wooden fence post rant

Cahill

Cahill

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I have wooden post still doing their job after 30 years.
I have posts that are 5 year old and rotted out :(

I think there are new regulations about the way the wood is treated but surely it is a false econmomy (spell check no on sorry)?

farmer friends have the same problem too.
am very cross !
 
I understand that storing the posts, for convenience' sake, in 40 gallon drums of old engine oil for some weeks before doing the fencing has been known to help with the problem:)

I too am suffering from fencing rotted off at ground level, installed by the previous owners here. I'm told that one can still buy decent posts but they are more expensive so you are right, buying cheap is a false economy.
 
You are right, most are just tantalised which is a chocolate teapot of an alternative, however you can still buy properly treated posts from a couple of companies but they are a lot more expensive, however farmer feedback on forums suggests they might be worth it.

This is the one most of them seem to recommend
http://www.fenceandforget.co.uk/
 
I have sawn oak post & rail round 2 paddocks thats still bloody good & this went up in 1979 - done by local contractor. Only 1 post has had to be replaced in all that time - and that was due to a colt chewing it right down.

The 2nd lot (half round rails) that was put up by me & my late mother in 1982 has only had 2 rails replaced (one rotted, the other got chewed, now got electric on it) - all posts still as good as new.

The 3rd lot, (sawn) put up by friends husband in 1999 has had numerous rotten posts replaced & half a dozen rotten rails replaced over the years & quite frankly wants pulling down, tho the electric fences on each side have protected it this far.

The 4th & final lot put up in 2000 by local gardening company is still as good as the day it went up, but again I paid shed loads as its in oak.

So, going on my experience, Oak is the way to go, or stand by to replace often :)
 
One thing to consider if you aren't sure the posts are great is to maybe get contractor to do the big telegraph pole sized corner posts and do high tensile horsemesh fencing, because that way (if the runs arent too long between them, the interim fence posts are less critical to the fence staying up and just prevent a bit of sag, and can be replaced if needed without removing the whole fence or lots of hassle.
 
If you put some creosote on them they tend to last longer, we are getting our entire fencing done and are using old telegraph pole as strainer posts as telegraph poles are soaked in creosote.
 
bluehoofprints said:
If you put some creosote on them they tend to last longer, we are getting our entire fencing done and are using old telegraph pole as strainer posts as telegraph poles are soaked in creosote.
Click to expand...

Bear in mind only professional users eg fencers and farms can buy proper creosote now, what's sold in B&Q etc is creocote which isn't the same. So good idea to buy second hand telegraph poles which are done already, altho only if you have someone else to cut them down to size....:-)))
 
Yeah, I assume that our last posts were soaked in creosate because they have been there for years and not a hint of rot. It's an expensive thing though!
 
As has been said real creosote is difficult to get hold of now. Soaking your posts in used engine oil is a good way of weather proofing posts. Best is to actually use green oak posts. They will last for years but will cost you a bit more than normal posts.
 
thanks for replies and useful site in wales.
hedges are the way forward but need to protect them until established.
 
The ban on creosote hasn't got anything to do with money- false economy or not! It's been shown to cause cancer in people handling it, as well as a whole host of other horrid side effects. Replacing fence posts more regularly sounds like a pretty good trade off to me!
 
The round turned posts seem to be the worst. They are cheap but you get what you pay for. Better buy seconds of the square sort, a bit of bark on one corner won't affect their length of life.
 
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