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Why does nobody talk about how much a proper gravel base changes a vinyl fence job?
I put up a 50 foot section in my buddy's backyard in Cincinnati last spring... first time I just dug the post holes and backfilled with dirt. By August, two posts were leaning and the whole line looked wavy. This year, I did the same length for another client but spent the extra hour putting 4 inches of crushed gravel in each hole before setting the post. Six months later, that fence is still dead straight and solid. It's not fancy, it's just basic prep work that actually works. Anyone else skip the gravel at first and regret it?
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the_eric1mo ago
Dude, preach. Learned this the hard way on my own place. Did a whole run without gravel and the frost heave that winter was brutal, posts looked like a roller coaster by March. Now I always drop a bag of 3/4 inch clean stone in the hole, packs down solid and drains water away from the post. Makes all the difference.
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mary_martin221mo ago
I mean, clean stone is good but you really want some angular crushed rock for the best lock-up. It's got those sharp edges that bite together and won't shift around like smooth gravel can over time. That's what my contractor buddy always says to use anyway.
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