Fence post holes - too big.

[Munroast]

cut a 3x2 paving slab in half, then drop each half on each side of the new post and then back fill, well heel the earth down to get it as compact as possible - half a paving slab is never ever going to move sideways in the ground.

I have a section of 6 foot high fence in an exposed place that I did this with donkeys years ago and it has never moved in big winter gales.

 

[DPS-Tony]

i have chiselled the end of the concrete (in line with the fence) away before, then removed the old post. This allows for replacements of the same size straight into the old hole, and cement the end up again. Less hole, less cement, but can be more work to remove the post

 

[RrogerD]

Now that's a brilliant idea Munroist! Thankyou!
Do you still cement / Postcrete in? I guess, probably not needed?

 

[RrogerD]

Also a great idea DPS-Tony. Thank you.
I'll have to have a think about both now.
The concrete lump shown in the photo is what remains of the whole lump, which originally went up to ground level.
We live on an embankment of clay, with a railway the other side I went so deep due to the vibrations and it being lower on the other side of course.

 

[Munroast]

Now that's a brilliant idea Munroist! Thankyou!
Do you still cement / Postcrete in? I guess, probably not needed?

fairly well packed down earth will do fine - you just have to do it sympathetically from both sides, treading it down every 4 or 5 inches making sure the slabs stay tight against the post.

the good thing about this way is you can jack the post back out at some time in the future.