My Father in Law shared this video with me after spending hours digging out a 6 foot deep 12" wide concrete base for a 4" by 4" fence post that snapped at the base during a storm. This method saved hours off the second of two posts that were snapped off. Can't Thank you enough, as this method was extremely effective even through clay. My Son (who helped) and I will strive to share similar tips moving forward in hopes that it helps folks work quicker and safely..... Great Share! Thank You.

Tho my man you just saved me hours of digging. THIS IS THE BEST METHOD! IT REALLY WORKS! My fence posts were rotted to shit and broke off with only an inch or so poking from the cement. This works great. Thanks for posing this video.

Great idea using those straps! My post stump was rotted and wouldn't hold any screws. Thanks.

To all you negative people. That want to get soooo "technical " over a title. Just let it go man.. come on.. good job sir.. thank you for taking the time to post this video.. 👍👍👍

Worked like a charm! The video shows the cement somewhat mushroomed at the top but this doesn’t matter. The lifting strap should be very strong. I used a 3000lb rated strap. However, the wrap around strap I used was only 350lbs wrapped 3 time around. If you live in Canada where the posts should be 36+ inches deep, use a car scissor jack to lever the 4x4. Also soil type, like clay will require a jack.

Ingenious method. Gonna give this a shot on some old deck post that have broken at ground level.

Nice video sir. I usually just dig around the plug enough to hook a chain around and use a floor jack to lift it out but, your method is great if a guy does not have many tools. Leverage is your friend!

I love it, you saved my butt! I will say that technically you used a lever, one of the oldest complex tools.

Having done this in the past. I will suggest to set up the lever so that you are pushing down with it. Tons easier on your back.

Nice video... I've been putting of a post replacement job just because rotten post are a PIA!

I live here in South Texas and this method works with a farm jack and a whole lot of water

we used this system and we thank you so much. just make sure you pull up dont pull sideway

This video was exactly what I needed. Thank you for making it.

I didn't think it was gonna work. I was wrong. Great Video. 5 Stars

Knowledge is power ! Thank you this worked like a charm !!! When in doubt check you tube you can learn so much.

This was an extremely helpful tip and worked well for me. Thanks Tho!

Just did this very thing, after watching this very video this morning. Thanks!!

He meant to say no Jack needed guys. 2x4 can be both used as a tool or build material. As a tool it is used as force amplification achieved mechanical advantage. The model for this is the law of the lever. But the fulcrum is best in between forces so your pushing down.

Great idea, just did this To remove two heavy concrete Posts. Yes no tools just the straps And a 4x4, thank you!

Well that looks so easy I just might be able to do it. I'll try it tomorrow and let you know.

Great they should teach Leverage advantage in schools

Most of the tools I used are very common and most will have. You can use car jack or just work it slowly or use longer post to get more lever. I remove over 20 posts with this method without using jack. Occasionally you get a post with lots of concrete that is where a jack may come handy.

Best method by far been using since i saw this video years ago

You sir, are a real super hero!

True homie right there.

Nice method. Thanks for the video.

This is pretty smart but an easier way would have been to place a cinder block under the 4x4 and Stand on the end he was pulling up. You could just use your body weight and gravity instead of blowing your back out.

where you live, is the frost line around 4 feet? below grade?

Thank you!

Thanks, I used this technique today!

No tool? How did you dig that huge hole around the concrete?

Thank you very much Sir.

First of all, you can not just stick your post back in the same hole. Water will fill like a pool and rot the next post, and the next. You have to remove the entire (plug) existing concrete and set a new post. You dig about 6″ to the side of the existing footing until you find the edge. Then dig around one side of the plug and pull the plug towards where you dug. It should be able to come right out. If you try digging and breaking the old concrete right around the post, you will be there forever. Create a hole so it slides into it - next to it. Now, you can install your next fence post. There are two ways to make sure this post won’t also rot. 1. Fit it with a post collar. These are about 9 dollars and took me about 5 minutes per post to install. I found them a few months ago in a tiny hardware store. If I had known of them in years past, I would have used them on every one of the tens of thousands of feet of fence I have put up. Good Luck! www.postcollar.com/ 2. Make sure to bring the concrete above the dirt line (crown) sloping down so the water and dirt do not build up at the base. That is why posts rot. They do not rot underground unless you stick an existing post in the same hole. Gravel will not help that is so ridiculous, I have heard it for years. Try this product or slope the concrete.

How long is the 4x4?

leverage is a beautiful thing. think if you had a twenty foot post

Not to be critical, but a shovel and ratchet straps are both tools. Good vid though.. maybe a title change is in order. Maybe "How to remove rotted broken fence post without Many tool." I use a couple of floor jacks and steel pole & piece of 5/16 chain to pull them out. There is no digging involved.

Helpful, thanks!

Great, i have a bunch of straps in my garage. Well, now I know how I am going to pull 2 concrete posts from a customer.

