• Chain link fencing can establish a border between two properties.green chain link fence image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
  
  

30 Inches Deep

• Dig post holes at least 30 inches deep.Digging in the garden image by dquinnan from Fotolia.com
  
  When installing chain link fencing, set the posts at a depth of 30 inches or at least as deep as the frost line in the area where you reside. This will prevent posts from rising out of the ground if the ground freezes below the post end.
  
  

18-Inch Minimum Depth

• Holes should be a minimum of 18 inches deep.busy digging image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
  
  When erecting a chain link fence, you may run into obstacles that prevent you from digging to the desired depth. Rocks or other hard surfaces can make it impossible to set posts 30 inches deep. According to the Hoover Fence Company, belling the hole, or making it at least 2 inches wider at the bottom than it is at the top can compensate for holes as shallow as 18 inches.
  
  

Bottom Line

• When installing a chain link fence, bell holes that are between 18 and 29 inches deep.chain fence image by Maksym Dyachenko from Fotolia.com
  
  While digging post holes to a depth below the frost line is the best option to ensure protection from the elements, if necessary, you can bell holes that are between 18 and 29 inches deep.