cracking concrete

[little buddy]

Hey everyone, I am installing a 6' vinyl fence around my pool after I pour new concrete around the pool area. I will be digging the holes to insert the treated 4x4's to accept the the vinyl post sleeves. My question is, would it reduce the possibility of the concrete cracking if I were to bend 3/8" rebar into 6" squares and place them around the 4x4 treated posts prior to pouring the concrete? I have heard that concrete has a tendancy to crack when pouring around a post. {from the post to the edge of the concrete} I will have a dstance of 6 to 12 in. from the post to the edge.

[leejosepho]

My question is, would it reduce the possibility of the concrete cracking if I were to bend 3/8" rebar into 6" squares and place them around the 4x4 treated posts prior to pouring the concrete?

Even if the concrete does crack, and it likely will, hoops help keep it intact:

[hj]

I doubt that the wood posts could expand enough to create sufficient force to break that amount of concrete.

[leejosepho]

I doubt that the wood posts could expand enough to create sufficient force to break that amount of concrete.

Same here. However, that particular post (6x6) in the picture did end up twisting a bit as it dried and it cracked the 12" concrete column around it. I got the idea for the re-bar cages in the Florida Keys where houses are built on concrete stilts.

[Herk]

I'm no great expert on fence posts, but I would think that the part of a post in the ground should be pressure treated and the concrete should be domed around the post at ground level to prevent water from getting in.

[leejosepho]

Makes sense to me, and I have recently learned there is also wood available with a higher grade of treatment for ground contact.