Has anyone set a fence posts using foam; specifically Sika Fence Post Mix.

I understand why someone would not want to use foam as well as why they would. I would like some first hand TexAgs testimony.

I need to remove and replace a section of privacy fence, there are 10 posts. It would be awesome if that foam works because I could start one Saturday morning and be 100% done by noon.

My plan is a standard 6' (possibly 8') cedar picket privacy fence with 8' pressure treated 4x4 post buried 36" with an 8" hole.

https://retail.usa.sika.com/en/products/specialty/sika-post-fix-fence-post-mix

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sika-Polyurethane-Fence-Post-Mix-Actual-Net-Contents-33-fl-oz/999977070

Very light duty it might work.

Ive seen a couple of video reviews about this stuff... it certainly looks interesting

Are you digging these 10 post holes with a gas auger ?

63 lf of fence removed and replaced in 1/2 day by yourself ?

No experience with using foam but my concern is it may act like a sponge and hold moisture around the post. Also without the weight my concern is the fence won't be as stable in wind.

Why not use fast setting concrete if time is of the essence ?

JP76 said:

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Are you digging these 10 post holes with a gas auger ?

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2 person gas auger

JP76 said:

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63 lf of fence removed and replaced in 1/2 day by yourself ?

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62' 9" (lol) - I will have some of my kids friends, 4 or 5 guys 20 yr old range. --- It is payment for some electrical work I did for them. I plan fence tear-down Friday evening. I will not be there there to supervise that part, that is scarier to me than using foam.

JP76 said:

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No experience with using foam but my concern is it may act like a sponge and hold moisture around the post. Also without the weight my concern is the fence won't be as stable in wind.

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I have the same concerns. I do not know if it is a closed or open cell type of foam. I will have to do some more research. No matter what method I choose, I put aprox 4" of gravel at the base of the hole.

JP76 said:

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Why not use fast setting concrete if time is of the essence ?

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This may be what I eventually do. I just wanted a first hand review. I have seen the stuff online both good and bad. It really got my attention. I have heard they set utility poles in foam, but is it the same, the same application methods.???

This co has been around for years

https://utilitystructural.com/poly-ground/

except for the weight of sackcrete, it seems just as easy to pour dry sackcrete in the hole with the post and add water? what's the long-term advantage to foam, if any?

JP76 said:

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Are you digging these 10 post holes with a gas auger ?

63 lf of fence removed and replaced in 1/2 day by yourself ?

No experience with using foam but my concern is it may act like a sponge and hold moisture around the post. Also without the weight my concern is the fence won't be as stable in wind.

Why not use fast setting concrete if time is of the essence ?

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Using fast setting concrete, start at the end you plan to start with the rails and pickets and by the time you set 10 posts, that first one will be ready to work with if you are using a nail gun or screw driver. Probably not ready for a hammer and nails for a few hours, another words, if you aren't 'knocking' against the post, you should be fine.
I replaced my back fence in 3 16' sections so I set 2 to 3 steel posts at a time and within a couple hours, they were ready for the brackets and rail.

I experimented with it last year. It is super cool stuff. But it doesn't perform well. The posts I did with the foam are very wobbly compared to normal sacks of quickcrete. I actually dug one out and replaced it since it was an important post.

So i wouldn't recommend it for fencing, but it could be great in certain applications.

I appreciate your post.

That seals the deal, It will be the Quickrete red bag for the fence.

Only if it's Close Cell foam, then even then ... seems tried & true, almost same cost to get Quikcrete products designed just for this solution ... I prefer the fiber reinforced if you omit WWM/steel tension resistance

I don't know if it's the same product, but I've seen concrete power poles set with foam. Has to be pretty good to handle that application

I believe it is the same or similar product. The difference might be the amount used and also the depth of those poles. For light duty fence posts, it was less stable than a sack of quickcrete.

I will say it is cool stuff. Very cool. And it sure was nice carrying it around over quickcrete.

