A really important point about the hole depth for the gates. Not many people know that the heavier the gate the deeper the hole needs to be. See so many issues with people going to put gates up, and simply not digging the posts deep enough. Only takes one swing and off they fall

I have a couple of gates to hang measuring 2metres wide by 4 foot high on each gate.What size wooden posts would you recommend?and how deep into the ground would you put the posts?

I wish to change my old iron gates on my drive for nice looking wooden ones, the gates are about 3ft 6″ high, what size posts do i need and how deep are the posts supposed to go into the ground? there are 2 gates approx 4ft wide, can you help???
Regards
Karl

What was that about clay being “easy to pull out of the hole and is very moist”. Here in Oz I just dug a 3′ post hole into clay and believe me, it was anything but moist! About 2″ of friable topsoil, another inch of diggable clay, then thirty odd inches of dry clay that rang like ceramic on my spade. Too hard for the spade or double shovel. I used a breaker bar to chip about an inch of depth, then scooped the clay chips out with a beans tin, then back to the breaker bar.

We’re in drought but have just had a couple of days of rain so I figure it was as good a time as any to do the job. All day to do one hole. It’s a double gate so tomorrow…

I would only use concrete when necessary, but sometimes I believe its use is essential.

If anyone has tried to get a solid post in rainy conditions – a regular occurrence over here in Wales – they will know that tamping wet sticky soil in a hole half full of water just isn’t going to work. With the post in place, pouring a bucket of dry mix into the hole and then tamping down what usable material you have on top can save the day. If you are concerned about moving the post while hanging the gate then I would leave the concrete to set and come back and hang the gate another day.

When there isn’t enough soil depth it can help to concrete the post into any depression that can be made into the bedrock. I know contractors that will also put an additional collar of concrete near to (but below) the top of the hole – this can give peace of mind, particularly if hanging a large field gate.

For about a fiver you can get a post level which makes the levelling process a bit simpler, although is not a lot of help if you are using round posts. I’d also add to the tool kit a couple of 4 foot lengths of 2″ x 1″ with a nail knocked through at one end. Lightly nailed at right angles to each other just over half way up the post, these help steady the post in an upright-ish position while you do the initial back fill. At 4 feet, they are long enough to clear the sides of the hole

Read with interest as plenty of experience –

double shovel – a great work out and a fantastic tool – saves hours and saves bad backs !! – totally recommended

appalled to see you use concrete : why so ?

Wood rots – concrete does not – eventually someone has to dig the concrete boulder out – sheesh – had some fun and games on that score –
Large stone – never failed to get hold of some – even taking some to site works just as well – place flat side on gateside of the post and tamp well in. With Stones its easier to reuse – an awkward bit of concrete not so easy.
Concrete – carbon foot print = well poor

I tend to go for a deeper hole 3.5 to 4 feet – whatever works

For those who have done a fair bit of walking in Wales – a well done gate is a joy to use – something that hopefully will catch on in Wales more often :)