# Concrete fence posts



## Scooby308 (Dec 26, 2015)

Been reading on making them and even have an idea on how to use them with hi tensile wire. I've been cutting locust posts and there won't be enough for the whole farm. Posts at TSC are crappy and expensive. Anyone ever tried them, concrete that is? They used to be a big deal in the MidWest in the 30s-50s, or so I've read.


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## Baymule (Dec 26, 2015)

How do you make them? I see concrete fences, but they are expensive. What would do, make a lot of fence post forms, lay in the rebar and call the concrete truck?


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## Southern by choice (Dec 26, 2015)

I would think concrete would be considerably more than wood round posts.
Wood post last a LONG time.... 

For small sections the heavy duty t-post work very well. 

Thousands and thousands of farms use both...


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc87495/m1/
http://chestofbooks.com/home-improv...rk/Concrete-Posts-Continued.html#.VoA6rZBOnMJ
http://www.louispage.com/blog/bid/10949/Concrete-Fence-Posts

Making your own mix is the key to cutting the cost. Been doing the math and they do come out cheaper than wood posts. The problem is in the cure time. I read one that said 3-4 months before use.


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## Southern by choice (Dec 27, 2015)

Labor? How much is the labor to make them worth? 

Of course I am coming from the other perspective... already owning livestock... so many other things to do -that time is big $ to me.


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

I see that point and labor is not figured into the math. But still, the crap the call posts at TSC and other places are horrid here. Dad knows I've been eying his 100+ acres of woods for locusts. That's the cheapest route, labor included.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 27, 2015)

Thanks for sharing the link
Concrete posts would be about as good as you can get
I've seen places with concrete posts and high tensile wire
If you have the time and motivation to make them go for it
I can't wait to see the finished product


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

I'm thinking of starting some this spring, they should be cured by mid summer. I'm toying with using pex water tubing in the forms then cutting it to leave in the post. For straight line electric, it should work. Built in insulator.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 27, 2015)

I personally don't understand the 3-4 months to cure
They don't wait that long to build on concrete footings which are below grade
Or on. Concrete slab


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## Baymule (Dec 27, 2015)

Pex water tubing...... wouldn't that deteriorate over time? Then you would have no way to attach your wire. What about inserting the ceramic insulators and they would last a loooong time.


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

Them standing verticle with stresses from the fencing pulling horizontally may have to do with it. I read one that said 24 hrs were enough, then the longest of 3-4 months. The key is to keep them covered and misted to cure. There are a number of different ways, but I'm leaning toward the old method.


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

I think it would last a while. It is flexible to extremes. If it should go bad, it could be pushed out and another pex "sleeve" inserted. Of course that means restringing the wire. Idk about the ceramic insulators holding up to the concrete possibly cracking them. But idk. Thinking it will be an interesting project.


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## Baymule (Dec 27, 2015)

Like this.....the screw in part could be inserted in the concrete while still wet.


http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/small-lag-screw-insulator-white


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## Scooby308 (Dec 27, 2015)

Ok. I see said the blind man. But 5 of those per post is going to add up. They would be a great choice for the corner posts though.


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## Baymule (Dec 27, 2015)

If you are going to all the trouble of making permanent posts, go the extra bit for permanent insulators.


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## Baymule (Dec 27, 2015)

If you are going to all the trouble of making permanent posts, go the extra bit for permanent insulators.


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## Baymule (Dec 27, 2015)

If you are going to all the trouble of making permanent posts, go the extra bit for permanent insulators.


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## norseofcourse (Dec 27, 2015)

OneFineAcre said:


> I personally don't understand the 3-4 months to cure
> They don't wait that long to build on concrete footings which are below grade
> Or on. Concrete slab


Commercial concrete often has additives to speed curing.  Concrete is also really great at resisting compression; not so great at resisting sideways forces, that's why concrete fence posts need metal reinforcement.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 27, 2015)

norseofcourse said:


> Commercial concrete often has additives to speed curing.  Concrete is also really great at resisting compression; not so great at resisting sideways forces, that's why concrete fence posts need metal reinforcement.


All concrete needs metal reinforcement Not just fence posts
Concrete slabs have wire mesh
Footings and walls usually rebar
I worked as a "rod buster" installing rebar on a 60 story building when I was in college
The entire structure columns and suspended slabs was concrete

I don't see why fence posts have to cure for 3 or 4 months


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## norseofcourse (Dec 27, 2015)

Scooby308 said:


> I'm toying with using pex water tubing in the forms then cutting it to leave in the post. For straight line electric, it should work. Built in insulator.



I have an old (real old, from maybe the 1920's) textbook on basic construction techniques, and it has a section on concrete fence posts that was interesting.  It says properly made, they'll last longer than wooden posts. It gives dimensions and concrete mix proportions.  It says holes made in the posts would weaken the post, and the holes might not be where you need them - but they didn't have pex tubing back then, so that might make a difference.  It also says metal fasteners inserted into the post will tend to break off or rust off in time.  I agree with that, but it might work if you could coat the metal well enough, or use something that won't rust.

It says corner posts should be about 12" square, and 3 to 3.5 feet into the ground.  Because of their great weight, they should be cast in place and a perpendicular form used.

It mentions wetting them twice a day so they cure properly, but sadly it doesn't say how long curing takes.


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## norseofcourse (Dec 27, 2015)

OneFineAcre said:


> All concrete needs metal reinforcement Not just fence posts
> Concrete slabs have wire mesh
> Footings and walls usually rebar
> I worked as a "rod buster" installing rebar on a 60 story building when I was in college
> ...


Oops, I wasn't thinking of concrete used in buildings.  My city doesn't allow any metal reinforcement in sidewalks, curbs, or even some pavement, so I'm used to it not having metal in the areas I deal with.

I don't understand the 3 or 4 month cure time either.


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## Scooby308 (Dec 28, 2015)

I thought I bookmarked all the pages I found...guess not. Everyone does vary in cure time. One said 7 hrs in the form then another 24 hrs and good to go. The extreme was 24 hrs in the form and 3-4 months to finish cure. Idk. But seriously thinking of trying this for the road side of the farm that is a fairly straight shot. 50 locust posts cut now and would need a buttload more for separating paddocks. Plus in saving my biggest, longest ones for a pole barn, they're still standing.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 8, 2016)

I finally remembered to ask the engineers at work, and they said concrete has 80% of its strength after 7 days, and is completely cured in 28 days.


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