Bracing fence corners with T-posts

[quicksandfarmer]

Over the past ten years or so I've come up with a technique for creating rather strong braced corners with just T-posts as the part in the ground.

Here's a picture:

This fence is 54" field fence with a single strand of electric at the top. That's what I normally do for perimeter fencing, for interior fencing I often use electric rope.

I started down this journey when I realized that a piece of 1-1/2" PVC pipe fits snugly over a T-post. PVC pipe is the same outside diameter as the posts used for chain link fence. Chain link fences often just use pounded posts that are diagonally braced, so I started thinking if I could use chain link bracing with T-posts with a piece of PVC over them. The answer is yes.

I found it works better if you turn the bracing post 90 degrees so the spade is perpendicular to the direction of pull. The brace post is more stable if you take a 12" piece of treated 2x4 and drill a 1-5/8" hole in it:

Then slip that over the post so it sits between the spade and the PVC. Drive the post deep enough so the wood is resting on the surface:

What I like about these corners is I can install it with a post pounder and a wrench. They are pretty strong. I tension my field fence with a come-along. If I apply too much force the corner post will bend before it pulls out of the ground.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Over the years I've made some innovations. One is that instead of using chain link fence brace posts, I now use 10' pieces of 1-1/4" EMT. It's cheaper and I can get it at any big box store. It fits snugly inside 1-1/2" PVC, so I can make a corner where all of the pieces are clad in PVC pipe. When working with electric fence this means all of the pieces are insulated.

I use PVC electrical conduit rather than water pipe because it is more UV resistant, the white PVC tends to get brittle in the sunlight after a while.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

If I don't need an insulated corner, I only need a few inches of PVC pipe to hook onto. If you drill a 3/32" hole in the pipe, and then put a piece of 12 gauge galvanized wire bent into an improvised cotter pin in the hole, it will hook onto a nub on the T-post and hold securely.

I use a 7/8" sheet metal screw into the cap and through the PVC and EMT to hold it together. But the force is all in compression.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I've also had good results bracing wood posts this way:

The fitting to attach a brace to a wooden post is called a "drop fork bracket," you can see it here:

Chain Link Wall Mount Drop Fork Bracket - Wood Post Fork Latch Hanger (Galvanized Pressed Steel) | Chain Link Fittings

<p>The Drop Fork Wall Bracket, also known as a fork latch hanger, attaches with ease to a wood post or wall in order to provide quick installation for any future projects. Featuring a flat bracket-style, pre-drilled holes for simple screw attachment, and

chainlinkfittings.com

 

[japody]

I use Wedge-loc. They work well.

WEDGE-LOC®

Proving itself for over 30 years throughout North America & Europe, WEDGE-LOC® Bracing Hardware for T-posts is the most convenient, dependable, & exciting fencing system on the market. Why...

wedgeloc.com

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I use Wedge-loc. They work well.

WEDGE-LOC®

Proving itself for over 30 years throughout North America & Europe, WEDGE-LOC® Bracing Hardware for T-posts is the most convenient, dependable, & exciting fencing system on the market. Why...

wedgeloc.com

I've used Wedge-Loc, and I have to say I've had a very different experience. They're just not very strong, they're made of soft aluminum and bend under small amounts of force. They also have nothing to keep the brace post in, if there is any push in the opposite direction of the brace --like if you push on the corner -- the post just falls right out. They also require that the T-post be oriented just so because they can only go in one direction, and you can only do exactly 90-degree corners.

I got started down this path with Wedge-Loc and quickly found them to be not useful. I bought a box and ended up giving them all away. Corners made my way are far, far stronger. They can withstand hundreds of pounds of horizontal force.

 

[japody]

I haven't had any problems with mine. Whatever works!

 

[oosik]

For my corners I use rock filled gabions. This one is made out of 4' x 8' warehouse shelving. Two shelves - folded in the middle - wired together - filled with rock. Calculated weight ~ 6500 pounds.

 

[EddieWalker]

I do something similar, but I'm using 6inch x 8foot treated wood posts in concrete with 1 1/2 inch EMT for my bracing that is also set in concrete and attached with a 5 inch exterior structural screw.

The EMT comes in 10 foot lengths. I cut them in half at 45 degrees, drill a hole through the angle part of the EMT for the structural screw and anchor the other end in concrete.

I always bring the concrete up the post so water sheds away from it. In my experience, posts always rot at ground level, so keeping the water away from the base of the post will keep them from rotting.

My fencing is 4ft 2x4 horse fence. I like the wood posts because I can attach the fence to the posts with barbed staples, that make it very secure.

