Setting a 4 foot post in the ground

[Hollywood D]

I'm getting a reflective number sign for our property. We live in a forest fire area and we're doing a bunch of fire mitigation this spring. One of the things I want to do is get a reflective number sign so it's easier to find our property in smoke/darkness, etc.

I'm going to put a 4x4 post out by the street and attach the sign to that. I do not anticipate it being more than 4 ft fall. We get some strong winds out here, 60mph isn't uncommon.

One of the ideas is to just dig a hole, put in one of those yellow tubular forms, drop the post in it and fill it with concrete. Another idea is to dig a hole, fill with concrete and put a post anchor in there, then lag bolt the post to the anchor. My concern is the anchor/bolts may not be strong enough if the post is not top supported. I like the idea of not sinking the post in the ground in case it ever has to be replaced or moved. Unbolting it and putting a new one one would be much easier.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid and both would work fine.

 

[Rewind97]

I was just thinking the same thing today. The county supplies the residents with 911 reflective signs on a simple metal spike to put in the ground. As I was backing out of the driveway this morning I looked at it and said "I need to make that look better".

 

[Orionrising]

If wildfire is the worry I would use a steel post.......

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[Captain Spaulding]

If you go with a 4X4, use cedar rather than pine. Pine 4X4s tend to twist and warp badly.

 

[Falcon67]

I'd use a large galvanized chain link corner post. You could paint it to look more nautual. 24" in the ground plus one bag of Quikreet and its not going anywhere unless you pull it out with a backhoe.

 

[ard]

It's a number post- not a home foundation....

Dig a hole, put the post in, put the dirt back in.

Concrete? Post anchors? Way overkill.


I guess unless the 'number sign' is 4 feet long...

 

[Kaizen]

It's a number post- not a home foundation....

Dig a hole, put the post in, put the dirt back in.

Concrete? Post anchors? Way overkill.


I guess unless the 'number sign' is 4 feet long...

This. Tamp the soil you are backfilling every few inches. Go three to four feet down. It won’t move but easy to dig out if needed


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[mike93lx]

My mailbox is on a 4x4 that is in the ground about two feet, with about 4 feet exposed. No contrete, just tamped soild around it. 3 years in, no wiggle, and thats with the mailbox being opened at least once a day. Not having it in concrete makes it easier to fix if it gets clipped by a plow or car, plus it will do less damage.

 

[RPH]

Take a look at the post office regulation for the rural mailboxes. Very specific instructions and some have to do with safety for people hitting while driving. My biggest problem with the mail box has to do with the snowplows. They through one huge wall of snow and ice. That kills most around here, starting to see deflectors installed in front of them. Hole in the ground is fine, no concrete needed.

 

[CraigStu]

The contractor that did my garage addition said the latest for fence posts is no concrete. Just tamp the soil down as mike93lx said. He said the theory is that the concrete forms a bucket around and under the wood. So water that soaks down in there stays. The wood rots faster than being in dirt where the water can get away from it.

 

[readhead]

We actually made some sign posts like you describe for just that reason for a subdivision. They requested a two piece design with shear bolts so they were easily repaired after the snow plow hit them. That was about ten years ago and we supplied five extra posts. We have made several more replacements since then.

 

[kenners]

Years ago I put 6 X 6's in the ground for fence poles. Dig a 3' deep hole big enough to hold 6x6. Drop in 6x6 and back fill with pea gravel.

 

[Hollywood D]

Copy that, I’ll just use dirt. That’s easier anyways

 

[theoldwizard1]

It's a number post- not a home foundation....

Dig a hole, put the post in, put the dirt back in.

Concrete? Post anchors? Way overkill.

Concur ! PT 4x4 will last a long time.

You do want the hole a good 3'+ deep. If you have sandy soil, make it 4'. If you have clay, 3/4" crushed limestone will help drainage and slow down rot.

 

[Hollywood D]

We will see how far I can get. There’s a LOT or granite in the ground here

 

[kbs2244]

Farm style "T" fence post with vertical numbers.
That is how ours are done.

As said, it isn't a home foundation, it is a sign post.
No real stress.

 

[SGKent]

rule of thumb is 1/3 the 4x4 pole goes in the ground. A 6' pole would go 24" in the ground and have 48" exposed. An 8' pole for a fence would go about 30" - 31". You can get pvc sleeves that will isolate the pole from what ever you use to tamp it in with. Use RTV / Latex at the seal and no water will run down. That will cut wicking and the pole will last a very long time. The acids in the soil and bugs destroy the wood. I have a fence of 4 x 4 posts that was put in in 1992 and the poles are all still like new, save one that was next to a sprinkler that drowned it all the time. If the pole dries out and you want to replace it you can pull it straight out and put another one in the sleeve. If it is wet it swells and doesn't work so its best to replace in the driest part of the year.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I bolted our numerical sign to some "L" brackets I bent up and them lagged it to the AEP utility pole out front. It's up out of the snow during the Winter and not in my way when I mow in the Summer.

Right or wrong, nobody from AEP has asked me to move it.

 

[RVDan]

I'm filling five gallon buckets with concrete and a piece of 4" square steel tube. Putting the bucket in the ground and dropping a post into it. When the post rots out I can replace it.