How To Dig A Post Hole With A Post Hole Digger

For what ever reason you have decided you want to put a fence around the garden, house, crops or where ever really and the best way to do that is with a post hole digger. In this article I’ll do my best to explain how to dig a post hole with a post hole digger. Digging a post hole and putting up a fence can be a very time consuming and exhausting job especially if you end up doing most of the work yourself (good help is hard to find these days). If you are renting or buying a post hole digger one of the first things you’ll need to decide is how big of a hole you’ll need so you can determine the size of the auger to get.

What is an Auger?

Okay so for the most part an Auger is a spiral shaped drill bit used for boring holes and in the case of a post hole digger boring holes into the ground. The rotation motion of the spiral shape helps move dirt and material upward and out of the hole clearing the hole of debris making a cleaner hole and allowing the auger to dig deeper. Augers come in various shapes and sizes from 4 x 40 to 12 x 48. To find out more and get some prices on post hole augers Click Here

Digging A Post Hole With A Post Hole Digger

Start off by measuring and marking the precise location of each fence post hole you plan on digging. Use a fabric marker, spray paint, flags or what ever you can use that identifies a mark. Don’t guess or measure as you go along because if you end up being off down the line you’ll end up having to re-dig more holes and fill up the old ones and wasting more time. Be sure to measure out the entire fence.

Because post hole augers penetrate moist soil more easily it’s recommended to wait till after a good rainfall to dig the holes or use a water hose to dampen the dirt. When you are ready put the post hold diggers auger into the ground and use the weight of the digger to make the initial hole in the ground and get the auger bit deep enough into the ground to allow the drill bit to move the dirt as the auger gets lower and lower.

Be sure and define the outer edge of the hole by lifting and dropping the post hole digger a few times. After you reach a foot in diameter and have defined the hole you can start working downward into the hole. Ensure the post hole digger is vertical and digs straight down. The post hole needs to be 1 foot deep to support a 4-inch square or round post that is 4 feet high, and 2 feet deep for a post up to 8 feet tall.

After you have reached the desired depth, fill in about 6 inches at the base of the hole with sand and fine gravel to allow for drainage.

A Few Good Post Hole Diggers For Sale