Where can i buy those 3ft tall yellow concrete poles

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,067
9,858
136
c5k0j.jpg

Do you just want to put some post in the grassy are along the outside wall or do you want to go through the slab near the front corner too?
I don;t have any idea if they have pre-made concrete posts you can buy but some already mentioned just using a PVC or sonotube & filling that with concrete, that would be my idea to. 4x4 or 6x6 wood post might work too, compare the prices.
Use the manual post hole digger or rent a gas powered auger to do the holes. Depending on soil, 3 ft or so should be good.
See if you need a permit & call "call before you dig" first.

If you want to set a post in the front near the corner then you'll need a jackhammer too probably.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Unless you are made of money I would use wood. Current prices in NC are $22/foot for steel and $14/foot for PVC in those sizes. A wood post 6x6 diameter will work just as good and is only about $20 for a 8 foot post.
 
Last edited:

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
2
76
My unit price to install a bollard (some call them stanchions) is $475 per post. We use an 2.4m length (8') x 100mm diameter galvanized steel pipe with 1.2m set in concrete and then filled with concrete.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
ugg my shoulders hurt just thinking about using a post hole digger.

The one man units with the little trailer aren't too bad. Plus he probably won't need more than a 6" auger. I did 8" holes 48" deep when I put up a rose trellis.

trellis.jpg
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
You could also make them with cement reinforced with rebar, using cement forming tubes.
 

bobdole369

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2004
4,504
2
0
Your insurance will still fix the garage.

Yeah but will your insurance cover the liability if someone wrecks on your concrete pole and calls it a man or boobytrap? Despite 3x wrecks into my mother in laws house - the last one being an SUV into the bedroom taking out all 3 rooms - she still cannot/will not build a series of poles/concrete posts/giant ass rock in the middle of the lawn. She is afraid of the lawsuit.
 

Patranus

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2007
9,280
0
0
Yeah but will your insurance cover the liability if someone wrecks on your concrete pole and calls it a man or boobytrap? Despite 3x wrecks into my mother in laws house - the last one being an SUV into the bedroom taking out all 3 rooms - she still cannot/will not build a series of poles/concrete posts/giant ass rock in the middle of the lawn. She is afraid of the lawsuit.

That is like saying that they would sue her because her house was in the way.
She really has nothing to worry about.
If she did, every single place that has these installed would be open to a lawsuit.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
2' deep is the standard for posts.

2 feet deep is the standard for fence posts, except corner posts. But, a fence post isn't going to stop a car. I've removed chain link fencing (bought it on craigslist, got a great price, but had to remove it myself.) With the exception of one pole that was pounded into the root of a large tree, we pulled every last pole out by hand; all were concreted in place. If I can pull it out, I don't think it's stopping a car.

How deep you'll actually have to go depends a lot on the soil conditions. Nonetheless, if I was trying to stop a car, I don't think anything less than 4' deep would be sufficient. I stop goats, and the corner posts for them are 4'. In fact, look up how to build corner posts for farm fencing (to stop animals) - 4' is the average depth recommended, with 2' depths for the line posts.

Someone above mentioned the posts for chain link fencing. Someone mentioned that if a car hit one, it wouldn't be able to drive away. Seriously? Those posts might stop a kid on a bike, but they're not stopping a car. You can bend them quite easily by hand. A car is not going to be slowed down by one.

My recommendation: get 8' pressure treated corner posts at a farm supply shop; about 8" diameter. They're around $15. Dig 4' deep hole, place post, pour in some concrete, then a few rocks you found while digging, then concrete, more rocks.. About 2 bags of concrete per post, then back fill with remaining soil. They'll stop a car. For what it's worth, have you ever seen a telephone pole that was sheared off by a car? They have a much larger cross sectional area, and are sometimes sheared off; think how easy it is going to be to shear of a much smaller wooden post.

Alternatively, go with the steel pipe that igas suggested (though it would be more expensive) and fill it with concrete. I'm very doubtful that 4" PVC filled with concrete would stop a car. It simply won't have the shear strength. You'd probably need fiber reinforced concrete and a few pieces of rebar in it. Actually, I'm positive that it won't stop a car. I can snap something like that in half quite easily with my tractor. But, from putting in high tensioned fence, while ratching the fence (anchored to my tractor), I can drag my tractor backwards with a properly reinforce corner post system.

edit: I think igas's idea is the easiest method that would be effective. Reason: you can just pound the post into the ground; no digging necessary. But, pound it in as deep as you can get it. Then fill it to the top with concrete.
 
Last edited:

zanemoseley

Senior member
Feb 27, 2011
530
23
81
I agree that fence post would no work or PVC. Get the cast iron pipe. I'd try and find someone with an auger on a tractor or skid steer. Digging 3-4' deep is going to be a PITA unless you start making the hole large in diameter which you probably don't wanna do.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,688
15,090
146
I agree that fence post would no work or PVC. Get the cast iron pipe. I'd try and find someone with an auger on a tractor or skid steer. Digging 3-4' deep is going to be a PITA unless you start making the hole large in diameter which you probably don't wanna do.

For 4-6 inch pipe, you're gonna want about a 12" hole for concrete anyway. I agree that an auger would be the easiest and fastest...as long as you have the Underground Locator Service come out first to make sure there are no buried utilities there. At least digging by hand, you will find any underground pipes/cables before you cut through them...or you SHOULD.
 

zanemoseley

Senior member
Feb 27, 2011
530
23
81
Also depending on how thick you think the concrete slab is where you'd thinking of putting these posts I might recommend having someone weld like a 8"x8" flange on the end of the post and use some large sleeved concrete anchors. This way you can get away with just renting/borrowing a hammer drill. Wouldn't be quite as strong but would probably suit your needs.

Flanged_Post.jpg



856011_lg.jpg
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
ugg my shoulders hurt just thinking about using a post hole digger.
Bah, I dug a hole about 3' deep when I was in....oh, that might have been late elementary school.

1) I was just curious to see what was down there.
2) It ended up doubling as an effective trap for catching toads. Properly-sized ones ended up as meals for a garter snake I had. :) The rest merely had the privilege of profusely urinating on me when picked up.