Debate: Should we dig post holes first or set the rails before concrete sets?

I keep seeing guys on job sites argue that you should dig and pour all holes before even touching rails, but I've always set my top and bottom rails while the concrete is still wet to keep everything straight, which way is actually faster and more accurate in the long run?

2 comments

2 Comments

smith.matthew18d ago

I've been setting fence for 30 years and I always dig and pour all the holes first. The trick is to leave enough play in the concrete so you can bump the posts around before it sets, then run your rails after the concrete firms up but hasn't fully hardened. It sounds slower upfront but you avoid fighting half-set concrete when you need to adjust a post by half an inch, which is the same reason I approach most projects by laying a good foundation before rushing to the finish.

wendy_garcia1618d ago

Respectfully, @smith.matthew, concrete sets sooner than you think and fighting it later is rough.