Concrete post repair

[peterm69]

I have a concrete fence post which has fractured at the point just before it enters the ground it now wobbles on the internal metal rods. The post is about 4 inchs square, about 5ft 5in high and has 4 metal rods running through it and in conjunction with other posts holds ordinary wood fence panels.
I really do not want to dig it up. Help!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[breezer]

i am not a builder, but if you fill the gap with cement it should hold it, but for how long, what if the new cement corrodes the reinforcing rods, sorry dig it up

 

[DAZB]

It would be very difficult to repair this post using most methods but a fairly simple one would be to get a short length of box section steel around 12 inches long with an internal dimension of a fraction over 4 inch that will just slide over the post and bridge the break.You may have to create a recess all around the base for the steel to fall below the break if it is very low on the post. It could then either be left like that or a hole could be drilled through the steel at the top of the break and a suitable concrete repair resin injected in to complete the repair. You need the stuff that comes with a spiral nozzle that mixes itself on the way out of the tube. Allow to cure and then remove the steel. The resin sets absolutely rock solid and will be easier to use than a mortar mix but it is about £15-20 a tube ( mastic gun size ).Check at your local Builders Merchants on which concrete repair resin is most suitable. If the appearance of the post doesn't matter so much I would go with just leaving the steel on and maybe pack it tight with thin shims of slate.Hope this makes sense.

 

[peterm69]

Thanks for the replies, I had the idea of building a small wooden box, open at one end to cover above and below the fracture obviously bigger than the post fill this with concrete let it harden and remove the box, this would give the base of the post a concrete coller whilst filing the gap at the same time.

 

[Ant]

I think you would be better to replace the post - the other options involve nearly as much work and cost and are not guaranteed to work. You may find that there isn't a massive amount of concrete in the ground and the existing post can be used a lever to help removal. Although it is heavy work I would get me spade out!