It has been awhile since I wrote about fence posts, but a buddy asked about replacing some a few weeks ago, so I decided it was time again.

• First rule, gang: Do not set wooden posts in concrete.
  1. Dig a hole as close in diameter as you can to the diameter of the post. You want as little wiggle room as possible.

2. Dig deep. Measure the post and plan on burying at least a third of it. For a 5-foot fence, you’d want an 8-foot post and you’d need a 3-foot hole. Don’t cheat by cutting the post shorter.

3. Before you set the post in the hole, place a rock or broken chunk of concrete in the bottom — pointy end up if possible. That little footing will give the post something to stand on instead of damp soil.

4. Set the post in the hole and brace it plumb (or put a helper on the job) and in line and level with the posts you’ve already set.
   If you remember to set the corner posts first, it makes it easy to run string lines between them.

5. Slowly shovel in equal parts crushed rock or sharp gravel and soil, tamping between layers, until you get to ground level. For years I’ve been using an oddly curved length of 2-by-2 to tamp with. Many use an upended shovel. All that’s needed is something long and fairly narrow.

6. When you get to ground level, pour enough of your dirt and rock mix around the post to tromp it down and make a little hill so rain will run away from the post.

7. End-grain is the enemy, which was the reason for installing that little rock “foundation” under the post. It holds that end-grain above whatever moisture might collect at the bottom of the post hole.