Setting posts

[pconrad]

I need to set several posts (6x6 and 4x4) in a remote location. Our current weather conditions are lows at night in the mid 20's and hi's in the mid 40's. We dug the holes 3' deep and overnight they half filled with rainwater. We are planning on dumping bags of quikrete into the holes to set the posts. The only other real option is mixing it in a wheel barrow. How can we handle the temperature? Will the amount of water be an issue? Anything else that might be an issue?

[Rich]

There isn't much of a concern on the first day as far as freezing goes. There is enough latent heat in the curing process to keep it from freezing. It's the second and third night where precautions should be taken. 2 options come to mind. The first is pretty expensive - concrete blankets. They work great but you hate to cut them up for something as small as a fence post. If you didn't cut them up you would probably need a hole pile of them. Option 2 would be to get some straw and throw over the top of them within a couple hours of pouring. I've used this on footings before I bought concrete blankets. Works well.
As far as the water goes - it would be nice to have a little less than that. Hopefully it will drain down a bit before you actually pour it. I wouldn't bother with using a wheelbarrow - too much of a pain to clean anyway. Pour your quikrete in there and using a railroad bar or a fiberglass handle to mix it up. It'll look like a soupy mess but eventually it'll begin to cure, after the mix begins to dehydrate from the heat build up.
One good thing to do would be to put some 3/4"- gravel in the bottom of the holes for any expansion and contraction in the soil. That's the biggest cause for broken down fences.
I realize you're probably into this a ways already - that's why I wrote the stuff above. But I personally don't recommend using concrete around wood posts. The reason being is that concrete expands and contracts differently than wood. When this happens invariably you will get water between the wood and concrete.. and eventually that will freeze and thaw.. saturating the wood and cracking the concrete. Is what happens then is the wood begins to rot prematurely or degrade and the concrete cracks some more leading to more water. Now in a couple years you have to replace them.. and removing concrete 3' down is a pain in the butt. I've always put gravel in the bottom of the hole for drainage and tamped the posts in place. They all have lasted much longer than expected. But anyway that's just my .02. Whew hand cramp.

[mreynolds]

So based on your ideas about concrete and wood. What do you think would be the best way to set deck posts? I will be building one on our new house and it requires 6 support posts in the ground.

[Rich]

Use post bases on a drilled pier. Simpson has many different types but I suggest using the one that is expansion anchored into the drilled pier with the gap at the bottom of it that covers the anchor head. This gives a separation between wood and concrete.