I have three fence posts that are rotten and broken at the ground level. I have removed the fencing around them but when I dug down around the post I hit a nice concrete slab. Is there are way of getting that thing out without having to resort to blowing it apart with a jack hammer? I can't really offset the fence posts or dig a hole beside it as that would mean redoing most of the fencing.
Answer:
You'll probably have to dig it out. When you put in the new one, think of this: To protect the wooden fence posts from rotting at grade level, take a 2-foot length of copper pipe and drill a series of 1/8” holes in a straight line along its full length. Now cap one end and with large staples, fasten it to the wooden fence post in such a way as to have the holes facing wood and keep only two inches of it above grade level on the sides (not the back nor front) of the post. Every spring and fall, fill these pipes with a good liquid wood preservative and just let it soak in. If the post is 4X4 or smaller, this will do a complete job and if it’s larger, you might want to install one on each of the four sides.
Courtesy of Ren Molnar, Construction Consultant at HomeFocus.com. I can also be reached at (613) 748-3003 and Home Focus – The Radio Show is broadcast live 8 to 10 A.M. (Ottawa, Ont. time) on Saturdays on www.cfra.com. In the interests of retaining credibility and in fairness to all, I cannot recommend prices, people nor companies for various projects.