No tool used ?!!!....so what do you think the 2x4 you used is ?

👍👍👍👍 Impressive !

A shovel is not a tool?

Good job!

Damn.... this is my only option at this point. Still requires a bit of digging but atleast i dont have to dig too much

Tools used in no-tool video: Shovel, Ratchet straps, 4x4 as a lever. Pedantics aside, nice job.

Go to be easier just to get a jackhammer and break it up?

Not sure what everyone is going on about with the tools, straps and shovel are something you should just have anyway. Plus you're going to have the 4x4 on hand anyway...

I think the title you were looking for is " no specialty tools required"

Now remove it from the hole now that it is loose!! Ill wait!

For some reason, when the title says "How to remove rotted broken fence post without any tool", I wasn't expecting to see 2 straps, a shove and a lever post...

shovel ,lifting straps, and a jack to save your back and a wheel barrow to haul it away.?????????

Cool

maybe put the garden hose and soak that fucker to loosen it up. Lesson 2) make sure you dont live in Kanada where ground is frozen 11 months out of 12 :D

A better way: Stand up your new post next to the hole , run the strap or chain over the top with the post tipped slightly past the concrete in the ground below, wrap a rope around the top, trapping the chain or strap, then hold the post and pull the top of the post across and away from the hole. The lever effect in this method is huge, lifting the concrete up and out of the hole in one motion. If very deep, have a 2x4 wedge handy or kick gravel in under the concrete to hold the lump of concrete in place and take a new bite, and repeat.

Another option, The more choices the better.

Any thing other than your hands constitutes tool use. They call me The Fence Doctor and there is no way you would be able to pull one of my footings out with out using a machine that has a vertical lift in excess of 1500 lbs. My footings are inverted conical shape 12 to 14" diameter on the bottom of a 28" deep hole that is about 10" in diameter at the top. The bottom of the hole is relatively flat and the post is suspended by placing about 2" of concrete under the post so that the post is not touching dirt in the bottom of the hole or at the top where it is finished with a sloping 'doughnut' of concrete about 1 - 1/2" above ground. If the post touches dirt at the bottom of the hole the wood becomes a wick and wet, dry, wet, dry, wet dry rot. Dry rot is a living organism and once it starts it is impossible to stop. This happens even if the post has dirt and water touching the wood at the bottom of the hole or at the surface hence the doughnut at the surface to keep the post from touching ground and the bottom of the panel as well. At the surface, this allows rain to wash any dirt away from the wood. Suspending the post in concrete will make the post last three to four times longer than not. A suspended treated post should last for 25 to 30 years or more. If the post is touching dirt and wicking and if cedar, it will last maybe 8 to 12 tears depending on whether it is old or second growth and how much combination of the cycle of wet and dry conditions exists. Old growth is becoming rare but has tighter and more grains per inch so resists wicking more than secondary growth. Also becoming too expensive. Treated full end size 4 - 1/8" square hem/fir posts are stronger and will last longer. Creosote is a no no here. Painting the post with epoxy below and above ground will make the post water proof and it will last way longer. $25 to built it and $75 to fix it. Cheers.

Stupid idea putting wood in the ground in the first place. Typical design to keep you buying more!

You had already dug it out with the spit you tool! It would have pulled out easy then.

Good idea but looks like there is only 1 60# concrete bag on that hole..may is well not to put any concrete... To be solid take at least 3 60# bags!

First you have a tool. It's called a shovel. Then you made another crude tool out of wood and bricks. You can't remove fence posts without tools.

You do need tools, a shovel, straps and wood, 4x4s!

No tools....except a strap...a tool...and 4x4 fulcrum...a tool...

a shovel is a tool

groin muscle damage association . . .

😂the tool used a tool😂

This was removed with budget tools. i.e. a piece of wood, and straps. They are still considered tools, because you using them to get the job done. No tools would be equivalent to waving your hand over it and saying abracadabra!

i count three tools and did i hear jack? lol

"without any tool" has a different meaning for you apparently than it actually means. Example: shovel for digging, straps, 4x4 and/or 2x4, and you also mentioned you might need a jack. Sooo...

I don't think you understand the meaning of the English phrase "without any tool." First, you start with a specialized fence post spade (tool), then two different specialized straps (tools). This is a great method, but it's not true to say "without any tool."

It's a KZfaq thing. You know to LIE about the title to get people to watch?

shovel is a tool and so are the straps and the 2x4 you used. they are all tools. i thought u were going to get a few gophers or rabbits to dig around the concrete, or some termite to eat up the wood and then just pick up the concrete. that's no tools!!! Ok just kidding. thanks for sharing

Says remove it WITHOUT ANY TOOL . Then what do you call those ratchet straps wrapped around it ? It's a tool !!!!!!

I'm not sure this guy knows what a tool is. That, or dishonesty is his click bait. No thumbs up, no subscribe. Without a post popper is not the same as no tool. He used improvised tools.