Setting Posts without Mixing | QUIKRETE: Cement and Concrete Products (2024)

FAQs

Setting Posts without Mixing | QUIKRETE: Cement and Concrete Products? ›

Fill the hole with Fast-Setting Concrete

Unfortunately, since posts go in before everything else, they can hold up progress. So, for some jobs, it's good to consider an alternative to traditional concrete mix. No mixing is necessary when you use Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix. But you can agitate the water and concrete mix with a stick.

Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there's no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water.

Concrete serves as a strong foundation for the post, making it a sturdy option for your mailbox. How Deep Should I Set a Post in Concrete? In general, the depth of the concrete post hole should be 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the post. So, if your post is 6 feet high, then you should position it in a 2-foot to 3-foot hole.

While cement is a common choice for installing fence posts, it is not the only option available. By considering alternatives such as post anchors, ground screws, driven posts, or tensioning systems, you can successfully install fence posts without cement.

There are a few options for materials to set your fence posts if you aren't using cement. These include dirt, gravel, sand, and crushed rock. Dirt: Filling the hole with dirt and compacting it will help to support the fence post.

Dry pouring does eliminate the step of mixing the concrete first, but you still have to prepare the subgrade, set up the formwork, and use a screed to level off the dry concrete before spraying it periodically with water, so very little time is saved overall.

One technique that some fence builders will use is to dry set their posts. Essentially, they dump in sacks of dry ready mix and wet them in the post hole. They will tell you there is no difference in this method and wet mixing the concrete in a mixer or wheel barrow and pouring it in the hole.

Dry pouring is often considered easier than wet pouring because it eliminates the step of mixing the concrete first. However, dry pouring has several disadvantages, including a lower quality final product, a higher risk of cracking or uneven surfaces, and a higher potential for costly repairs or replacements.

In order to produce a strong, resilient concrete mix, you need to get the ratio of aggregate to sand to cement right. So if you don't mix sand to the cement, cement will set of course but will give a lot of shrinkage crack and may not give the desired bonding.

What concrete does not require mixing? ›

QUIKRETE® Fast-Setting Concrete Mix (No. 1004) is a special blend of fast-setting cements, sand and gravel designed to set hard in approx. 20 to 40 minutes. Sets posts without mixing.

At least 2 bags per fence post, sometimes more depending on the size of the hole and the post. I have an 8" auger so I average 2 bags. Its cheaper than the other stuff and easier to move than the 80lb bags. I've easily used over 300 bags of this stuff throughout the years in my business.

The bad stuff seeps downward right into the “Hot Zone”. Mix in some oxygen, the moisture from below, the fact that concrete holds a constant temperature and moisture, and those wood posts are going to prematurely rot. No exceptions.

Setting Posts – No Mix Method (Only acceptable with Fast Setting Concrete) Place post in the hole, approximately centered and plumb. Have your partner fill the hole approximately 1/3 full of water. Wearing respiratory protection, pour the dry mix into the hole, working evenly around the post.

Fill the hole with Fast-Setting Concrete up to 3 to 4 inches below ground level. Pour about a gallon of water per 50 lb bag into the hole and allow the water to saturate the concrete mix. Wait about 4 hours to begin constructing your fence or applying heavy weight to your post.

Dry pouring is commonly used in construction projects where precision, efficiency, and quality control are important considerations. Dry pouring is often considered easier than wet pouring because it eliminates the step of mixing the concrete first.

Dry pouring does eliminate the step of mixing the concrete first, but you still have to prepare the subgrade, set up the formwork, and use a screed to level off the dry concrete before spraying it periodically with water, so very little time is saved overall.

Adiseal has been shown to be the strongest adhesive in an independent adhesive strength test. How do you attach something to concrete without drilling? Using Adiseal construction adhesive to attach items to concrete will produce a high-strength, flexible, waterproof and highly durable adhesive bond.

In fact the dirt will keep the moisture in the concrete and help it to cure more slowly and it will become stronger than concrete exposed to air since the evaporation of the water actually harms the concrete. That is why concrete is often sprayed with a curing agent…to keep the water in the concrete.