The Tool You Need To Make Installing Fence Posts A Whole Lot Easier

Whether you're putting up a wooden fence or installing a chain link fence, there are times when you have to drive a post into the ground using nothing but brute force. Doing this with nothing but a sledgehammer is a dangerous and frustrating affair. Not only can you miss while swinging and hurt the person holding the post in place, but every strike demands effort and precision to drive the pole effectively into the stubborn ground below. As with many inventions that were born out of necessity, a post driver is a shockingly simple tool that eliminates the many unpleasant nuances of shoving poles into the ground. A driver like this one from MTB Supply at Amazon ($32.50) is the only tool you need to make your DIY fencing project as smooth and uncomplicated as possible. It works with metal, silt, and posts for different types of wooden fences without issues.

In a nutshell, a fence post driver is a hollow metal tube with one opening and two handles on its sides. The opening goes over the top of the post, and the second, solid end of the tool comes into repeated contact with the post, driving it downward. This way, you don't have to get too high up on a ladder or swing a heavy hammer over your head. Unless you're dealing with a particularly tall pole, the tool's design allows you to stand on a step stool next to the post during the procedure. Better yet, you can also use a fence post driver for removing T-posts from your garden. Below, we'll explain how to use this tool for both tasks.

Before you insert a post with a post driver, cut a piece of scrap lumber to the desired finished height of the post. You will use this makeshift tool as a measuring stick to ensure you hammer each post to the correct height. Next, position the post you're driving over the intended location. Then hold the driver with both hands and place it over the top of the post. Making sure that the post is perfectly perpendicular to the ground, raise the driver about half a foot upward, then bring it down forcefully on top of the post. Repeat the same motion as the post begins to make its way down into the ground. After every three strikes, change your position by moving to the side by a quarter turn. This way, you hammer the post in evenly, and its top should remain perfectly aligned with the fence line. If you notice that the pole is leaning one way or the other, you can push or pull on the driver while it's over the post — these motions should correct the vertical alignment. Once the post is hammered to the correct depth, move on to the next one and repeat the same steps.

To pull a T-post out of the ground, set the open end of the driver against the post at a 45-degree angle, with the other end resting firmly on the ground. Place your foot firmly over the end that's on the ground, then use both hands to wiggle the post back and forth. The driver gives you the leverage needed to amplify the lateral motion so you can free the post and yank it out quickly.