Home Improvement Skill | How to Dig a Hole for a Fence, Deck, Mailbox

As a carpenter, one of the home improvement skills I’ve had to rely on for so many jobs—decks, fences, mailboxes and more—is the seemingly simple task of digging a hole.

As I like to say—and a lot of this has to do with the fact that it rhymes, but it’s also true: A hole is not a bowl. It’s a shaft into the ground. And a shovel is not a blunt force tool, but a dirt chisel. You can see it all in this video right here. There are more on our YouTube channel and we hope you’ll subscribe. There’s more good home improvement there. Thank you! I hope this video is helpful.

 

I think of my shovel more as a ‘dirt chisel’. It’s not about scooping up earth, but slicing through the ground.
Mark
Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.
Mark

Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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