Are you planning on putting a fence on your property? Today we are going to take a look at what is involved in digging holes for fence posts.

We’ve been serving the tri-cities residential and commercial properties with post hole diggingfence and deck building, commercial now removal, and ice control since 2008 and we’d love to put our expertise to work for you.

We’ll explain why post hole digging is key to your fencing project and why it is important to get a professional to do this for you. So let’s get started.

Learn why digging holes for fence posts needs to be done properly

Digging Holes for Fence Posts: Here’s the Challenge

You might think that digging a hole is a pretty simple task and in some cases it is. However, when you are digging holes for fence posts, it’s a much more challenging task.

What Is a Post Hole?

A post hole is a hole dug in the earth that needs to be cut to an exact size and a particular depth for setting in the end of a post. The posts can be a part of a deck, fence or other structure.

Digging holes for fence posts is time consuming and difficult

Reasons Why Digging Holes for Fence Posts Is Important

 

1. Shape and Orientation

You need to dig straight down: It is important to get your post hole the right shape and it needs to go straight down so that your posts will stand up straight. Your hole needs to be large enough so that your post can be inserted into it, however, it shouldn’t be too large so that your post is swimming inside it. This is a difficult task to accomplish if you are digging your post hole by hand. You may start out with the right size, but as you dig deeper and deeper, it will become harder to be consistent.

You should shear the sides: To keep the sides of your hole straight, you need to cut straight down. This will involve using your shovel at a rather uncomfortable angle. The trick is to shear off the sides straight down instead of trying to scoop out this dirt. It may sound easy, but it will take some practice to get it right.

Your fence will wobble if your posts are crooked: if your holes are not straight, then your posts will not be straight either. This could cause your fence to wobble, bow outward, bow inward, and not look nice. What makes digging your hole straight down also challenging is that you have no way of gauging its shape as you progress. Even If you are using a powered auger instead of digging by hand, you can also get off track if you hit a root or a rock. If you hit a rock with your auger, you will need to stop and dig the rock out by hand.

You need to keep your posts straight when filling your holes: Once you insert your fence post into your hole you also need to refill the space around your post with the dirt that you removed. This can be a difficult task as well because you need to do it in such a way as to keep your post vertically straight. You also have to tamp down the dirt as you go.

Your posts need to be straight or your fence will wobble or bow

2. Depth

You will need to dig the hole deep enough so as to avoid frost heave. Frost heave happens when the water in your soil has frozen and then later thaws out. The great pressure from this process pushes the soil around and over time it can heave your fence posts out of the ground.

You should dig your hole deep enough so that it is below the frost line. A professional will know how deep to install your posts and how to do it in such a way that will protect them from coming out of the ground as a result of frost heave.

Learn how frost heave works

3. Obstacles

There are many obstacles that you may encounter as you are digging holes for fence posts. These include:

  • Rocks and stones
  • Tree roots
  • Extremely hard clay soil
  • Sandy soil that caves into your hole

As you are digging you need to scoop out your dirt. You should place a sheet of heavy plastic or plywood next to your hole so that you can pile the dirt on it. This will protect the surrounding lawn and keep your excess dirt in one spot for easy filling later.

If you have trees nearby then their roots could be an obstacle

Benefits of Digging Holes for Fence Posts Properly

If you dig your holes for your fence posts properly your fence will look professional, will be sturdier, will be safe from frost heave, and will last longer than if your holes are incorrect. Even though it’s a labour-intensive and time-consuming job, it’s worth the time and effort to do the job right.

Your finished project will look more professional with properly dug holes

How Citywide Can Deliver the Perfect Post Pole on the First Try

If you aren’t sure you can do a good job digging holes for fence posts, or if you don’t have the extra time needed to do it, then contact Citywide. We can dig the perfect post holes for you on the first try. This is because:

We Use Game-Changing Machinery

We have an auger machine that is specially designed for digging holes for fence posts perfectly. Our machinery will save you hours of painstaking and backbreaking digging. It can easily adjust to the size and depth of holes that you need. It also allows us to set the concrete deep into the ground to ensure the strength and rigidity of your posts and to avoid frost heave.

We Can Dig Precision Holes

Our special machinery allows us to dig holes in a variety of sizes and depths to suit your particular needs. You can choose to have your holes 9, 12, 15, 21, or 24 inches in diameter and up to 5 1/2 feet deep!

We Can Access Almost Any Space

Our post digging machinery is among the narrowest in the industry. It is only 42 inches wide which means that it can easily fit into your backyard even if the access to it is really small.

Citywide has the right machinery for digging holes for fence posts
We Can Dig Your Post Holes Fast

Depending on how many posts you need installed, we can usually complete the job in only a few hours, saving you hours of back-breaking work.

We Have Years of Experience

We have over 13 years of experience digging holes for fence posts. During that time we have developed and perfected a method of post setting that virtually eliminates post heaving from frost.

We Guarantee Our Post Settings up to 2 Years

We are so confident in our work that we will guarantee your post setting from heaving for up to 2 years! You can be assured that your fence or deck will last longer with our expertly installed posts.

We Offer Free Estimates and Advice

Still not convinced? Contact us today for a free estimate and expert advice to help you make your decision.

Other Services by Citywide

At Citywide we also provide a wide range of other services. In addition to digging post holes we also do:

Citywide is a locally owned business based in Kitchener. We have been serving the Waterloo region for 13 years and we’d love to serve you too. Contact Citywide today or give us a call at (519) 841-3965 for a free estimate for digging post holes or for one of our other great services.

“This is the second time I’ve hired them for fence work. Visited us often, always returned my calls/answered my questions. They are open to receiving and working with either detailed or general instructions and in all cases did an excellent job. Definitely hiring them again.”

KennyD