Fence posts

[davidphilips]

Fitted about 220ft of fence about 10 or 12 years ago and to my horror have found that a few of the wooden posts are not in great condition/ Have been told i should have made or fitted lead caps and before concreting then in wraped the base of them in roof felt?
Only my own opinion but as some of them have developed large cracks damp is going to get at them any way?
Reason for putting this post (no pun intended) is thought i will start and replace them one at a time with concrete posts just a pity i had not fitted concrete posts when putting up the fence, seen a 8ft concrete post for sale on face book and after looking on the net an 8ft post weights about 44kg (so it says).
well went and collected it and got quite a shock when i lifted it think i could have cycled 100 miles a lot easier than lifting that post and carrying it about 30ft, so dont believe every thing on the net theres no way that post is 44kg at a guess i would say twice that at least.
Any one fitted concrete posts or know why wood posts dont seem to last as well as they did know there a country park close to me and i remember as a child playing on a fence with wood posts 30 years ago that are still there today?

 

[figbat]

There are wooden posts and there are wooden posts. You get what you pay for - a well-treated post should last decades whereas a cheaper, surface-treated one won't. And you need to make sure it is well erected - 1/3 of the post in the ground means less stress on the post from wind etc but often people don't take the time and effort to get really deep. A thicker post the same.

 

[fossyant]

Concrete are good if fitted well. We did about 10 posts at the back of our garden. Biggest issue was digging the holes, then leveled out the post, and popped postcrete in. Been there over 25 years now. Postcrete is expensive, but marvelous if you aren't doing every post at once or indeed have a mixer.

 

[classic33]

Creosote is now banned, for DIY use. I soaked all the fence posts in it for a week, before sticking them in the ground.
Neighbour said I was wasting my time has replaced his for the third time recently.

Agree with Figbat on getting a firm footing for the posts. 10 foot posts and 6 foot fence panels used.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Concrete all day long. When a panel goes you just lift it out and pop a new one in, the posts last forever.

 

[MichaelW2]

My dad concreted in some creosote soaked wooden posts in 198? . I dug out the concrete footings and put concrete posts in last year. The wood always rots.
You need a breaker to smash the footings otherwise it is like escape from Colditz with a cold chisel.
You can get "lightweight" concrete posts.
Postcrete + a few bits of brick or rubble to jam the post in correct position. I think it is a 2 person job to manipulate the lightweight posts.
Corner posts need some thought and I had to rebuild some fence panels to a shorter length and cut gravel boards. You can now get them with hedgehog holes.
Best to put the concrete gravel board in as you raise the posts. I had to lift one up and lower it, def 2 person job.

 

[oldwheels]

Creosote is now banned, for DIY use. I soaked all the fence posts in it for a week, before sticking them in the ground.
Neighbour said I was wasting my time has replaced his for the third time recently.

Agree with Figbat on getting a firm footing for the posts. 10 foot posts and 6 foot fence panels used.

I also used real creosote and after about 12 years no noticeable problems.

 

[mudsticks]

Fitted about 220ft of fence about 10 or 12 years ago and to my horror have found that a few of the wooden posts are not in great condition/ Have been told i should have made or fitted lead caps and before concreting then in wraped the base of them in roof felt?
Only my own opinion but as some of them have developed large cracks damp is going to get at them any way?
Reason for putting this post (no pun intended) is thought i will start and replace them one at a time with concrete posts just a pity i had not fitted concrete posts when putting up the fence, seen a 8ft concrete post for sale on face book and after looking on the net an 8ft post weights about 44kg (so it says).
well went and collected it and got quite a shock when i lifted it think i could have cycled 100 miles a lot easier than lifting that post and carrying it about 30ft, so dont believe every thing on the net theres no way that post is 44kg at a guess i would say twice that at least.
Any one fitted concrete posts or know why wood posts dont seem to last as well as they did know there a country park close to me and i remember as a child playing on a fence with wood posts 30 years ago that are still there today?

The previous highly toxic, wood tanalising formula, was withdrawn or at reformulated in the early 2000's or thereabouts.

This is why fence posts are not lasting so ell nowadays.

Frustrating for those of us who need to use such things , but maybe better on balance for ecosystrms etc.

6' deer/ rabbit fencing erected here has been quite badly affected.

In some places its more like the strained wire fence is holding up the posts rather than vice versa.

There's a newish steel post fencing system that seems well regarded by the local heath managers hereabouts , if I can find the link I'll post it.

 

[Gillstay]

Use larch rather than pine if you can get it as again it lasts longer. Personally i just plant a very nice hedge !

 

[bluenotebob]

Chestnut posts last a very long time too. Pine is simply a waste of time and money - even 'treated' ones are only good for a few years.

 

[jowwy]

i put all my posts in with ground spikes, so when they do eventually rot ( and they will), i can just unscrew them from the spike and insert a new one. Put them in two years ago now, they are solid as a rock, even in the 50/60mph winds we have suffered in recent winters.

 

[PK99]

Wooden fence posts of the right quality and installed correctly are perfectly fine.

As with everything, Quality depends on price. Too often folks rely on cheap materials and then wonder why they fail.

Fencing from these people is expensive but comes with a 25 year guarantee:
https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing

Also, most amateurs install fencing incorrectly and simply dig a hole, drop in the post and fill with Concrete of "FenceFast" - worse still, some folks will put a layer of concrete in the bottom of the hole before putting in the post and backfilling with concrete - thereby creating a water-filled pocket around the base of the post and a non-draining top to the concrete

The correct technique is shown in Jacksons' instructions:
https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/...hash=5690ED7FCAE1ACA7ECA400123403E05E602BC749


Essential points are a drainage layer of gravel at the bottom of the hole and a chamfered top to shed water

Worth noting: a concrete fence post weighs 40-50kg - twice the safe handling weight for one person
A wooden 2.4m 75mm post is about 8kg, 100mm post 14kg.

 

[jowwy]

Wooden fence posts of the right quality and installed correctly are perfectly fine.

As with everything, Quality depends on price. Too often folks rely on cheap materials and then wonder why they fail.

Fencing from these people is expensive but comes with a 25 year guarantee:
https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing

Also, most amateurs install fencing incorrectly and simply dig a hole, drop in the post and fill with Concrete of "FenceFast" - worse still, some folks will put a layer of concrete in the bottom of the hole before putting in the post and backfilling with concrete - thereby creating a water-filled pocket around the base of the post and a non-draining top to the concrete

The correct technique is shown in Jacksons' instructions:
https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/...hash=5690ED7FCAE1ACA7ECA400123403E05E602BC749


Essential points are a drainage layer of gravel at the bottom of the hole and a chamfered top to shed water

View attachment 602763


Worth noting: a concrete fence post weighs 40-50kg - twice the safe handling weight for one person
A golden wooden 2.4m 75mm post is about 8kg, 100mm post 14kg.

fixed that for you due to current prices lol

 

[MichaelW2]

On our farm we used telegraph poles as fence posts. Still good after 40 years. What are they made of?

 

[PK99]

On our farm we used telegraph poles as fence posts. Still good after 40 years. What are they made of?

Creosote treated hardwood