 

[TractorTech]

I've used Wedge-Loc, and I have to say I've had a very different experience. They're just not very strong, they're made of soft aluminum and bend under small amounts of force. They also have nothing to keep the brace post in, if there is any push in the opposite direction of the brace --like if you push on the corner -- the post just falls right out. They also require that the T-post be oriented just so because they can only go in one direction, and you can only do exactly 90-degree corners.

I got started down this path with Wedge-Loc and quickly found them to be not useful. I bought a box and ended up giving them all away. Corners made my way are far, far stronger. They can withstand hundreds of pounds of horizontal force.

Agree completely. I tried a couple of corner braces with Wedge-Loc and found that in loamy or sandy soil, the corner T-post pulled out.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I do something similar, but I'm using 6inch x 8foot treated wood posts in concrete with 1 1/2 inch EMT for my bracing that is also set in concrete and attached with a 5 inch exterior structural screw.

The EMT comes in 10 foot lengths. I cut them in half at 45 degrees, drill a hole through the angle part of the EMT for the structural screw and anchor the other end in concrete.

I always bring the concrete up the post so water sheds away from it. In my experience, posts always rot at ground level, so keeping the water away from the base of the post will keep them from rotting.

My fencing is 4ft 2x4 horse fence. I like the wood posts because I can attach the fence to the posts with barbed staples, that make it very secure.

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Thanks Eddie.
I assume you went through the same thought process I did, of walking around Lowes and Home Depot and deciding that EMT was the cheapest way to buy long pieces of steel tubing.

I was hoping this thread would catch more attention than it has. What really amazed me was how strong a brace that is only supported at the bottom with a T-post, a piece of 2x4 and a piece of PVC pipe is. Probably not as strong as buried in concrete, but you can put them up and take them down in a few minutes with hand tools. I've never tested the ultimate pull out strength, I don't want to ruin a good section of fence. But I once did four strands of electric and tensioned each strand to 100 lbs on a scale and the corner didn't budge.

 

[EddieWalker]

Yes, I bet we did the exact same thing!!

Did you also look at H bracing at other farms and wonder how to make it stronger, and then realized that all the strength was from the diagonal bracing? and the extra post wasn't needed? Just one post and diagonal bracing was all that's needed for the same results.

 

[Torvy]

I'm in the process of having perimeter fence installed. Was going to DIY, but SWMBO decided she wasn't down for that level of work and chose to spend money instead.

Field fence with a strand of barbed wire above and below.

I guess I'm old-school. I prefer the wood braces.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Yes, I bet we did the exact same thing!!

Did you also look at H bracing at other farms and wonder how to make it stronger, and then realized that all the strength was from the diagonal bracing? and the extra post wasn't needed? Just one post and diagonal bracing was all that's needed for the same results.

The first thing I did was sketch up a force diagram.

If you have a fence post with a 10' brace attached 4' from the ground, subject to a 100 lb horizontal force either centered on the post or evenly distributed, what are the forces?

Well, since the horizontal load is centered half goes on the brace and half on the ground under the post. That horizontal load is transferred to the ground under the brace. Since the brace is angled there will be a vertical load on the brace of 21.8 lb. This will push down on the bottom of the brace and up on the post.

So what are the failure modes of a brace like this? Whichever of the following happens first:
* The post pulls sideways -- the horizontal force exceeds holding capacity of the earth.
* The anchor of the brace pulls sideways -- again, excessive horizontal force.
* The post lifts up out of the ground -- the vertical force exceeds the holding capacity of the earth.
* The anchor of the brace sinks into the ground
* The post or the brace bends or cracks.

I don't make it a habit to go around breaking braced corners, so I have limited experience. Usually when I do break a corner it's installing field fence with a come-along and I get too enthusiastic tightening.

With an H-brace made out of wood timbers, I find the failure point will be when the post lifts out of the ground -- the holding capacity of the earth gets exceeded. This depends on how you anchor your posts, I usually just pack them in dirt.

With a T-post on the corner, the post itself bends before anything pulls out of the ground. That really surprised me.


If you go back to post #4, I show a picture of a wooden post with the braces anchored with t-posts. I've never broken one of those braces so I don't know if the post pulls out before the braces let loose of the earth. Or if something else gives.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I got brackets at Tractor Supply that hold aT-post that are screwed into a wooden post. I used them for a post that I was not able to get into the ground far enough due to solid rock. I braced the bottom of the T-post's with large flat rocks then screwed in the brackets. Been holding up for seven years.