chain link fence install in the sand

[1930]

Im doing what I can to research online, lots of different opinions.

Im gonna be working on installing approx 2000 feet of 6 ft high chain link. Lots of questions.

Terminal posts and line posts, Ive read that for long stretches ( like I have ) I should be setting terminal posts every X feet, some say terminals only at corners and gates.

Ive read that some people use the concrete very sparingly, others use it for every single post, my preference is to do it only once however that means.

I dont have flat land, I definitely do not have rolling terrain either, I see it as yes there are some slight slopes up and down but they are gradual, nothing anywhere that is in your face drastic.

Looking at my property it goes up in elevation from the front to the back, that is the best description I guess but it does not do this in one perfect straight stretch, there are slight ups and down.

Not sure how to set my line posts as far as height when taking these changes into consideration?

Any tips or advice would be appreciated.

I have all the material and tools, Im only lacking the concrete and all the knowledge.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I believe you need to set posts in concrete and corner and pull posts with extra (up to 2-300#) I use bag mix but add a 1/2 bag of pea gravel to each bag. You need mass and weight not strength. Sand is bad because it tends to move when compressed by a shitting post.

Can you follow the post line w/ a pick up or trailer? That is the way to haul the materials. If so then buy bulk gravel instead of bagged. What do you have as a mixer? If not; mixing by hand will beat you to death. Get one of those cheap HF ones and sell it after your are done if you do not need it. I rigged mif so the tractor can tow it. Put on bigger and softer wheels. Small gen set will power it.

Ron

 

[Redlands Okie]

Pour the concrete in dry. Every 8 inches of fill pack it down with a rod. A SPLASH of water will help it pack tighter. I repeat a SPLASH, just enough to dampen it so as to pack tighter. Moisture will be absorbed from the surrounding ground. You will be surprised how much moisture there is in “dry” ground. There is no need to pour wet concrete in. If you do use wet concrete then its about 27 days or so before its cured and able to handle the post movement from installing the chainlink.
Dry packed concrete post can handle the vibration of installing new fence. It will cure over time after the fence is built.

 

[fried1765]

Pour the concrete in dry. Every 8 inches of fill pack it down with a rod. A SPLASH of water will help it pack tighter. I repeat a SPLASH, just enough to dampen it so as to pack tighter. Moisture will be absorbed from the surrounding ground. You will be surprised how much moisture there is in “dry” ground. There is no need to pour wet concrete in. If you do use wet concrete then its about 27 days or so before its cured and able to handle the post movement from installing the chainlink.
Dry packed concrete post can handle the vibration of installing new fence. It will cure over time after the fence is built.

Good advice!
Most think the bagged mix needs water....it does not!
It does NOT take 27 days for wet concrete to "cure" suitable for fence posts though.
Concrete develops 75% of it's strength in the 1st 24 hours.
75% is plenty strong for fence posts.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Well there are a lot of variables in concrete curing for sure. Lots of recipes available and lots of influence form factors surrounding the application. A typical standard mix bought at a box store is in the link below. The quick set mixes are quite a bit faster.


Setting time, ASTM C191 Compressive strength, ASTM C39
Results
20 - 40 min.
2 hrs 400 psi (2.8 MPa)
24 hrs 1000 psi (6.9 MPa)
7 days 2500 psi (17.2 MPa)
28 days 4000 psi (27.6 MPa

https://www.quikrete.com/pdfs/data_sheet-fast setting concrete mix 1004-50.pdf

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Well there are a lot of variables in concrete curing for sure. Lots of recipes available and lots of influence form factors surrounding the application. A typical standard mix bought at a box store is in the link below. The quick set mixes are quite a bit faster.


Setting time, ASTM C191 Compressive strength, ASTM C39
Results
20 - 40 min.
2 hrs 400 psi (2.8 MPa)
24 hrs 1000 psi (6.9 MPa)
7 days 2500 psi (17.2 MPa)
28 days 4000 psi (27.6 MPa

https://www.quikrete.com/pdfs/data_sheet-fast setting concrete mix 1004-50.pdf

Per my previous post; don't lose sight of that for fence posts, you are after mass/weight in the ground. Compressive and tensile strength are of little value. That is why I add additional rock to the bag mixes. Buy the cheapest bag mix instead of the most expensive. I have no problem adding stress to the posts the second day.

Ron

 

[Redlands Okie]

Makes sense. I just like to have a good chance of the concrete staying in one piece instead of it separating into pieces when the corners crack.

 

[EddieWalker]

... 6 ft high chain link. Lots of questions.

Terminal posts and line posts, Ive read that for long stretches ( like I have ) I should be setting terminal posts every X feet, some say terminals only at corners and gates.

Ive read that some people use the concrete very sparingly, others use it for every single post
Not sure how to set my line posts as far as height when taking these changes into consideration?
...

Why are you going with chain link instead of field fence or something cheaper?

Chain link fence does not stretch from corner to corner like field fence does. It is very depending on every post to support it, so you have to install posts every 8 feet. Your line posts can be smaller then your corner posts, but it's still super expensive buying all those line posts. Field fence stretches from corner to corner, so you only add a line post every 50 feet or so, and for really long lines, or changes in elevation, H posts. Another advantage to field fence is how easy it is to attach the fence to wooden posts!!!

If you go with the chain fence, you need to set your posts 6 feet 2 inches above the ground so you have room for caps on top of the posts. That's hard to do, so I would shoot for 6ft 6 inches and plan on cutting the tops off of the metal posts after installing the fence.

Depth of the hole is based on your soil. Since you said that you have sand, deeper is better. 3 feet is how deep I go here in East Texas with red clay soil, which is very stable and solid. With my soil, I pour concrete for my corners and maybe a line post, but back-fill and compact the dirt back into the hole for most of the line posts.

When working in good soil line mine, you don't have to mix the concrete since it's just there to lock the post into position and adding water to the hole, dumping a sack into the hole and then adding more water is all that's needed. Doing it dry works too, but it takes longer for the moisture to harden up the concrete. For a really strong corner, or any post, mixing the concrete before pouring it into the hole will give you the maximum amount of strength. Non mixed concrete will not give you half of the rated psi of the concrete, but for most applications, that's still plenty.

For your application if you go with chain link, I would want to be 4 feet down for all of the posts. Then for the corners and gates, I would mix the concrete before pouring it, but be comfortable dumping the sack into the hole and adding water. Since sand drains so quickly, adding water is mandatory.

 

[hunt4570]

Sand is bad because it tends to move when compressed by a shitting post.
Ron

I wonder if you could please explain your comment above, not familiar with that type of post!:laughing:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I wonder if you could please explain your comment above, not familiar with that type of post!:laughing:

Hunt, you caught me. Not paying attention to business. Replace with "shifting".

Ron