Palas Custom Fencing | Expert Residential Fencing in Volga, IA

The main cause is our heavy clay soils around Volga. When the ground freezes and thaws repeatedly—like we see near the Volga River flats—the frost pushes shallow-set posts upward and tilts them. Palas solves this by augering posts down to 48 inches where possible, well below the local frost line, and using a gravel collar to improve drainage. They also brace corner and gate posts with extra concrete. That keeps your fence plumb whether you’re bordering a field or a yard off Main Street.

Yes, definitely. The open breeze coming across the Volga valley piles snow against any solid barrier. Palas recommends a semi-solid design—like board-on-board with a 1-inch gap or a windbreak-style fence. These diffuse the wind instead of stopping it cold, so snow deposits more evenly across your property rather than burying your fence line. For customers near the Big Mill, they’ve installed fences with a 6-inch raised bottom gap to let snow pass under while still blocking wind.

Gate sag usually starts with post movement from ground heave. Palas Custom Fencing sets gate posts extra deep—often 4 feet—and uses a heavy-duty galvanized hinge and latch system. They also recommend a 3-point latch or a wheel on the gate’s free corner for long spans. For driveways near patches that hold moisture, they’ll even add a gravel base around the post to reduce frost jacking. That keeps your gate swinging true all year, even after a hard freeze.