Anchoring wooden posts

When you are building your own porch, pergola, fence, or other construction using posts, a strong and secure installation is crucial. The posts form the foundation of the construction and will bear a lot of weight. In this blog, we discuss some options for anchoring your posts in the ground, so you will be able to enjoy your hard work for a long time.

Wooden posts are available in two shapes: square and circular. Installing these posts is essentially the same, they just require differently shaped accessories, like post holders. Post holders can be used on stone or concrete, which means they do not necessarily have to go into the ground. However, if you want the most secure installation, we do recommend placing the posts into the ground. You can use a post hole digger (also known as hand auger) for this, which you can find in the category garden tools. For bigger posts, you can also use a shovel or spade. The auger will create round holes, after which you can simply place the post in the hole. You can also use this tool for square posts, but make sure to completely fill the empty spaces with soil or sand. 

Anchoring posts with concrete

After you have placed a post in the ground, you can also fill up the hole with concrete. This forms a solid block around the post, anchoring it in the ground. This technique is also used a lot with pointed post anchors. The main difference is that, with pointed post anchors, the posts themselves remain aboveground, to prevent the wood from rotting. To prevent rotting when you do place your posts in the ground, you can use a protector sleeve. Note: using impregnated wooden posts can significantly increase the lifespan of the construction.

How far into the ground?

When buying wooden posts, you have to decide which length to take home with you. If you are going to anchor the post into the ground, the rule is to add a third of the length you want above the ground. For example, for a 180 cm fence post, you will need to buy a 270 cm post, since 90 cm of the post will disappear into the ground. 

Do you still need to get all the necessary materials? For shovels, gloves, and post hole diggers, have a look at our garden tools. For post bases and pointed post anchors, check out our post holders. 

Are you building a garden gate? Find all sorts of gate hinges in our category gate hardware. If your construction project is a pergola, then also browse our broad collection of pergola brackets.

And, of course, Wovar offers all the necessary fasteners.