How to Set Gate Posts for Auto Gates

Use a post-hole digger to make a hole in the ground where you want each post. Make the hole 4 to 6 inches wider than your posts. Dig about 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep. If the last foot of the ground is soft, sandy or wet, either dig deeper or make the hole wider at the bottom. If the top of your ground is soft, you also may want to widen the top of the hole, or make the hole next to a concrete driveway so that the concrete at the top of the hole is against the driveway.

Prepare some ready-mix concrete in a bucket or wheelbarrow according to the directions on the bag, but add about a third less water than the instructions call for. This will cause less shrinkage in the concrete and help keep the post straight while the concrete is drying.

Pour about 6 inches of concrete into the hole, then set your gate post into the hole.

Add more concrete to the hole. Use a "tamper" to ram the concrete into the hole and compact it on the bottom. A tamper is a tool that consists of a rod with a flat end that is used for tamping dirt. You can use any kind of stick with a flat end instead of a tamper.

Place a level against the post while you putting the concrete in the hole to ensure that the post is straight.

Fill the hole to the top, and allow the concrete to set for 24 hours before applying weight to the post.