Straightening a Leaning 4x4 Wood Line Post Set in Soil With a Tamping Bar: Dig the Back Side 18 Inches Down, Pull It Plumb, and Re-Pack in 4-Inch Lifts
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A wood line post that was set in soil and leans after a wet winter usually isn't broken. The backfill was never packed hard enough. Open the soil on the side away from the lean, pull the post plumb with a temporary brace, and re-pack the hole in 4-inch lifts with a tamping bar , and the post holds where you put it. How do you straighten a leaning wood fence post without pulling it out? Dig out the soil on the side opposite the lean, about 18 inches down, then pull the post plumb and hold it with a temporary brace. Refill the open side in 4-inch layers, packing each one hard with a tamping bar before adding the next. The USDA NRCS Georgia high-tensile smooth wire fence specification sets wood posts at least 24 inches into the ground. For dug holes, it calls for backfilling by tamping the soil around the post at every 4 inches of depth. ...