Project for the weekend is to put up a picket fence. Any tips on putting it up straight? Is it a case of getting some ground spikes and bashing in some posts with a post basher?

You won’t need a post basher if you use spikes. Big hammer will do it. Big hammer and a scrap bit of wood or a plastic block to bash the spikes in, too. If the spikes are straight the fence should be. Knock them in a bit then check with a level or bit of wood.

Spikes need to be checked not only for plumb but check they don’t rotate as you knock them in if that makes sense. Best bet dig them in and concrete, with all this rain holes should be easy to dig

Do you work in an office?

I would start with a string line between the two points where the fence is going to start/finish then lay the first run of rails out along the line, after that dig your post holes six feet apart ( rails are usually twelve feet long). Posts are best hammered in rather than concreted unless you’re using metal fence bases. Once you’r posts are in and (use a spirit level to get your first and last posts plumb and then run string lines top and bottom of both posts to make sure the rest are plumb) solidly secured fix your rails to the posts and finally fix your boards/pailings to the rails. there you go your fence is up.

I generally use a father in law. Easiest DIY method I’ve encountered so far.

Do you work in an office?

Indeed, men these days 🙄

Or you could get a joiner or fencing contractor to do the job for you. I think the current rate is about £25 per linear metre.

Where’s the fun in that? It’s only 5m long….

OOPS, my bad. You need about 2 feet of post in the ground.

Spikes need to be checked not only for plumb but check they don’t rotate as you knock them in if that makes sense. Best bet dig them in and concrete, with all this rain holes should be easy to dig

Whatever happened to the rustic look? Or is there a table that can tell you which posts should be crooked?

Best option is to dig holes(should be easy due to rain) then use stuff called Postcrete which is specifically for posts. Very simple to use. Dig hole, post in, fill hole with water then pour bag of stuff in. Will be solid with 5-10 minutes. Fiver a bag or so. Put at least a quarter of post in the ground, fence posts, rails and slats are all standard sizes, use screws rather than nails.

BurnBob
Best option is to dig holes(should be easy due to rain) then use stuff called Postcrete which is specifically for posts. Very simple to use. Dig hole, post in, fill hole with water then pour bag of stuff in. Will be solid with 5-10 minutes. Fiver a bag or so. Put at least a quarter of post in the ground, fence posts, rails and slats are all standard sizes, use screws rather than nails.

This works but you also need to think about the post rotting after a few years. – Form the postcrete into a dome/slope up to each post so that water will run away from the base of the post.

Might also be painting or preserving the base of the post at the same time.

Oh and if you have any trees or large shrubs in the area, you WILL find a root in the wrong place. ‘Mutts’ are good for cutting through such things and post hole diggers can make life easier as well. More info

Yeah rotting posts was why I wasn’t going to use concrete in the first place. Perhaps I will tho. Doubt i’ll own the place in 10 years….*

*My dad would tell me that’s not the attitude 😀

I read somewhere that the acid in postcrete increases the rate at which the wood rots by attacking the tannin. Trees grow in earth, not concrete. I’d simply pack some well draining aggregate around a well treated post.