Rant: Tried using a different post mix in wet ground and it backfired

Had a job near a creek in Charlotte last month where the soil was basically mud, so I swapped my usual concrete for a fast-set mix thinking it would hold better. The posts ended up leaning like crazy after just two days because the mix didn't cure right in the constant damp. Anyone know a better method for really wet spots besides just waiting for drier weather?

3 comments

3 Comments

robinmason1mo ago

Yeah, that "rapid setting for wet conditions" line is such a scam.

noah_black1mo ago

Oh man, that "fast-set mix" line got me. I did the exact same thing on a fence repair last spring. Thought I was being smart, used a bag that said rapid setting for wet conditions. Total waste of time and money, the posts were loose in a week. I've had way better luck just using gravel for drainage at the bottom of the hole and regular mix, but you gotta let it sit forever.

holly_flores791mo ago

That fast-set mix trap @noah_black mentioned is everywhere now. Like those "quick fix" drain cleaners that wreck your pipes, or the miracle grass seed that just washes away. Companies sell you a solution for being impatient. On my street, a neighbor used instant patch on his driveway and it crumbled in a month. Sometimes the old way, with gravel and waiting for the right cure, is the only thing that actually works.