Setting A 6x6 Treated Fence Post Using Quikrete Fast setting Concrete 

Thanks! I'm glad to hear it was helpful.

Ya it's hard to know what the exact right way is to put in a post because everyone seems to have different types of soil and weather conditions. I have seen some last here for 20 years doing it this way without the gravel at the bottom for drainage.

Thanks They are still looking good.

Thank you!

Thanks!

If it were me I would probably just put in the concrete, I think it will be fine.

I think the bag said one gallon of water for a 60lb bag. That is if you pour it in the hole dry and then ad the water. You use more water when you pour it in dry because it soaks in and out the bottom. You would use less water if you premix before putting it in the hole. Instructions should be on the bag. I don't know how much water you would use in an 80lb bag if they have those.

It probably would be with the soil I have, but I am not sure if it would be enough in other kinds of ground. We have a lot of rocky ground and heavy dirt.

My other reply was based on a 4x4 post. I am not sure what size metal post you are using so that is why I picked 4x4 post.

3 bags tops.

@@mikesworld60 Thanks Mike. I appreciate it. The post are .......I would say 2x2 but round. The diameter of the post is 2 inches. I am just going to buy 7 bags to be on the safe side. My true concern is that the tub that I will be mixing the concrete in will only hold about 1- 1 1/2 50 lbs bags in the mixing tub but I know I need more than 1 1/2 bags so if I mix it and pour in the mix of the 1 1/2 bags, the level of concrete will definitely not cover 3ft 9 inches which means I would have to pour the first batch of concrete and then mix a second batch to fill the rest of the hole. In the meantime while I am mixing the second batch of concrete, the first batch of concrete that I already poured would be almost dry and I was told that it is not good to pour new wet concrete over top of dry concrete (something about cracking).

That hole was near an underground power line so I dug it by hand with a post hole shovel and a digging bar. I dug the remaining 25 holes for the 4x4 posts, with a 3 point post hole auger attached to my Kubota tractor. Here is a link to that video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hPooxGHdVvo.html

Thanks! The other video also shows me using the digging bar to start my hole before I auger it so the auger has a good place to start.

If you have a drill, get a drill auger bit! I just bought a 4in by 36in auger bit, so Ill have to drill down a few times but only cost about $40 :)

@@cryptoenthusiast8218 I ordered a power planter 24" x 3" multi purpose bulb plant auger from home depot to use on a drill, I don't know if I should use it here in Florida ground or if I'd be better with a shovel. I need to put a 4x6 or 6x6 post in for a gate

I used two 50 lb. bags of the fast-setting Quikrete in the bottom of the hole for the 6x6 and the 4x4 posts just to get the post in place faster. I then went back with the standard Quikrete that is not fast setting because it was less expensive. I really don't remember how many bags each post took it depended on if it was a 6x6 post or 4x4 post. Each bag has written on it how much of a yard it will make. If you figure the volume of your hole and convert it to yards, it will give you a good idea. I always buy more bags than I think I will need so I don't run short. Not every one of my holes turns out to be the same size no matter how much I try. You can find a post hole concrete calculator online and get a good Idea how many bags depending on size of bag. I used you dimensions, and this is what it came up with. Cubic Yards: 0.14 Cubic Meters: 0.1 Pre-mixed Bags 50-lb Bags: 11 60-lb Bags: 9 80-lb Bags: 7

probably be ok

sounds about right to me for a 2 in pipe, I would have an extra bag or 2. you can always take them back.

Thanks for the tip

I just put 2 bags of fast setting in the bottom and then filled the rest of the hole with regular concrete mix. I just wanted to get the post set quick. When all the posts were set, I went back and used the standard concrete mix to fill the holes to save money on the concrete.

@@mikesworld60 How much water per bag of 50lb quikrete would you recommend? I am currently working on building a pergola for a local recreational area as my Eagle Project. Thanks for your help.

@@parth5407 I just followed the directions on the bag. I think it was 1 gallon of water per bag if you put the concrete mix in the hole dry. You then pour the water on top of it, and it soaks through the mix. If you put in another bag just wait until the water is gone and pour in another bag and the gallon of water on top. If you mix it before you put it in the hole you would use less water. Just keep adding the water as you mix it and stop when you have the consistency you want. Less water makes stronger concrete so don't make it too watery. Thanks for watching and good luck.

