HGTV's Mike Holmes Shares One Thing That'll Save You Time When Building A Fence

If you are in the process of installing or repairing your fence posts, you can save yourself time and effort with one Mike Holmes-approved hack. Building a fence can be time-consuming, but there are some materials and tools that can make your fence post install easier and faster. It's possible to speed up the construction if you choose the right supplies — just ask Mike Holmes! As the host of countless hit HGTV shows, Holmes knows every renovation trick in the book. He is the expert when it comes to building, woodworking, and construction. Rather than fixing a fence post with concrete, Holmes shares his preference for expanding foam on his blog.

While he recommends Sika PostFix, you can also use Stanley Post Fix ($39.99 for 2 bottles) from Amazon. A fast-setting expanding foam for fence posts will work in place of concrete. Expanding foam can be used for wood, PVC and steel in-ground fence posts. While mixing concrete can involve several steps and a variety of tools, these all-in-one foam kits don't require any additional materials. In addition to fence posts, you can use this technique for mailboxes, signposts, or deck railings.

Although Holmes is a fan of foam, there are some benefits to concrete depending on the nature of your project. In general, concrete tends to be less expensive than expanding foam. If you're enclosing your yard on a budget, this might be a more affordable fencing idea that won't sacrifice quality. Some builders claim that concrete is more durable for heavier posts, but others argue that expanding foam is equally secure. That being said, the heaviness of concrete can be beneficial if your ground is very soft. If your wooden posts have deteriorated over time, you don't have to replace your concrete base. You can purchase a fence post anchor repair kit like this from K.D STONEDGE ($38.99 on Amazon) and keep the concrete anchor intact.

While concrete is long-lasting and debatably stronger, convenience is not the only reason builders consider expanding foam as a viable alternative. In contrast to concrete, expanding foam is more environmentally friendly because it does not contaminate the surrounding soil. Both expanding foam and concrete have their own pros and cons, but foam will set much faster – which makes it the ideal choice if you are on a time crunch. If you're planning on hiring help for your fence post project, don't forget to check out Mike Holmes's three rules when hiring a contractor.