Recommended tools and the ones that I use:

• 4×4 post hole digger or hand clamshell shovel (can be rented from a rental house)
• Post remover (if you are removing old posts, rent one.  It will save you a lot of work)
• Good course rock for posthole drainage
• A quick set post cement
• Round shovel
• 4×4 rough-cut posts 6 feet in length. (Will end up 4 feet above ground when set)
• 8’ rails to be used between 4×4 posts.
• Small crosscut handsaw
• Paint on tar to preserve rail ends
• 2 1/2″ wood screws to secure post sleeve to 4×4 post
• 4 x 4 post sleeves 28”

Visualize your wood fence posts along your property before you purchase material and calculate accordingly. When planning a new fence be sure to include your neighbors so everyone stays happy. Depending on your city it may be required to have permission from the City Planning Commission.  You don’t want to dig down and pierce a gas line or sewer line! Lay out the rails to give you a rough sense of the path and use a string line to mark a final placement.

Once you know where your first 4×4 wood fence post wants to live dig down 2’ 2”.  I’ve found that an 8’ to 10” posthole is more than enough.  Depending on our usage you can sometimes get away with a post hole only 6’ in diameter.  I usually go ahead and set the first post when I build a split rail fence so the distance between posts can be customized to the rails.

Generally the posts could be set at 8-foot intervals but double check the first few this way for a good start.  You’ll find what distance between posts is perfect and develop a rhythm to know what is working.  You can then relax and know the distance between posts is just right and dig the rest of the postholes.

To set that first 4×4 wood post, pour 2 inches of the drainage rock into the whole.  Drop in the 4×4 post sleeve.  Mix up the post cement adding small amounts at a time until you have nice slurry that you can “pour” with your shovel.  Pour it into the whole being careful to not get any inside the post sleeve itself.  Roughly position the sleeve to be straight and level.  At one point soon the cement will begin to set and feel “spongy” while gently adjusting the sleeve.

Place a small bullet level on two of the sleeves top edges and adjust the sleeve to bubble level.  Repeat for the other two edges.  Check the vertical level on two adjacent sides to make sure the post shield is true and plumb. (It should be from the first bubble leveling but I like to double check)  Normally it should only take about one 25lb bag of post cement. Not 4 bags like you had to pull out with the post puller leaving a massive crater to fill!

After the cement has cured (may take 3 to 5 hours) and the sleeve feels tight drop in the 4×4 wood fence post!  You may have to do this on day two, depending on how fast the process is taking.  With a helper holding the far end of two rails guide your two ends into the set 4×4 post.  Grab another 4×4 post and guide the two remaining rail ends into the post.  This gives you the perfect spot to place the next post.  Measure the distance between the two posts and this will be your guide to set the rest of them.

Repeat setting the post sleeve as above into the posthole.  With your helper again holding one end of the two rails and the opposite end fitted into the already set post, guide the open rails into the post as you slowly lower it into the sleeve until the post reaches the bottom of the post hole and drainage rock. This is the best way I have found to have great tight, strong fitting rails with no slop.  You can secure the post to the post sleeve with a wood screw now or do them all after sequencing the rest of the posts and rails into their respective post holes.

Please note:  Using rough cut cedar 4×4 wood fence posts requires a bit of custom cutting to fit the standard post size of 3 5/8’ x 3 5’8” into the post sleeve.  Rough cut cedar posts range anywhere fro 6 to 8 inches at the base.  I mark a square in the base of the post that is 3 5/8″ x 3 5/8” and make vertical cuts 28’ up each of the 4 sides.  Then I cut off all but 4” of the “slotted” outside edge of the post.  This allows the rough-cut cedar post to easily slide into the sleeve and then the slots; over the sleeve for a trim fit and keeping the rough cut look for the post remaining above ground.

Sounds complicated but it really is easy and makes your fence and home look great!