new gate post

[Floyd]

I don't recall who talked about putting posts in pea gravel.I replaced a post yesterday. Pulled the old one then my son, who is stronger than he was 10 yr ago, dug the hole a little deeper. We slipped a piece of conctete culvert over 4" well casing & set it in the ground. Filled it with pea gravel & new gate post.

I concreted around the culvert. That post will not move. Good thing as a 16' & a 12' gate will hang off it.


So, thanks for the tip. I am building a covered feeder & those posts will probably be ringed with some culvert as well.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

That sounds interesting. So the pea gravel set up that tight huh?

 

[1982vett]

That sounds interesting. So the pea gravel set up that tight huh?

it will....especially if the pea gravel is sac-crete.....

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Well now 1982vett, that's not what he said he did now is it? I'm guessing the logic is that the pea gravel will drain off the water and the concrete culvert set in concrete supports the structure without fear of rot.

Seems like I remember that thread and rotted posts because they were concreted in place.

 

[Floyd]

Pea gravel...no concrete. Easier than tamping dirt in it.

 

[novatech]

The pea gravel or course sand compensates for the contraction of the ground when it shrinks when dried out, and allows for drainage around wood or steel posts. Concrete shrinks as it dries and will hold moisture in the tiny crack left around the post, thus causing rot or rust on posts. On corner posts or gate posts concrete acts as ballast counteracting the pull of wire, or the gate, constantly trying to pull it out of the ground or lean it over. It acts like the keel on a sail boat.
As far as the culvert is concerned the surface area is far greater than a normal size post thus spreading the load out on the soil making it more stable. (A tractor may be able to pull a single shank through the ground 2' deep but if were a foot wide the tractor would not budge.)

 

[Floyd]

Only post in conctete here is metal gatepost in the center of the corral. There is a 3' elevation change there so we put a dry sack of concrete in the hole. This is at the fill on the flat place I put in the corral so I can get a tractor in there.

The post I'm crowing about only has a 1' elevation change.

I think I have mentioned I'm in the canyons so any flat ground on my place was made by me.