How We Build Fence Lines That Handle Frost Heave & Settling

Don’t Let Colorado Soil Rip Your Fence Apart

Fence posts in Colorado have to deal with expanding clay, freeze-thaw cycles, and long dry periods that cause ground shift. If your fence wasn’t built for that — it will lean, crack, or sink within a few years. Here’s how we construct fence lines that actually stand the test of time on the Front Range.

1. What Is Frost Heave — and Why It’s a Problem?

When soil freezes, it expands. That expansion pushes posts upward — and when it thaws, they don’t always settle back. Over time, this can:

Lean your posts
Crack your concrete
Warp or separate panels
Create gaps at the base of the fence

Colorado’s winter-spring cycles make this especially common in clay-rich soils.

2. Our Fence Post Installation Process

1. Dig Below Frost Line

Minimum 30–36 inches deep
Deeper in known frost-prone or wet areas
Keeps base below freeze depth for long-term stability

2. Gravel Base Layer

4–6 inches of compacted ¾” crushed gravel at the bottom of every post hole
Allows drainage under the post
Prevents standing water = no frost push

3. Concrete With Dome Cap

Use fast-set concrete around post, but never to the bottom (gravel stays exposed)
Slope concrete top away from post to shed water
No flat or sunken caps that trap water

4. Level and Brace Every Post