I need some opinions please. We are currently expanding the fenced portion of the backyard for our leggy Brittany dog in order to make more room for him to run. I am setting 4x4 post. They are 8 feet in length, with 2 foot in the ground. Would these be ok without using concrete around them at that depth?? My yard backs up to a creek. The soil is very heavy clay. My thoughts are at that depth, concrete isn't needed.

Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

I would use concrete.

No - use concrete. You still have to dig a hole to put them in. May as well drop some concreto in there. 60 lb bags cost less than $4 each.

the posts will settle and sink in a year if you don't use concrete.

Toss a shovel full of gravel in the bottom of the hole first. Then a bag of sac crete.

Concrete is cheap.

i think the concrete will also slow down the rotting process

Concrete. Do it right this time so you don't have to go fix it in 2 years.

I think you can put the concrete in the hole dry, and then just put water on top of it and let it set up?

rip if ya get 2-3 60 penny nails (tent stake size) and drive about 2" into the posts and set with 5000 psi sackrete you wont ever have to mess with them again.

put some water in the hole (not much) and add about 1/3 of the sackrete then set the post with the rest of it, these will last 30-40 yrs with pressure treated wood.
let them set for a couple of days so the concrete can harden well and you wont knock them loose when you put up the fence.

Dangit Hop, I just want to keep a dog in, not a elephant.

I also have 32 post holes to add concrete too, thanks to your responses.

trust me its worth the extra, ask me how I know this after 126 posts set with little to no crete. lol had to go fix it for a moron contractor in colorado. his lasted less than 6 months.

go rent ya a one man gas digger, I bought one and man is it the cats meow for diggin.

Yes and No - I like to add a half bag of concrete and mix some water in there by punching a shooter/shovel up and down to mix the mixture. Another half bag and a little more water and mix again.

You can drop a whole bag in there but you can't just leave the water in there without mixing. I feel I can control the consistency of the mixture better by using a half bag at a time method.

The holes are dug. Jr. and I rassled with a 2 man digger on Saturday. It was almost as much fun as riding a floor buffer.