Fixings and Finishings

For most garden fences, no. A post set in concrete is stronger and lasts longer, especially for 6ft panels in an exposed spot. Spikes win on speed and cost. There is no digging, no mixing and no waiting. They suit lower fences, firm ground and quick repairs. If the fence needs to stand for years, set the posts in Postcrete.

Yes, as long as they go into firm, stone-free ground and are driven in straight. A Metpost spike will hold a wooden post without concrete or digging. They are less reliable in soft, wet, or stony soil, where the spike can twist or lean. Use the Metpost driving tool to protect the socket and check it with a spirit level every few blows.

Fit a Metpost repair spur. Cut the post off just above the rot, drive the spur into the ground against the old stump, then bolt the sound part of the post to it. The panel can stay in place and each post takes around half an hour. If the rot has reached above ground level, the post needs replacing.

Match the socket to your post. A 75mm spike takes a 75x75mm post and a 10mm spike takes a 100x100mm post. Spike length depends on fence height. A 600mm spike is enough for fences up to around 1.2m. A 6ft (1.8m) fence needs a 750mm spike. Measure the post before ordering, as timber sizes are nominal and can vary slightly.

Use a Metpost bolt-down post shoe. It fixes to the surface with four expanding bolts and holds the post in its socket. The base needs to be solid concrete at least 100mm thick. Slabs laid on sand will not hold the bolts. Bolt-downs suit low fences, pergolas and decking posts. A 6ft fence in an open spot is better concreted in.

One 20kg bag per post is the usual amount. That fills a hole 600mm deep and about three times the width of the post, so roughly 225mm across for a 75x75mm post. A 100x100mm post or a wider hole may need two bags. Order one spare bag for every ten posts to cover uneven holes.

Postcrete sets in 5 to 10 minutes. Stand the post in the hole, pour in water, add the Postcrete and hold the post plumb until it firms up. Leave it a couple of hours before fixing panels, and 24 hours before putting any real load on it. It does not need mixing, so one person can do a run of posts in an afternoon.

They hold the panel still so it cannot lift or bang in the wind. Anti-rattle clamps slide into the slot of a concrete post and grip the panel edge, which stops the rattle and stops the panel riding up. Panel clips screw into a wooden post and to the panel frame, holding it in place. Fit three per side of each post, top, middle and bottom.