Setting Posts and Poles with Poly Foam

Revolutionizing Fence and Utility Pole Installation

Jen Mazur

Adding to the Long List of Applications of your HMI Poly System

The list of applications using foam grows every today. Setting Posts and Poles and reinforcing failing posts and utility poles is another way HMI customers have levered their equipment in increased their ROI.

There are many ways to set fence posts.  Many include mixing small batches of cement and extensive bracing to hold everything in place while allowing the cement to cure.  Some methods include premixing cement, others involve dry mixing directly into the post hole.  Both commonly result in a lot of time, effort and inconstant mixes that could fail and allow for movement.

Now imagine holding a post level for less than 1 minute while foam is sprayed into the post hole.  Foam cures quickly allowing you to move to the next post.  No need for water, mixing or the hazard of breathing in silica dust.  Fast, easy and cost-effective, setting posts with foam is growing in popularity with contractors.  What could take all day to prep and mix can be done in a fraction of the time.

The use of foam offers a consistent, lightweight solution.  Foam embeds into the surrounding dirt as it expands.  A variety of density foams can be used based on the engineered requirements for the fence or setting.  Material costs are comparable to cement, but savings quickly surpass when prep and mixing time is considered.

Often times when a pole or post setting fails, it is due to movement in the surrounding soils.  Foam and also soil binders can be used to solidify and strengthen the soils that failed.  Expanding foam can add volume and strength to the soils, while soil binders can solidify the soils and remove the possibility of movement.  Both applications involve injecting materials into the ground to repair the soils that allowed the post or pole to move.

A residential back yard or large scale utility poles can benefit from foam applications.  This is a great application to diversify your services.  A strategic partnership with builders and utility company’s can not only fill gaps in schedule, but grow your business.