Are pounded or set posts better?
Pounded Posts
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Lightning-Fast Installation
No digging, no mixing concrete—just drive the post in and you’re done. You can install twice as many posts in the same time.
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Built-In Flexibility
Slight movement under tension (wind, gates) actually lets the fence “give” rather than crack or shatter.
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Freeze-Thaw Resilience
In Wisconsin’s freeze-thaw cycle, driven posts settle in below the frost line without creating a rigid concrete column that heaves.
Why you may "need" Set Posts
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Very heavy ornate gates or ultra-tall privacy panels (but even then, professional installers often prefer driven anchors with tension brackets)
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Soil that’s almost pure sand—although in most backyards you’ll find enough clay/loam for driven shafts to hold just fine
Pounded vs Set Posts
For nearly every residential or light-commercial fence—chain-link, wood picket, vinyl—pounded posts give you unbeatable speed, lower cost, and years of rock-solid performance. Pounding is the smarter, leaner choice unless you’re installing multi-ton gates or working in extremely loose fill.