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Just read something wild about fence post depth in a cold climate guide
I was looking up some winter prep tips for a job in Duluth and found a guide from the University of Minnesota Extension. It said for frost heave, you need to set posts at least 4 feet deep in some areas up there. I've always gone with 3 feet as a standard, so that extra foot really surprised me. Has anyone else had to adjust their depth that much for a northern project?
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ward.jamie1mo ago
Like they were trying to escape" is gold, and @keith_bennett owes that buddy a beer for the warning.
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keith_bennett2mo ago
Heard about a buddy who built a deck up near Bemidji and ignored the deep frost line advice. Next spring, half his rail posts were tilted out like they were trying to escape. He had to dig them all out and sink them past four feet to fix it, a total nightmare.
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shane_clark2mo ago
Yeah... that extra foot is no joke.
I learned that the hard way on a job up near International Falls. We went with the usual three feet on a fence line and it looked fine that fall. Come spring thaw, it looked like a roller coaster. The frost up there just pushes everything up if you don't get below it. That guide is right... you really can't cut corners. Saving a little digging time costs you way more in call backs.
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