Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Setting posts in concrete

Building a new chicken run off the back of my barn, and want to set the corner 4x6 posts in concrete. Dug the holes last night, and this morning there is 6 inches of water in them. Scooped it out, they refill in a couple hours. Thinking there is no way concrete will set up in that?

Concrete will setup/cure under water. It does not 'dry' as most seem to think. You'll be good to go.

How deep? I've set posts in wet holes just putting the quickcrete in dry (unmixed) and tamping it.

Maybe load up a sonotube with the concrete out of the hole. Let it cure, then drop it unto the hole. Basically, a pre-cast pier just like a number of pre-cast pier products in the market. (ETA: Sounds like concrete in the hole as others suggested would be easier!)

Might also want to consider a j-bolt and 4x6 bracket instead if putting the wood in the concrete, if its that wet.

I considered doing just that, but wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Holes are about 3ft deep.

It's not the best situation. But the concrete is heavier than the water and it'll push the water out the top of the hole when you fill it. Make the concrete on the tight side instead of real loose. For a fence post it should be fine.

Standby for Art Peck to give you the full ASTM on building a chicken coop.

Keep the wood above ground level if you want it to last anytime at all. If your going to all of this work do it right and have peace of mind. Pour your footers and use some simpson ties to tie your posts to the footers.

I fugging hate wood posts in concrete.

Hate em.

It doesn't matter if there is water in the hole. Just said the post and dump a couple bags of sacrete in there and add some more water. It doesn't need to be perfectly mixed. It will also absorb water from the surrounding soil and set up with that moisture too. Be sure and use treated lumber.

+1 easy enough to pour your footers and even set the post brackets in the concrete if you choose to. If not a lot of bracket options with a simple concrete bolt/anchor setup also.

Why is that Jim?

Really? You don’t know how siding works or attached and you’re an expert on this? Wow

Alberta ?
What's the frost line there? Here we need to set posts at least 42" to be below ours.

I'd poor the concrete a little higher than grade, embed some kind of anchor to the top of it, and then set the post on top of the footing rather than inside of it. To me, inside is asking for it to hold water and rot in time. on top, it stays dry, but if anything happens you can always replace it without disturbing your footing.

No worries, he missed the corner post part I think....and maybe everything else...

This should be a good thread, the engineering requirements for building a chicken run should be spot on with the aptitude available here....

A chicken house is barely a notch above a dog house when it comes to budget and technicality . Lol

That is what I did for a trellis around my carport. I put threaded rod in the concrete and made anchors out some decently heavy angle iron I had. Eventually its gonna rot and as you say its easier to replace that way.

So you've really never built a fence with wood corner posts it appears...

Where did I say I was an expert? I was simply pointing out that theee pre-cast options (including diy). And while not cheaper, they can be muchfaster. Being used more and more around here in the winter.

And, I'd not stick the wood in wet ground like Jim Conrad suggested.