The best timber for fence posts is a high-quality, pressure treated softwood, from a carefully selected, quality-checked softwood species. Softwoods are highly durable and strong and are often used within the building industry. It is essential to make sure fence posts have been through a thorough treatment process and have a long guarantee provided by the manufacturer.

Metal fence posts are often the strongest fence posts. The strength of a fence post will always be determined by how they are made. Good quality materials and proper treatment will make timber posts just as strong. Usually, a fence fails due to rot or rusting, so look for a product that is guaranteed for a substantial period, like 25 years.

The thickness of a fence post will be determined by the height and style of the fence, and the material it is made from, along with the design of the post. Shorter fences won’t need as much support therefore fence posts can be thinner. We recommend that standard timber garden fence posts should be 100x100mm wide and a slotted design that allows for the panels to be screwed to the post will support the structure of the fence more effectively than square posts. For higher fences, areas prone to strong wind, and steeply stepped hills, then 120 x 124mm slotted posts may be required. Steel posts should have a steel thickness of 6mm.

Wooden fence posts can last 25 years plus, depending on the species and how they are treated. Always look out for a long lifetime guarantee as this will give you an indication of how good the quality of the fence post is and how long they will last.

Yes, we recommend concrete or a post fixing mix which is a ready blended cement with additives formulated for setting wooden, concrete, and metal posts into the ground. Explore the benefits of using post fixing mix

Not if they are treated correctly and the manufacturer's installation instructions are followed to protect them against life in the ground. Timber posts should be set in concrete to ensure they have a solid foundation to support the weight of the fence.

There are many different types of timber fence posts and a few metal fence post options. Most commonly, timber fence posts are either slotted or square. Fence posts can also come in heavy duty versions which are thicker and taller than standard slotted post options. Find out more

Yes, the ground conditions and type of soil will affect the installation of a fence post. Some soils will be harder to dig so will impact the length of time it takes to install, whereas other soil types may be free draining or more compact and therefore dictate the amount of post fixing mix used. For more advice read our blog on installing fence posts in different soil types.