@@mikesworld60 Sorry for asking so many questions; however, I was wondering how you made sure that the posts were at the same height and level?

I wanted my post 2ft in the ground, so I marked each post before I put it in the ground 2 ft from the bottom of the post. Then used a square to mark a line all the way around the post. I made my holes 2ft 6" deep and then added gravel so that the 2 ft mark on the post was at ground level. I use my 4ft level on the sides to make sure the post was plumb (straight up and down) and used the stakes and sticks to hold them in place until the concrete was in place. I use the fast-setting concrete in the bottom 2 bags so that it would set up fast and then later I filled the rest of the hole with standard concrete mix to save money. This works pretty good for a fence but if you want it to be a level structure this probably won't work unless your ground is perfectly level. I think if you want to make sure all your post are at the same height you would want to put in the first post plumb at the height you want all the posts and then use a board tacked to the first post even with the top and when you put in your next post make the next posts height so if your board is at the top of that post the board is level when you put a level on it. Then just keep working off the post that is already at the right height to set the next post. There are other ways to do it, say if you have a laser level, but I don't have anything that fancy. You could set up a string line that is level and set all the posts so the tops line up with the string. Us a string level on the string. You could also have the posts a little taller that you want and cut them all off after the posts are set. Cut the first post to the height you want and then tack a board at the top of that post put a level on it and mark the next post and cut it off and keep doing that until all the post are at the same height. You don't really want to measure off the ground because if the ground is not level the tops of the post would only be as level as the ground your building on. Remember I am not a professional I just try to figure it out as I go along. Good luck. Oh, and watch more RU-vid videos there are probably some out there that can help better than my advice since I have never built a pergola.

I put 2 bags of fast setting Quikrete in bottom of hole and put regular concrete on top.

@@mikesworld60 can you just dry set/ add water as you go along or mix before you put it in?

@@BrianMoloneyMr It is fast setting concrete. You pour the bag in and ad about 1 gallon of water and wait until the water soaks in. If you want to ad another bag, then you pour it in dry again and ad another gallon of water for the 50lb bag I used. Or you can mix it with water first and pour it in wet. It will come out fine either way. Don't ad as much water if you mix it before you pour it in the hole. You only have about 10 to 20 minutes to work with it depending on temp of day, if you decide to mix it first. I use 2 bags of fast set in first and then finished off the hole later with standard Quikrete, because it was less expensive that way. I wanted to get the post set faster so that is why I started with the fast set. 7

The Idea is so the post won't sit in water if it gets into the bottom of the hole and will drain better. I think it really depends on your soil type if you want to put gravel in or not. It may not matter either way, but it works for where I live and the soil type here. Thanks for being a subscriber.

It is fast setting concrete. You pour the bag in and ad about 1 gallon of water and wait until the water soaks in. If you want to ad another bag, then you pour it in dry again and ad another gallon of water for the 50lb bag I used. Or you can mix it with water first and pour it in wet. It will come out fine either way. Don't ad as much water if you mix it before you pour it in the hole. You only have about 10 to 20 minutes to work with it depending on temp of day, if you decide to mix it first. I use 2 bags of fast set in first and then finished off the hole later with standard Quikrete, because it was less expensive that way. I wanted to get the post set faster so that is why I started with the fast set.

If u mix it first u better be quick getting it in the hole🥵

Daddy WooHoo This is why people use this brand. It is quick and easy. No mixing needed!

Our ground never freezes more than 4 to 6 inches in the worst winter. Two feet is the norm for where I live. I have fences 30 years old that are still fine doing it this way. Sorry to hear you have to go that deep. What part of the world do you live in that gets that cold, just wondering. Thanks for watching!

I live in Florida and have been trying to figure out how deep I should go with a 6x6 or 4x6 post for a gate post. I think 30" at least but then I'd need longer than a 8' post, HD has been out of 10' 6x6 post. I'm thinking maybe have a 12' cut to 9' at Home Depot and adjust from there... Unless 24" deep is good ?

I live in Wisconsin and we only go 24" below grade or 1/3 the the height of the fence. Your 10' post would be a minimum of 3'.