Any good tricks for treating posts?

Iplayfarmer · Sep 30, 2009

I picked up a load of posts off Craigs List yesterday. It was a REALLY great deal until I realized that they are not treated. Now it's just a great deal.

I bought them to plant them for fence repair. What are some good ways to treat posts to preserve them when they are sunk in the ground?

bpattie · Sep 30, 2009

i have treated posts, even treated posts. I used a brush or small roller and applied a tar type paintable substance. guess you could use driveway sealer also. worked well.

Egon · Sep 30, 2009

Stand them in a barrel of water that has some copper sulfate mixed in. They will soak up the solution.

bdjsdad · Sep 30, 2009

You could have a boot by PostSaver USA melted to it. With that you get (2) layers of protection from the earth (polyetheylene on the outside with a layer of bitumen on the inside between the plastic and the post. Check them out at Advanced-sol.com. What state are you in? They are in PA.

Iplayfarmer said:
I picked up a load of posts off Craigs List yesterday. It was a REALLY great deal until I realized that they are not treated. Now it's just a great deal.

I bought them to plant them for fence repair. What are some good ways to treat posts to preserve them when they are sunk in the ground?

20 20 · Sep 30, 2009

Not sure what's the best, soak'em in diesel then let try and apply fence tar or driveway sealer???

theboman · Sep 30, 2009

Go to (insert home improvement place of your choice, 'round here it's Lowes or 84 Lumber) and get some foundation sealer. Works great... Just get it on the posts and let it set a day or two or week..... it's messy but works.

Carykong · Sep 30, 2009

Lowes has a penatrating sealer,Jasco Copper Brown,suitable for treating wood in ground contact installations. The copper is the magic bullet for perserving wood. Jasco treat,let dry,and then seal with foundation sealer.

As an aside, archeaology digs have clearly established that wood in contact with copper and or bronze(which has lots of copper) will remain remarkably preserved for 100s of year. In contrast to recent history ,wood and iron combinations quickly rot and rust away.

Egon · Oct 1, 2009

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn001.pdf

A site showing some treatment methods and post life. You have to read all of it or go to the end about page 10? for some easy reading lists.

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2009

get a 5g bucket of asphalt fence paint or copper napthenat fence dip.. use that .. both great products.. watch out.. CN removes hair and leaves a near permanent green stain on just about anything including skin ( till it wears off anyway! )

soundguy

nybirdman · Oct 1, 2009

The Amish around here drill an angled hole and pour used motor oil into post buried in the ground:I don't know how envirnomently sound this practice is tho.

Iplayfarmer · Oct 1, 2009

nybirdman said:
The Amish around here drill an angled hole and pour used motor oil into post buried in the ground:I don't know how envirnomently sound this practice is tho.

Maybe that's how I can save what few poles I have on the place that aren't rotted off. The genius that built the fence before I bought the place put the poles in upside down... Treated side up.

Would the used motor oil be any worse than the asphalt?

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll probably be in town today or tomorrow. I'll have to price that fence treat stuff at Lowes.

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2009

nybirdman said:
The Amish around here drill an angled hole and pour used motor oil into post buried in the ground:I don't know how envirnomently sound this practice is tho.

good greif!

soundguy

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2009

Iplayfarmer said:
Maybe that's how I can save what few poles I have on the place that aren't rotted off. The genius that built the fence before I bought the place put the poles in upside down... Treated side up.

Would the used motor oil be any worse than the asphalt?

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll probably be in town today or tomorrow. I'll have to price that fence treat stuff at Lowes.

come on..

the asphalt material cures nearly environmentally inert.. check the msds.. it's ok for ground contact.

used waste motor oil is loaded with goodies like heavy metals .. .. not good for drinking water!!

soundguy

20 20 · Oct 1, 2009

I'd stay away from pooring motor oil in the ground. Hey, what are the amish doing with motor oil any way, that doesn't sound like the ole hands on version of farming

sizzami · Oct 1, 2009

where do the amish get used motor oil?.....you know cause they are amish

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2009

I hve seen some groups ( don't know if amish or menonite.. or?? ) use motor driven equipment as long as it was drawn by a horse.. have seen others that can drive tractors on steel or solid rubber,.. but not pneumatic tires. etc

soundguy

MMagis · Oct 1, 2009

Out of curiosity, what sort of posts are they? Are you sure they need treated?

Iplayfarmer · Oct 1, 2009

MMagis said:
Out of curiosity, what sort of posts are they? Are you sure they need treated?

Pine.

I'm sure.

Ford850 · Oct 2, 2009

Mosts posts rot off within 6" of the ground surface. You could dig down around each post that was already planted, and soak the post with the copper treatment using a garden sprayer. Let it dry for several days and then back fill.