Used a 3/8 inch bit for a cedar post anchor and it was a mistake

I was setting some 4x4 cedar posts for a picket fence in Springfield last month and grabbed my 3/8 inch drill bit for the anchor bolts. The cedar was so soft that the bolts ended up with too much wiggle room, making the whole post feel loose before I even poured the concrete. I learned that with softwoods, you really need to go down to a 5/16 inch bit for a snug fit. Has anyone else run into this with cedar or redwood?

3 comments

3 Comments

simon_chen4d ago

Man, I didn't even think about wood swelling! Cedar can suck up moisture from the wet concrete and expand a bit, so a super tight fit might actually cause problems later. It's a tricky balance.

the_val4d ago

Wait you drilled the hole before the concrete went in? That's wild lol

-1

terry_mitchell4d ago

Yeah, it's the kind of forward thinking that usually ends with me patching a hole I didn't need. Figured I'd save myself the hassle of drilling later, but now I'm just staring at a pipe sticking out of a slab. Classic move, really.