Mike Holmes Shares His Game-Changing Technique For Installing Fence Posts

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Mike Holmes, the Canadian contractor star of HGTV's "Holmes Family Rescue," always promotes high building standards and environmental sustainability in his work, so it should come as no surprise he's got great advice for homeowners looking to install their own fence posts. Concrete, he says, can be expensive and labor-intensive. He suggests using a special kind of expanding foam instead.

Whether you're installing an old fashioned fence or a new one, Holmes suggests consulting a professional first. If you do need to install it yourself, he says that before you start, you ought to know where your property lines are and whether or not you need a permit to build it. "I once heard about a homeowner that was ready to sell their home only find out that their fence was encroaching on the neighbours property," Holmes wrote on his blog, Make it Right.

Fences, of course, are just one garden separation idea. You could also use hedges or other natural ways to line your property. But if it's a fence you want, then Holmes suggests making it easier on yourself. "Fixing or installing a fence post with concrete is time consuming and labor intensive. I prefer an expanding foam, which replaces two bags of concrete," he wrote on his blog. "It's called Sika PostFix — an easy-to-prepare, mix-in-the-bag and fast setting polyurethane foam." Installing the posts has never been simpler. All you need is the polyurethane foam, fence posts, an auger or fence pole digger, and scissors.

To get started installing your fence posts, dig the holes first. Holes should be 2 feet deep for your average 6 to 8 foot tall fence post. Space them 6 to 8 feet apart. Holmes says now's the time to add a bit of gravel to the bottom of the hole that might help with drainage later. Place your posts in the holes. Avoid making the crucial mistake of installing your wooden fence posts so low, that the fence line will lie directly on the ground. Wooden fence boards touching the ground greatly increase the chances of wood rot.

Next, you'll need to mix the Sika PostFix, which you can do right in the bag it comes in. Follow the directions, and start by mixing the two components together. Use a table edge or even your knee to help you mix the components from one side to the other, sliding it back and forth as if you're buffing a shoe. After you've done this for about 15 seconds, you can slice the bag open and it'll be ready to pour. One word of warning: don't try to mix this in the post hole. Always do it in the bag.

Once the mix is ready, pour the foam directly into the hole, all around the post. Don't worry if the mix touches the post — you want it to! Repeat this method for each post and your back will thank you for sparing it from carrying the bags of concrete you would have otherwise needed.