Fence posts - Concrete Vs. Foam - What Say you?

[dirtydeed]

Has anyone used the foam mix instead of concrete for fence posts? What was your experience with it?

I have a small fence job to do (dog play area) so I'm using 3"x5" landscape timbers as fence posts. I'm only planning on anchoring the corners, ends and gate posts. The rest of the posts are just going to be backfilled with the soil cuttings from the auger.

The fence will be 4' tall vinyl coated welded wire with two rails (top and bottom). I'm also planning on approx 10' post spacing. Customers dogs (4 of them) probably have a combined weight of 60 lbs...so, they aren't exactly powerhouses.

 

[biketopia]

I haven't personally, but have co-workers who have and are quite impressed. I'd say your plan and use case is probably a good use for it.

 

[Lil Foot]

I have been contemplating the same question for a 2" pipe, 12' to 16' tall, for a bat house.
Bat house is just 3-4 lbs, but pipe is heavy. (galvanized water pipe)
18" to 2' dp hole, 6" to 8" diameter.
Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[jimh406]

Go look at the SWI Fencing videos on YouTube. It might save you some work or give you some hints to do something different. They also have concrete and foam videos.

 

[McMXi]

I have been contemplating the same question for a 2" pipe, 12' to 16' tall, for a bat house.
Bat house is just 3-4 lbs, but pipe is heavy. (galvanized water pipe)
18" to 2' dp hole, 6" to 8" diameter.
Inquiring minds want to know.

I'd dig a lot deeper and larger diameter hole than that, for wind loading if nothing else. Better to overbuild than underbuild ... that's my approach at least. When I start the pole barn build this spring, I'll be digging 4ft holes at least 12" in diameter for the steel pipe uprights.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Has anyone used the foam mix instead of concrete for fence posts? What was your experience with it?

I have a small fence job to do (dog play area) so I'm using 3"x5" landscape timbers as fence posts. I'm only planning on anchoring the corners, ends and gate posts. The rest of the posts are just going to be backfilled with the soil cuttings from the auger.

The fence will be 4' tall vinyl coated welded wire with two rails (top and bottom). I'm also planning on approx 10' post spacing. Customers dogs (4 of them) probably have a combined weight of 60 lbs...so, they aren't exactly powerhouses.

The foam will work fine, I use concrete on gate posts because they will get worked loose with the foam.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have been contemplating the same question for a 2" pipe, 12' to 16' tall, for a bat house.
Bat house is just 3-4 lbs, but pipe is heavy. (galvanized water pipe)
18" to 2' dp hole, 6" to 8" diameter.
Inquiring minds want to know.

It's two sided.
The foam will bond to the pipe really well, but the wind will work the pole back and forth in the wind, so that could cause you issues?

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

YMMV... around these parts we would just set regular rnd. posts in the ground and from what you describe every 8' apart would last generations. no foam / concrete / mess and less work. A tensioned galv. wire top/bottom in lieu of rails.

We would get laughed at if we set posts in concrete or foam.

not your orig. question but chucking it out there for consideration. Cheap and easy and will last generations. Strong enough to hold cows in so should work for dogs and IMHO looks pretty darn good.

 

[hedgerow]

There was a time in my area folks like to use concrete on gate, pole barn and corner posts and the concrete would rot the post off. It's no fun to dig out the post that have been set in concrete if you don't have a back hoe handy. We always set high load post deep and back fill them with one inch crusher run lime stone and tamp them well as your back filling them. Never had one get loose and the rock helps drain the water. Had a friend that tried some foam and wasn't happy with it later the posts got loose.