If you've ever spent an entire Saturday lugging eighty-pound bags of cement across a backyard, you know specifically why I started looking into fence post backfill fast 2k. There will be a specific type of back pain that only comes from mixing heavy hand bags in a wheelbarrow, and frankly, I'm over the top of it. I lately decided to provide the expanding foam alternate a shot regarding a small edge fence project, and the difference in the physical toll upon my body has been day and night.
Conventional concrete has already been the king of the backyard for decades, but it's not exactly "user-friendly" for the solo DIYer. Between the water source, the particular mixing tools, as well as the sheer weight of the material, it's an ordeal. Using a product like Fast 2K changes the particular entire workflow. Rather of a truckload of heavy grey powder, you're fundamentally carrying around a few lightweight pockets that weigh regarding two pounds each. It sounds just like a gimmick until you actually see it expand and harden into something which seems like a stone.
Why omit the concrete luggage this time?
The greatest hurdle for most people when considering fence post backfill fast 2k is the mental shift. We're programmed to believe that "heavy means strong. " When a post isn't encased within a substantial block of rock, will it in fact hold up against great wind? Remarkably, the answer is yes. This particular composite backfill is really designed to end up being more flexible compared to concrete, which can be the huge benefit within areas with higher wind or moving soil.
Cement is rigid. Over time, that rigidity can actually work against a person. Water seeps into the tiny gap between the wood post and the concrete, freezes, expands, and eventually rots the post through the inside away. Because this foam grows and sticks straight to the post, it creates a waterproof seal. It's like shrink-wrapping the underside of your fence post. If you're tired of replacing rotted 4x4s every five years, this might actually save you more time in the particular long run when compared to the way it does throughout the initial set up.
One more thing to consider is the mess. Concrete leaves a gray remains everywhere. You've got the mixer in order to clean, the shovels to hose straight down, and usually a dead patch associated with grass where you did all the work. Using the foam backfill, there's no water required and practically no cleanup. You mix it in the bag, put it in, and throw the handbag away. It's a far cleaner way in order to work, especially in the event that you're carrying out a work in a finished yard where a person don't want in order to tear in the turf.
Getting the preparation work right
Just because a person aren't mixing concrete doesn't mean you can slack on the digging. One error I see people make with fence post backfill fast 2k is thinking the foam makes up for a shallow hole. It doesn't. You still require to get below the frost series if you would like your fence in order to stay straight by means of the winter. I generally aim for about one-third of the particular post's height in order to be underground.
Before you actually touch the bag of backfill, make sure your hole is clean. You don't need a couple of loose, fluffy dirt at the particular bottom. Give this a fast tamp down. Also, make sure there isn't standing up water in the hole. A little wetness is fine, yet if you're searching at a mini-pond, the foam won't react correctly. I love to toss a little bit of small at the bottom part for drainage, although some people skip that when making use of foam because associated with the waterproof seal cracks provides.
One tip that helped me: have your bracing ready before you mix. Once you start that chemical substance reaction, you have got about thirty secs to obtain that water in to the hole before it starts growing. If you're nevertheless searching for your degree or trying to find a 2x4 to brace the particular post while the foam is expanding, you're going to have a bad time. Get the particular post plumb, support it securely, plus then—and only then—reach for your Fast 2K.
The blending process is the bit of the rush
The particular first time We used fence post backfill fast 2k, I'll admit I had been a little nervous. The instructions are very specific. You have to crack the seal between the two liquids in the bag and shake it vigorously for specifically thirty seconds. If you under-mix it, the particular foam won't harden properly and may stay soft like a sponge. If you over-mix it or wait too long to pour, the bag will actually pop in your hands.
It feels a little bit like a high-stakes technology experiment. You move it, the bag begins to get comfortable, and you may feel the particular contents thickening upward. As soon as that thirty-second timer hits, you need to cut around the corner of the handbag and pour this evenly around the post. It begins out as the thin, honey-colored water that quickly becomes into a bubbling froth.
Watching it broaden is actually fairly satisfying. It floods every nook and cranny of the hole, gripping the particular sides of the earth and the post simultaneously. Within about fifteen minutes, it's hard enough that you can remove your brackets. Compared to the 24 to 48 hours you wait around for concrete to completely cure before dangling fence panels, this can be a massive time-saver. You are able to literally set your posts in the early morning and have the whole fence finished by lunchtime.
Temp matters more than you think
A single thing I discovered the hard method is that fence post backfill fast 2k is quite sensitive to heat. If it's the freezing cold time and you've still left the bags within the bed of your truck, the chemical reaction is going to be sluggish. It won't expand nearly mainly because much as it's supposed to, and you'll turn out needing two times as many hand bags to fill the particular same hole.
On the reverse side, if it's a scorching ninety-degree day, the polyurethane foam reacts like it's on caffeine. It will expand incredibly fast, giving you also a fraction of the time to pour. The "sweet spot" is keeping the particular bags at space temperature before a person use them. I usually keep mine inside the house or in a climate-controlled garage till right before I'm prepared to dig. In the event that the bags are around 70 degrees F, the expansion is usually predictable and simple to control.
The soil temperature also plays a part, but the bag temperature is the particular real kicker. In the event that you're working in extreme heat, a person might even want to keep the luggage in a cooler (without ice) just in order to keep them from getting too warm. It sounds such as a lot of fussing, yet it's still simpler than dealing with a dozen bags of concrete under the sun.
Is the particular cost worth the particular convenience?
Let's be real regarding a second: fence post backfill fast 2k is more expensive than concrete. A bag of standard post-set concrete might cost you five or six bucks, while a sack of this growing foam can operate you twenty or more. If you're building a fence that spans a whole acre, that cost difference is going to add together fast.
However, a person have to point in the "hidden" costs of concrete. Are you hiring a mixer? Are you paying someone to assist you to lift the bags? Are a person going to end up being so sore the particular next day which you can't finish typically the project? For the typical backyard project—say, ten to 15 posts—the extra cost of the foam is often well worth it for your sheer convenience and acceleration.
We tend to use it for projects where access is a good issue. If I have to arranged a post inside a backyard that will be only accessible simply by a narrow door or up the steep hill, right now there is zero possibility I'm hauling concrete. One small package of Fast 2K replaces about two or three 80lb bags associated with concrete. I can carry enough backfill for ten posts in a single hand. Whenever you value your time and your joints, the price tag starts in order to look a lot more reasonable.
Final thoughts on the foam technique
After using fence post backfill fast 2k on a few various projects, I don't think I'll ever go back in order to concrete for standard fence posts or even mailboxes. It's simply too easy. There's something really rewarding about finishing a job and not feeling like you've been run more than by a vehicle.
Just remember to wear mitts and perhaps some aged clothes. If this foam gets upon your skin or your favorite shirt, it's not coming off easily. It's an adhesive mainly because much as it is a filler, so treat it with a bit of respect. As soon as it's within the surface and cured, you just trim the excess off the top having a hand saw, cover it along with a little dirt or mulch, plus you're good to go. It's some sort of modern solution to a very old, quite heavy problem, plus honestly, it's regarding time there was a good easier way to keep our fencing standing straight.