Had a lightbulb moment with post hole depths on a job in Ohio last month

I've been setting fence posts for 8 years and always just dug to 24 inches for 4x4s. Then an old timer walked by my job in Akron and asked why I wasn't going to 30 inches for the frost line. He showed me my last few posts were already starting to shift. Has anyone else realized they've been cutting corners on depth?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel_walker17d ago

Yeah frost line differences are wild depending where you live. Up here in Maine we go to 48 inches sometimes. I learned that one the hard way after a bad winter. You really gotta check the local code, not just wing it.

fox.derek16d ago

@daniel_walker makes a solid point. Here in Ohio the frost line can go deeper than people think, especially after a rough winter. Ive been checking local codes on every job now cause 24 inches just aint safe everywhere.

adamgreen17d ago

An old timer walked by my job in Akron and asked why I wasn't going to 30 inches" - holy crap, I've been doing the exact same 24 inch thing for years and never questioned it. That frost line thing is no joke, I guess I've been getting lucky.