Fence posts are ideally buried at about one-third to one-half the size of the post that is above the ground. Before the posts are buried, it is a good idea to treat the buried portion with a wood preservative in the case of wooden posts. Fence posts are usually set between 6 and 8 feet, with the corner posts being set up first.
When setting up fence posts, the first part of the project involves determining the number of posts to be set up around the fence perimeter. The corners of the posts are marked and a line is drawn around the perimeter, and then the position of the other posts are marked.
Fence posts must be properly buried for them to be strong enough to hold up the weight of the fence, as well as withstand external forces that push against them such as wind. When setting up the posts, it is also important to make sure that they are plumb.
The holes for the post holes should be dug with post hole diggers. When setting up a post, a few inches of gravel should be shoveled into the hole first before the post is placed in the hole. Both dirt and gravel may be used to fill the hole and hold the post in place as long as it is tamped properly.
