Oz-Post Instant Post Holes
No-dig fence posts
Last summer, I needed to fence in my 1/2 acre back yard to contain our new puppies. Digging post holes is not a task that I particularly enjoy, even using a power auger, so I decided to try out the E-Z Spike fence post spike, which was carried at my local Home Depot. This consists of a long spike with a sleeve on top that receives a 4×4 fence post.
This worked fairly well. The resulting posts were sturdy, but the spikes had to be driven in with a sledge hammer. This task was perhaps more odious than digging post holes.
Then, I discovered the Oz-Post Instant Post Hole. These are similar in concept to the E-Z Spike but a bit beefier and made from galvanized steel. However, the big difference is that the manufacturer sells a special insert and bit that allow you to drive them into the ground with a jackhammer, which greatly reduces the installation time.
I had never used a jackhammer before, so I entered into this endeavor with a certain amount of trepidation. However, it ended up not being bad at all. I rented an electric one from Home Depot (the heaviest of the three types they rented out), and was able to get almost all of the spikes driven in one day. (I would have gotten all of them, but I miscalculated how many I needed and didn’t get enough.)
I hit rocks and tree roots several times, but just kept hammering away, and eventually the spike went in. It is difficult to keep the spike exactly vertical as you drive it, but there is enough play in the sleeve that I was able to shim all of my posts plumb.
All of the posts ended up being extremely sturdy, and since the posts are treated and not in direct contact with the ground, I expect that they will last a very long time.
09/29/13Oz-Post T4-600 4 in. Square Fence Post Anchor $113.20 / case of 8
