Hand-Digging 8-Inch Holes for Wood Line Posts on a 20 x 30 Foot Garden Fence: 24 to 34 Inches Deep, 10-Foot Spacing, and Tamped Backfill

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A 20 x 30 foot fence needs 4 corner posts and 6 line posts at 10-foot spacing. Dig line holes 8 inches wide and 24 to 34 inches deep, corner holes 36 inches deep, and tamp the backfill in thin layers.

How deep and how far apart should wood line posts go for a wire garden fence?

Federal conservation specifications set wood line posts at least 24 inches deep in Wisconsin and 34 inches deep in Ohio, with posts no more than 16 feet apart for standard woven wire. In a garden, set posts 10 feet apart and 30 to 34 inches deep, and tamp the backfill.

The USDA NRCS Wisconsin construction specification sets a maximum line post spacing of 16 feet for standard woven wire, a minimum wood post depth of 24 inches, and corner posts 3 feet below the ground line.

The USDA NRCS Ohio woven wire fence specification sets wood line posts 34 inches below the ground line, up to 16 feet apart, and corner assemblies at 36 to 48 inches deep.

Two Specifications Compared

Item NRCS Wisconsin NRCS Ohio My garden pick
Line post depth 24 in. minimum 34 in. 30-34 in.
Line post spacing 16 ft. maximum 16 ft. maximum 10 ft.
Corner post depth 36 in. 36 in. with double H-brace 36 in.
Backfill Well compacted Thoroughly compacted Tamp every 6 in.

Materials and Tools

  • Post hole digger with a long fiberglass or wood handle
  • Ten 4-inch top-diameter wood posts, 7 feet long for line posts
  • A tape measure, string line, level, and a tamping bar
  • Gloves, safety glasses, and a digging bar for rocks
  • Gravel for the post bottoms if the soil is wet

Layout and Digging Steps

  1. Square the corners. Stake a 20 x 30 foot rectangle and check that both diagonals measure about 36 feet 1 inch.
  2. Space the line posts. Two 10-foot bays on each 20-foot side need 1 post, and three on each 30-foot side need 2.
  3. Count the holes. That is 6 line posts plus 4 corners, or 10 holes.
  4. Dig the corners first. Go 36 inches deep and about 12 inches wide.
  5. Dig the line holes. Go 30 to 34 inches deep and 8 inches wide.
  6. Measure from grade. Set the digger handle against the tape rather than guessing.
  7. Set the post. Plumb it on two faces and fill in 6-inch lifts.
  8. Tamp each lift. Ram the soil with the bar until it stops moving.

Line holes hold about 1 cubic foot each at 34 inches deep, so six holes move about 6 cubic feet of soil.

Common Digging Mistakes

  • A funnel-shaped hole gives the post a loose bottom
  • Skipping the tamping lets the post lean within a season
  • Posts set shallower than 24 inches fail first in wet soil
  • A top wire less than 2 inches below the post top invites splitting

Steel posts follow different rules, covered in driving 6-foot and 8-foot T-posts in clay and rocky soil. Panels hung between wood posts can be joined as in building a 4-by-4 welded-wire leaf compost corral. The hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide helps pick a bottom band against rabbits.

Wire goes on after the posts are firm, and attaching hardware cloth to wood frames shows the fastening.

FAQ

Can I use T-posts for the line posts?

Yes. Wood is the choice here when you want a stapled, fixed wire.

Do I need concrete on line posts?

Not if the backfill is tamped well.

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