Plumbing a 4x4 Rain Gauge Post With a Magnetic Post Level: Gauge Rim 2 to 5 Feet Up, a Slanted Post Top Below It, and 80 Feet of Clearance From a 40-Foot Tree

Clear rain gauge on a plumb 4x4 post with a post level strapped on

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A backyard rain gauge reads true only when its rim is level, and that starts with a plumb post. Set a 4x4 about 24 inches deep, hold a post level on two faces while you pack the soil, and mount the gauge on the side so its rim sits 2 to 5 feet off the ground and a few inches above a slanted post top.

How high should a backyard rain gauge be mounted on a post?

Between 2 and 5 feet above the ground, mounted on the side of a single post. The gauge top should rise several inches above the post, the post top should be rounded, pointed, or slanted to stop splash, and the gauge rim must be level.

The CoCoRaHS network page on mounting your rain gauge gives the 2- to 5-foot height, the side-of-post mount, and the shaped post top. It also says to keep the gauge away from sprinklers and to place it at least 80 feet downwind of a 40-foot tree.

The National Weather Service Albany office handout Setting Up Your Gauge puts the rule of thumb plainly. The gauge should sit twice as far from an object as the object is tall, and the top of the gauge must be level.

It also explains why level matters. The 4-inch gauge's funnel magnifies the catch 10 times so the inner tube reads to 0.01 inch, and the tube holds 1 inch of rain before it spills into the outer cylinder.

Clearance From Trees and Buildings

Obstacle height Minimum distance Example
10 ft. 20 ft. Privacy fence, shed
20 ft. 40 ft. Two-story roofline
30 ft. 60 ft. Young shade tree
40 ft. 80 ft. Mature oak or maple

The distance is simply twice the height, so pace it off from the trunk or wall. If the yard can't meet it for every obstacle, pick the spot that clears the tallest one and keep the gauge out of sprinkler reach.

Post Layout for a 4-Foot Gauge Height

A 6-foot 4x4 set 24 inches deep leaves 48 inches above grade. Cut the top at 45 degrees so rain sheds off instead of splashing up, and mount the bracket so the gauge rim lands about 3 to 4 inches above the high point of that cut.

That puts the rim near 51 to 52 inches, inside the 24- to 60-inch window. If you want the rim lower for easy reading, cut the post shorter before setting it rather than mounting the gauge lower on the side.

Materials and Tools

  • Magnetic post level with vials on two faces at 90 degrees and a strap or band for wood posts
  • One 6-foot ground-contact treated 4x4
  • A post-hole digger, a tamping bar or a length of 2x4 for packing
  • A handsaw or circular saw for the 45-degree top cut
  • Exterior screws and the gauge's mounting bracket
  • A small torpedo level for the gauge rim

Setting Steps

  1. Pick the spot. Measure the tallest nearby tree or roof and pace off twice its height, keeping well away from lawn sprinklers.
  2. Call 811. Have buried utilities marked before you dig, even for a single small post.
  3. Cut the top first. Make the 45-degree cut on the bench, where it is easier to keep square.
  4. Dig the hole. Dig about 24 inches deep and a few inches wider than the post on every side.
  5. Strap on the level. Fasten the post level around a corner so one vial reads the face toward you and the other reads the side face.
  6. Backfill in lifts. Add 4 inches of soil at a time and pack it hard, watching both vials after every lift.
  7. Correct early. If a bubble drifts, push the post back while the hole is still mostly open, since the last lifts lock it in place.
  8. Mount the bracket. Screw the bracket to the side you'll read from so the rim clears the post top by 3 to 4 inches.
  9. Level the rim. Set the gauge in the bracket, lay the torpedo level across the rim both ways, and shim the bracket if needed.

Rain Gauge Post Mistakes

  • Screwing the gauge to a fence board or deck rail, where splash from the nearby surface can reach the funnel
  • Leaving a flat post top that throws droplets up into the funnel
  • Plumbing only one face, so the post leans along the face you didn't check
  • Mounting under a tree drip line because the spot is "mostly open"

The lift-by-lift packing that keeps a small post plumb is covered for fence work in hand-digging 8-inch holes for wood line posts. For taller posts in open ground, see setting 8-foot T-post deer fence around a garden.

If a dog keeps digging at the fresh soil around the post, pin a square of mesh over it and pick the opening from the hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide.

FAQ

Can I mount the gauge on a T-post instead?

Yes. A steel post works if the bracket is clamped firmly and the post top sits below the gauge rim. A magnetic level holds directly on steel, and the same two-face check applies.

What should I do with the gauge in winter?

Bring the inner tube and funnel indoors before hard freezes. CoCoRaHS warns that water freezing inside the gauge can crack the plastic.

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