OT packing posts

David G · Jun 30, 2016

I am putting up a hexagon swing with fire pit for the women. There are six 6x6 that are 42" in the ground. I would prefer not to concrete them in. I have a bunch of 3/4 river rock. Would you mix it with dirt and pack in, or use dirt?

Comments appreciated.

Tony in SD · Jun 30, 2016

I assume you mean 3/4 INCH river rock. If so Id just tamp it in the hole with not dirt at all.

David G · Jun 30, 2016

Yes, that is what I have

LAA · Jun 30, 2016

We mix at lime with pea gravel to pack posts, it sets up as hard as concrete and the fire ants don't like it.

JD Seller · Jun 30, 2016

David just use the rock clean. Your post will be tighter then when packed with dirt. Also the water will get away form the post better and they will last longer. I back fill my corner post with clean rock. I got started accidently building a garage and only had clean 3/4 crushed gravel. It worked so much easier. Just sprinkle it around the post and then tamp the gravel an shake the post a little. It will get tight fast because the gravel does not give when it gets wedged against the solid ground of the post hole wall. Dirt always has some give to it.

Charllie in MO · Jun 30, 2016

I'm in SW MO so we have plenty of rocks, wedge the rocks and tamp them with dirt filling between the rocks. After a few years you know just the rock you want at the right time.

Geo-TH,In · Jul 1, 2016

David G,
I would keep the dirt away from the post. Less than 20 years ago I put a treated post next to kitchen window for a bird house and feeder. Here is a pic of the post that was in contact with the ground.

I know I going to catch heck for saying this. Fence companies in Terre Haute put their posts in concrete. I had paid to have a privacy fence installed in 1991 and it still standing, no problems so far. I put my posts in concrete when I build decks, no problems.

The posts today are crap, use rock and keep the dirt away from posts.

I stopped building raised flower boxes out of landscaping timbers, termites get them in less than 10 years. EPA took arsenic out of treated lumber and they don't last in contact with the ground.

I would use concrete. Get gravel out of my old pit, buy Portland cement, get the mixer out. Nothing lasts forever, but my posts last longer in concrete than the dirt.

geo.

john in la · Jul 1, 2016

It depends on where you live and what soil type you have.

If you live in a moderate to low wood deterioration zone and have sandy or well drained soil you can use gravel to pack the post in. Put a layer of gravel under the post. The water enters the post hole and pools in the bottom under the post and drains away into the well drained soil. This allows the post to dry out.

But if you live in a severe deterioration area with hard packed clay like I do putting gravel around the post is the last thing you want to do. It creates a area for water to pond never to drain away. The post is always sitting in water. In this case you want to use the same dirt that came out the hole.

The best thing you can do is buy the correct treated post. They still make them they are just harder to find today and are very expensive. You will not find them at the big box store; in fact the farther you live from the gulf coast the less likely you will find any lumber yard willing to order them or even know what you are talking about.
We can still buy lumber grades suitable for salt water submersion but they are expensive.

rdandersom · Jul 2, 2016

I have been told the best plan is to throw the dirt away and gravel/stone the post.I also remember my Dad nailing small crosspieces of scrap lumber near the bottom of anchor posts to help keep them from frost heaving out.

OT packing posts

David G

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Tony in SD

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David G

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LAA

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JD Seller

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Charllie in MO

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Geo-TH,In

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john in la

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rdandersom

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