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My uncle told me to always set posts 36 inches deep in our clay soil, even for a basic 4-foot fence.
Ignored him on a job last spring, and half the line was leaning after the first big freeze. Anyone else have a specific depth rule for different soils?
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gray_roberts6mo ago
That depth rule is a good starting point. Clay holds water and really pushes when it freezes. You found out the hard way it's not just an old habit.
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wesley_fox926mo ago
Yeah, clay's push is real... but that depth rule isn't just a starting point, it's the code for a reason. The frost line isn't an old habit, it's based on the deepest freeze we expect. If you go shallower than that, you're gambling every winter.
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palmer.jana6mo ago
Ugh, clay is the worst for that. Learned my lesson after a gate post heaved a good three inches. For our area, the rule is a third of the post height plus six extra inches for the frost. So a six-foot post needs over thirty inches down, easy.
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