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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Building Questions >> POST HOLES https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1111577546 Message started by Dusty on Mar 23^rd, 2005, 11:32am

Title: POST HOLES
Post by Dusty on Mar 23^rd, 2005, 11:32am

Need to dig 17 post holes for my large decking project :o

What type of sand can I use ???
What mix should I use ???
How much of each should I buy ???

Thanks :)
Dusty :D

Title: Re: POST HOLES
Post by WOLF on Mar 24^th, 2005, 11:22am

a 20-30mm ballast is best... not just sand/cement mix.. and as for the ratio a good 4 ballast to 1 cement is fairly good... if post is about a 4" square job, then look at using 2 bags of (bulider centre-not diy shed sized) ballast per 3 posts, you should allow about 4-6" around each post, if you are going to put posts about 12" down that is..
soak the ends of the posts for about an hour or two in a bucket of preservative, and a real good tip is thus.... do NOT put the post onto concrete.... put the post onto a bed of 20-30mm stones as this will allow full drainage of any water that gets between the post and the concrete infill, and not form a bath for the post which speeds up the rotting about 100%

hope this lot helps 8)

Title: Re: POST HOLES
Post by WOLF on Mar 24^th, 2005, 11:24am

oopppsss! so 6-7 bags ballast, 3 cement max and a bag of stones, plus your chosen preserve... sorry left this list out of last "post" 8)

Title: Re: POST HOLES
Post by chappers on Apr 2^nd, 2005, 8:41am

good tip that about the stones Wolf most timely as I'm about to set in two dirty great 6" gate posts this affternoon for my aunty, what a nightmare digging the old ones out last weekend, whoever fitted them last time meant them to stay put, they were buryed about 3 foot in the ground in a hole that must of contained the best part of half a yard of concrete they had even drilled through the posts and put a load of rebar through the hole too, took me two days to get them out and now as I have left what look like two bomb craters I have no option other than to do the same when replacing the posts.