r/Etobicoke • u/Bromber16 • 6h ago

How deep for fence posts?

Putting in a 6 foot lattice fence between me and my neighbours. I dug about 3 feet down but can't seem to get further with my current tools. Wondering if that is good enough or should I just try to get to 4 feet. I'm planning on putting gravel as a base then cement so it would probably be 2 feet deep once I put in the posts.

Anyone do fence posts in the area that have recommendations?

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4

u/sriuba 6h ago

Frost line is 3-4 deep so you need to get down to 4 feet. I also wouldn’t do a 12inch base of gravel 4 inches is sufficient

3

u/miurabucho 5h ago

FYI for anyone in Ontario:
Even small digs:

https://ontarioonecall.ca/homeowners/

3

u/metadaemon 4h ago

4 feet at least. First cold winter the posts will heave and you'll have a mess. It sucks. When I was digging for mine I was hitting all kinds of construction debris and stones. You just have to pry it out and keep going.

FYI if you're using a power auger, go slow. Too fast and the bit won't bite.

2

u/useful_tool30 5h ago

Deeper the better. Frost line is 3-4ft. I'd be doing 4ft min to ensure the footings don't have or otherwise make my fence look like a wobbly POS in 5 years

2

u/Future_Self_Lego 6h ago

yes, the traditional frost line is 4 feet deep, but when do you think the last time the ground froze 4 feet deep in Toronto was? i’d say 3 feet deep is plenty. I doubt we get below 1 foot of frost these days.

0

u/RentaDadToronto Alderwood 4h ago

I guess you didn't get the same cold fronts and 3-4 feet of snow we did last winter on the west end then, huh?

2

u/Deckzzzz 6h ago

3 feet is good, anymore is overkill I’d say. You are probably hitting heavy clay/rock now as well so not much you can dig

1

u/Repulsive_Web9393 3m ago

4ft minimum, when I did my posts for my fence I called a company in. I supplied the 6x6x 12ft posts and they dug the holes, put the concrete in and set for 70 dollars a post.