Wood fence posts

Use metal poles. Don't bother with the 4x4s

babyshark & txag2008 -- I agree metal poles are better. The rest of my fencing has metal poles with the metal mounting brackets. I swaped a section out and put in a gate and the poles made it real easy to do.

I was given 14 pressure treated 8' 4x4's about 3 months ago and they are taking up space in my garage. Plus I am pretty sure we are moving later this year or early next year. My mom will have to move in with us and my current home is just too small for that.

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Plus I am pretty sure we are moving later this year or early next year. My mom will have to move in with us and my current home is just too small for that.

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I'm glad I don't have to do the cost accounting and justification of "which is better.... buying a new house so mom can move in or getting a new mom".

I don't water the concrete till after I'm done with the fence, pour the cement in and compact with a stick

lol.... its all about the house

Scruffy said:

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Plus I am pretty sure we are moving later this year or early next year. My mom will have to move in with us and my current home is just too small for that.

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I'm glad I don't have to do the cost accounting and justification of "which is better.... buying a new house so mom can move in or getting a new mom".

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But what if you could trade her in the draft to another team for a pick to be announced later?

~egon

SCHTICK00 said:

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I don't know if it's the same product, but I've seen concrete power poles set with foam. Has to be pretty good to handle that application

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Wooden power poles are surprisingly shallow - usually 10% of the length plus 2 additional feet. So a 20 foot pole only has 4' of depth. They need to be flexible, and the foam is only to take up the space between the pole and the ground from the auger.

On a fence I wouldn't use the foam for corner or tension/brace posts, but for intermediate posts that are just supporting the cross members and the pickets, should be fine. This foam is usually a closed cell.

Cost has always been the limiting factor - concrete is cheap, and adds mass.

Koko Chingo said:

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I need to remove and replace a section of privacy fence, there are 10 posts. It would be awesome if that foam works because I could start one Saturday morning and be 100% done by noon.

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Just about every DiY project ends up taking me twice as much time and 3x as many days as planned.

Plan: 8 hours in Saturday

Reality:
Saturday
15 minutes work
Trip to home depot for random tool I thought I could get by without
Starts raining

Sunday
1 hour work
Stop to consider why this isn't working the way it's supposed to (contemplation works better with a couple beers)
1 more hour work
Get mad at something stupid and stop for the weekend

Monday - Thursday
3 hours of unproductive work, 2 trips to home depot, much consideration of hiring a professional

Friday
1 hour of work, but an epiphany of some sort as it gets dark

Saturday
Home depot run for whatever materials my epiphany requires
1 hour MacGuyvering
14 hours working like a madman

Sunday
1 hour cleaning up, 2 hours gazing upon my achievement with great satisfaction

Ulrich said:

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Koko Chingo said:

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I need to remove and replace a section of privacy fence, there are 10 posts. It would be awesome if that foam works because I could start one Saturday morning and be 100% done by noon.

---

Just about every DiY project ends up taking me twice as much time and 3x as many days as planned.

Plan: 8 hours in Saturday

Reality:
Saturday
15 minutes work
Trip to home depot for random tool I thought I could get by without
Starts raining

Sunday
1 hour work
Stop to consider why this isn't working the way it's supposed to (contemplation works better with a couple beers)
1 more hour work
Get mad at something stupid and stop for the weekend

Monday - Thursday
3 hours of unproductive work, 2 trips to home depot, much consideration of hiring a professional

Friday
1 hour of work, but an epiphany of some sort as it gets dark

Saturday
Home depot run for whatever materials my epiphany requires
1 hour MacGuyvering
14 hours working like a madman

Sunday
1 hour cleaning up, 2 hours gazing upon my achievement with great satisfaction

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This

Ulrich & Rusty

That schedule is definateley me doing plumbing.

What's the life expectancy of the foam? Going to be setting some utility poles and was thinking about using it but not if itll break down in 10-15 years.

CS78 said:

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What's the life expectancy of the foam? Going to be setting some utility poles and was thinking about using it but not if itll break down in 10-15 years.

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40 years. It's basically plastic and air.