# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  Front fence posts - finish before or after

## OBBob

Hi All, just after some opinions on front fence construction. Adding some decorative features and  housing for rails etc. to a cypress post with a router is ok. Just interested in thoughts on doing this before setting them (then they have to be in the exact alignment), or after the posts are concreted in. I can see advantages to both so I thought I'd put it out there. What do you do?  
Edit - think 1200mm high picket or woven wire fence.  
Edit (again) - we're only talking about four posts, it's pretty small.

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## droog

Finish them in the workshop, set the levels when you concrete them in the ground if your concrete mix is stiff enough then the post will remain in place once you set them.

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## OBBob

Thanks Droog. At least (unlike this new build I just walked past) I don't plan on using H3 in the ground. You'd think you'd at least remove the label!

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## CraigandKate

I would go with finish before placement, you will have enough time to line them up just right before the concrete sets 
On the flipside imagine having a post all concreted in and slipping with the router causing a gouge that will invariably be right in the most obvious place...

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## OBBob

Sheesh... so that was a job! For anyone considering this topic in the future it is definitely worth preparing the posts in the shed. Furthermore, it's very time consuming and might be worth looking at getting them mortised and routed elsewhere. 
... and this is one of those jobs that seems quite simple in your mind but is not so straightforward in reality.

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## PlatypusGardens

Pics?

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