Straining posts question

Charolois 19

Evening all,

Just a quick one, I was putting in straining post today, or should I say attempting to, hitting bed rock at about an average of 2ft 3", there 8ft by 6" posts, ive spent half the day trying spots all along the boundaries, no spot where I can get down deep enough, it will be 2 stands of bull wire and a strand of barbed, so let's say I take what I can get in terms of depth and fill around them with post mix, I know it will shorten the life of the post alright but will that give me enough strength to strain my wire properly ?

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Jb1989

Charolois 19 wrote: »

Evening all,

Just a quick one, I was putting in straining post today, or should I say attempting to, hitting bed rock at about an average of 2ft 3", there 8ft by 6" posts, ive spent half the day trying spots all along the boundaries, no spot where I can get down deep enough, it will be 2 stands of bull wire and a strand of barbed, so let's say I take what I can get in terms of depth and fill around them with post mix, I know it will shorten the life of the post alright but will that give me enough strength to strain my wire properly ?

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Probably better putting a h frame even in lighter posts. Stronger than a single at shallow depths.

Charolois 19

Jb1989 wrote: »

Probably better putting a h frame even in lighter posts. Stronger than a single at shallow depths.

The only thing might be an issue is getting the ground to do that in, some of the spots I've found are just like pockets and 12 inches either side might only have a few inches ive 7 to go in total, and also using steel pipe concreted into a dry stone wall in two spots, unfortunately the walls are in poor shape and cant so that over the full length of it , even getting stays in to tie wire supports in would be tight going, Rock is breaking the surface in quite a few places, I was thinking the concrete/postmix with a wide base would sure them up enough to tension the wire and the electric will keep the girls from rubbing or scratching against them?

Jb1989

Charolois 19 wrote: »

The only thing might be an issue is getting the ground to do that in, some of the spots I've found are just like pockets and 12 inches either side might only have a few inches ive 7 to go in total, and also using steel pipe concreted into a dry stone wall in two spots, unfortunately the walls are in poor shape and cant so that over the full length of it , even getting stays in to tie wire supports in would be tight going, Rock is breaking the surface in quite a few places, I was thinking the concrete/postmix with a wide base would sure them up enough to tension the wire and the electric will keep the girls from rubbing or scratching against them?

I've no experience of the post mix personally.
Perhaps a concrete post of h iron would be better, if set in concrete, I'm not a fan of wood and concrete mixed together. See what some other posters view is here.

If it were me....... I would look for pipes that your strainer posts will fit snugly into. Set the pipe into the ground with plenty of concrete around it, some gravel in the bottom of the hole - do NOT block that with concrete, also put a rebar hook into the concrete. The idea of the hook is, when you drop your strainer into the pipe you can tie wire to the hook, then tie the other end of the wire to your strainer which should prevent it lifting. You could do two of these piped bases and make a H brace, or arrange things for any assembly you like. I'd probably prefer struts no higher than knee high and as long as possible. Yeah, it's work, but when you need to replace the timber all you will need to do is snip the wire, lift them out, put in new timber and tie down with new wire as your timber and concrete aren't in contact. Simples.

Another option, you could make a reinforced strainer out of concrete and rebar. If you have an SDS drill and 14mm bit you could put 12mm rebar rods into the rock. Find a pipe that'll make a strainer of a decent size. Wire the rebar rods together for stability. Place the pipe over the rebar and wire it in place, fill it up with concrete, tapping as you go to settle it.

Charolois 19

Jb1989 wrote: »

I've no experience of the post mix personally.
Perhaps a concrete post of h iron would be better, if set in concrete, I'm not a fan of wood and concrete mixed together. See what some other posters view is here.

I've used it in the past but only for hanging gates, its a good job at the time, however long it will hold up to rot at the base is another question, but has left my gateposts wild solid in the ground, used it as once again I had hit rock at 2.5 ft, half the place is up on a stone shelf/Hill and then the rest is at the base of the hill, so no problems getting posts down there just trickier the higher I get 🙄

Charolois 19

Deleted User wrote: »

If it were me....... I would look for pipes that your strainer posts will fit snugly into. Set the pipe into the ground with plenty of concrete around it, some gravel in the bottom of the hole - do NOT block that with concrete, also put a rebar hook into the concrete. The idea of the hook is, when you drop your strainer into the pipe you can tie wire to the hook, then tie the other end of the wire to your strainer which should prevent it lifting. You could do two of these piped bases and make a H brace, or arrange things for any assembly you like. I'd probably prefer struts no higher than knee high and as long as possible. Yeah, it's work, but when you need to replace the timber all you will need to do is snip the wire, lift them out, put in new timber and tie down with new wire as your timber and concrete aren't in contact. Simples.

Another option, you could make a reinforced strainer out of concrete and rebar. If you have an SDS drill and 14mm bit you could put 12mm rebar rods into the rock. Find a pipe that'll make a strainer of a decent size. Wire the rebar rods together for stability. Place the pipe over the rebar and wire it in place, fill it up with concrete, tapping as you go to settle it.

You could be onto something there with the first idea you gave, would protect the post from rot around concrete, drainage at the bottom of the post hole, soild anchor points for tieing wire and future proof that if the post ever gives up, its as simple as 2 new strands of wire and sloting the new post into the pipe, definitely going to look into this idea, thanks very much

blue5000

How many have you to do? Perhaps hiring a mini digger with a rock breaker is an option.

wrangler

blue5000 wrote: »

How many have you to do? Perhaps hiring a mini digger with a rock breaker is an option.

I was about to suggest that too, a lifetime job, probably wouldn't need to cement them in either if you went down far enough. beat the stones around the stakes with the jack hammer

Charolois 19

I've only 7 strainers to go in, local hire company is 145 a day for 3 ton machine, not sure on cost of the breaker but if it was done right once wouldn't it pay itself off a hundred times over, its all limestone rock too so wouldn't be hard gotten through either, even with the crowbar yesterday youd see it flaking off and breaking