Can you dig a post hole with a shovel?

Whether you are building a fence or putting up a flagpole or a bird house on a pole, you may find the need to dig a small diameter hole. Using a shovel for this job means making your hole larger than you need, so you may choose to use post hole diggers for the job instead.

Similarly, you may ask, what is the easiest way to dig post holes?

This is no easy task, but there are few things to do that will make the job easier and faster.

Avoid digging in hard rocky soil and sandy soil.
Soak the ground with water.
Loosen the ground with the post hole digger.
Hold the post hole digger with both hands and thrust it into the ground.

Also, how long does it take to dig a hole with a shovel? For example, if the average shovel load took 25 seconds to complete and there will be 100 shovel loads needed to complete the project, the time to complete the hole will be about 41 minutes and 40 seconds, because 25 seconds by 100 loads equals 2500 seconds total; divide by 60 seconds in one minute to calculate the

One may also ask, how do you dig a hole without a post hole digger?

Digging Post Holes without Destroying Yourself.

Start the hole with the clamshell digger. Just establish its diameter and dig down a couple of inches.
Use the digging bar to loosen the soil below the current level.
Use the clamshell post hole digger to remove the loosened dirt.
Repeat as necessary to the correct depth for the hole.

How big of a hole do I need for a 4x4 post?

Dig an 8"-diameter hole at least 6" deeper than your area's frost line for each 4x4 post, using a power auger, hand auger, or post-hole digger. A 6x6 post requires a 10"-diameter hole. Shovel a 6" layer of gravel into the hole to provide drainage.

37 Related Question Answers Found

How deep should a post hole be for a 6 foot fence?

2 feet

Is 2 feet deep enough for fence posts?

The minimum depth that you should dig your fence post holes for panel sections is 2 feet. A general formula is to dig the holes one-third to one-half of the post's aboveground height. The deeper you dig the holes, the more stability your fence has, but you must also purchase longer posts.

How do you manually dig a post hole?

To dig post holes with post hole diggers, start by holding one handle in each hand with the handles close together. Then, thrust the blades into the ground where you want to dig your first hole. Once the blades are in the ground, spread the handles apart so the jaws of your post hole diggers close around the dirt.

Should wood fence posts be set in concrete?

Concrete is the most secure material for setting fence posts, especially if you have sandy soil. Gravel may be okay with dense, clay-heavy soil, but in looser soil, concrete is the only thing that will truly keep your fence posts stuck in place.

How do you make a hole in a fence post?

How to Dig a Hole: Pro Tips

Step 1: String your line and pound the stakes.
Step 2: Carve out a soil divot with a spade.
Step 3: Loosen earth with a tile shovel.
Step 4: Use your clamshell digger.
Step 5: Use a reciprocating saw on large roots.
Step 6: Dislodge rocks with a digging bar.
Step 7: Tamp the soil with the other end.

Can you put dry concrete in a post hole?

Fast-setting concrete is ideal for setting posts because there's no mixing—you simply pour the dry concrete from the bag right into the hole, then add water. Under normal curing conditions, you can apply heavy weight to the post (a basketball backboard, for example) after just 4 hours.

How do you cut roots in a post hole?

Dig the post hole with a post hole digger, or a spade approximately six inches deep before using the auger.
Ask for help before using the auger to drill through the tree root.
Stand on one side of the auger, and ask the helper to stand on the other side of the auger.

What are the digging tools?

Knowing the range of digging tools available and what each of them is designed to do will help you choose the right digging tool for the job.

Shovels and Spades. Despite what most people think, a shovel and a spade are not the same thing.
Trowels.
Garden or Spading Forks.
Pick and Mattock.
Hoes.

How deep can you dig with a shovel?

Probably between 10-15 feet,depending upon: Your height. Your upper body strength. The composition of the soil in which you are digging.

How do you make a well?

Use the well point method.

Start a pilot hole. Using a post hole digger or shovel, dig a hole two feet deep.
Install your well point. Well points are generally made of steel or any other hard metal so that they can withstand being driven deep into the ground.
Begin driving the well point.
Add each extension of pipe.

How do you dig a fence post hole in rock?

Drive the digging bar at an angle under and around rocks to loosen hardpan soil that is holding the rock in place. Pull the digging bar backward, using the edge of the post hole as leverage, to lift and loosen rocks. It may take several prying attempts at different angles around the edge of the rock to fully loosen it.

Are graves dug by hand?

Graves are hand-dug if they are on a slope or wedged between headstones or trees, or if the coffin is for a small child. Families often buy a plot with a plan to add a second or third coffin months, years or decades later. Most of those graves are dug nine feet deep to accommodate three stacked coffins.

How much can a man dig in a day?

I was figuring somewhere around 7 bank cubic yards per each man digging; multiplied by 6 men digging is around 42 bcy per day for bidding purposes. In reality they could probably do a little more than that but these jobs tend to move slower than your typical.

How deep is a shallow grave?

Description. The formal use of a grave involves several steps with associated terminology. The excavation that forms the grave. Excavations vary from a shallow scraping to removal of topsoil to a depth of 6 feet (1.8 metres) or more where a vault or burial chamber is to be constructed.

What are the dimensions for digging a grave?

A standard grave is 2 1/2 feet wide by 8 feet long, according to the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. These dimensions take into account room for a marker or headstone.

How fast can a human dig?

1.7 miles per hour

How long does it take to dig a 4 ft hole?

Distance to center of earth is 3,959 miles * (5280 ft / mile ) = 20,903,520 ft. Volume of hole to be dug is 4 ft * 4 ft * 20,903,520 ft = 334,456,320 ft. 1 shovel / 5 seconds * ((6 in * 6 in * 6 in ) / 1 shovel ) * (1 ft ³ / 12 in^3 ) ³ = 0.025 ft ³ /sec. 334,456,320 ft^3 / 0.025 ft^3 /sec = 13,378,252,800 sec.