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Every now and then you may come across an old concrete fence post buried in your back garden. It is common for posts to either be snapped or cut at the base when removing old fences.
It is often sods law that a new post has to be installed where an old post was. This means you have the exciting task of removing the old fence post concrete. Fence post concrete can be some of the most challenging and awkward buried concrete to remove. In this article I will explain how to remove old fence post concrete effectively. Do you have to remove the old post concrete?
One of the most common scenarios regarding fence post concrete removal is when replacing old fences with new fences.
It is a common desire to replace panels in the same arrangement as they were before. The problem with this is each new post falls upon where an old post once stood. This generally means every new fence post excavation is met with a hard lump of unmovable concrete. The best strategy to avoid this is building your new fence with posts in a different position. 
If your old fence began with a whole panel start your new fence with half a panel. This will reduce the chance of having to break out old concrete for every new post.
No matter how hard you try to avoid removing old fence concrete sometimes it is inevitable. Below I will explain the options available to remove old fence post concrete. How to remove fence post concrete with the post
The best scenario when removing fence post concrete is still having the fence post attached. This provides a long handle to try and force out the concrete by mechanical leverage.
The pull and push method
Probably the most basic method for removing post concrete, this involves pulling at the post to loosen the concrete. Begin to pull and push at the top of the post to work the concrete loose. If you have a wooden post be careful it does not suddenly snap at the base! (They often do!)
As you force more movement, the concrete foundation will shift loosely within the soil. When the concrete becomes loose enough it can be pulled out of the hole. 
The roll tow method (car tyre and tow)
Using a vehicle to tow out a fence post is not always physically possible or advised. However, if done safely can be a very fast and easy method of removing buried fence posts.
You will need to attach a climbing rope securely to the base of your post, preferably fixed into the post. The rope should then be looped over the top of a large circular tyre. Attach the other end of the rope to a tow bar and slowly pull the fence post up and over the tyre. This should not be attempted where nearby property can become damaged. 
The leverage lift
The leverage lift involves using mechanical leverage to lever out the buried concrete vertically. This involves securing a strong rope or chain to the base of the fence post.
If you have a wooden post screwing a bolt or bracket to fix too can be effective. Tie the other end of your rope to a long and strong lever such as a digging bar. You only want a rope length of about 300mm to pull at the post. As you lever up the bar the rope will pull up the concrete vertically. This method however only works well when the concrete has already been worked loose. Use proper lifting techniques when attempting this method not to injure your lower back. How to remove fence post concrete without the post
Most of the time, the post that was attached to the buried concrete will have snapped off. This means you will not be able to use the post to help your remove the concrete. In such a situation there are three options available to remove the concrete. These are listed and described below.
The dig & bar method
The dig and bar method relies upon digging down one side of the concrete to dislodge it. Slowly excavate down once side of the post concrete using a digging bar and post diggers.
If the ground is hard and dry, allow some water to sink in for half an hour. When you have exposed one side of the concrete, use your bar to lever the concrete into the hole. The loose concrete mass can then be pulled out of the hole. 
The Auger method
The auger method also involves excavating down one side of the concrete to loosen its mass. However, this is achieved with a mechanical auger which makes the excavation much easier.
This is best done with a gasoline powered auger with a 150mm diameter drill attachment. Excavate down one side of the post concrete until it is fully exposed. Then lever the concrete into the hole using a digging bar. 
The Breaker method
The breaker method is effective if you want to re-dig the same hole the concrete already sits within. It can however be quite slow and awkward to execute well.
For this method you will need an electric breaker with chisel attachments. Break into the concrete shattering it down the length of the post hole. As you gradually break through the concrete remove any loose fragments as you excavate lower. Eventually you will remove all the concrete leaving a fresh hole to concrete in another post. 
Thank you for reading our article on how to remove old fence post concrete! I will link to some other articles below you may also find useful.
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