is tightly compact in order to support the post. Once the hole has been refilled, use the tamper head of the digging bar again to flatten the soil to make sure it is solidly packed around the post.

		Step 10 – Repeat Repeat these steps until you have installed all of your fence posts successfully.