Black Locust fence posts

[feedjake]

Howdy everyone, I'm trying to figure out with the Black Locust tree's I'm planning on cutting down for fence posts... when I put them in the ground, should I leave the bark on them, or strip the bark off before setting them? By the way the trees are about 6-10 inches in diameter if that matters.

 

[Bartcephus]

less work to just leave the bark on them. I don't think it would make any difference longevity wise but I'm unaware of any formal studies. I've seen many that are well over 20 years old and still sturdy. Don't recall ever knocking/shaving off the bark.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Take the bark off - fewer bugs. My buddy has been felling and sawing locust for the last few years. Swears they make the best posts and will last 75-100 years...

 

[feedjake]

Thank you for the replies! Another question I have, is if I take the bark off. is it better to wait until it's cured naturally, then scrape off the bark, or does it help the curing if I remove the bark right after I take it down? I was planning on taking them down in the next month, and letting them "cure" for about six months before installing in the ground. Thank again guys!

 

[boomer1025]

Take the bark off right after you cut them. Then you can peel the bark off in strips. Most of the time the bark peels off easy.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thank you for the replies! Another question I have, is if I take the bark off. is it better to wait until it's cured naturally, then scrape off the bark, or does it help the curing if I remove the bark right after I take it down? I was planning on taking them down in the next month, and letting them "cure" for about six months before installing in the ground. Thank again guys!

Yes. If you let them cure they will last longer. Also, "they" say if you char(burn in a fire and quench) the ends if will further help against fungi and rot. It's an early form of creosote and the reference is from an 1880 farm manual I have.

Good luck...

 

[Ken45101]

Agree, definitely remove the bark. Previous owner did not remove bark and we have some posts that are in poor shape.

Ken

 

[feedjake]

Excellent! Again thanks to all who cared enough to comment! My neighbor thinks I'm doing too much work for posts that might rot in a year or two. I hope to be able to say 'look at these solid posts' in about 10 years from now. It is sounding like (and making sense) that if I strip the bark off quickly, it might allow for quicker drying? Which the more reading I do the more I am learning that curing, (drying) is really the key when it comes to natural wooden fence posts. Thanks again all! God Bless!

 

[mjarrels]

Dad used peeled locust post for years, never did really last long considering the time required to build all that fence. I suggest, bit the bullet and buy round pressure treated post and be done with it.

mark

 

[Ken45101]

Dad used peeled locust post for years, never did really last long considering the time required to build all that fence. I suggest, bit the bullet and buy round pressure treated post and be done with it.

mark

Black locust, or HONEY locust? There is quite a difference in the two.

The USFS lists the following species as being the most rot resistent, even in the top category:

Highly resistant:
Black locust
red mulberry
Osage Orange
Pacific Yew.

Honey locust is in the moderate resistance category.

See:
www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn153.pdf

BTW, it does mention that rot resistance ONLY applies to the heartwood of all species, not to the sapwood.

Ken

 

[MMagis]

Dad used peeled locust post for years, never did really last long considering the time required to build all that fence. I suggest, bit the bullet and buy round pressure treated post and be done with it.

mark

If you want to re-do a fence in a couple years, just use pressure treated pine. Set properly, black locust posts will outlast most of us.

 

[Ken45101]

Set properly, black locust posts will outlast most of us.

Care to explain what you mean by "set properly"?

Ken

 

[magicheater]

I'd cut them to length, stack em and let them sit a few years before "planting" them. Stick them in the ground too soon and they may grow on ya! I cut some black locust logs that had been sitting in a pile with other species for 7 years. The poplar was powder, the maple was punky, the oak was salvagable but the Locust was as sound as ever and actually had a green color. Burns really hot too.

 

[MMagis]

Care to explain what you mean by "set properly"?

Ken

I mean the back filled soil being tamped as tight as possible. A loose fitting/wobbly post is going to have water collecting around it every times it rains, and therefore it won't last nearly as long as it should.

 

[feedjake]

I've heard lots of important keys are ...key in solid, life-long locust post's.
1) Season you cut the tree down (dormant cold season)
2) Curing time allowed for posts (1-3 yrs best)
3) plenty of gravel allowing for drainage in posthole along with the native dirt tightly packed.

Now for my endeavor I'm only planning on curing the logs for about ten or eleven months, since I'm planning on getting some dairy goats next year,summer/fall.

 

[MMagis]

You’ll be fine. I think the main reason for allowing them to sure, at least to me, is to get most of the shrink out of them. 10-11 months is plenty. By then the bark will be easy take off as well, and it does have to come off. The gravel isn’t mandatory, and I’d be shocked if many posts that were set 50 years ago had gravel under them. I know this is the first year I’ve ever used gravel (for a different reason) and most posts are still good. I know there are posts on the farm that were set over 50 years ago, though most are under 30.

 

[feedjake]

MMagis, Thank you very much! hearing that, makes sense. After all is said and done, It will be a learning experience either way I slice it. I appreciate your time! I'm 41 years old, and just getting started with my little one acre "farm". With hopes to someday have a full fledged farm that I can pass down to my kids, and their kids. God willing!

 

[cowski]

cut them in the winter when the saps down is more important than anything else.

 

[Garybake]

While seasoning, I would keep them off that damp spring Ohio ground. Maybe cross stack them across some scrub trees. They will cure much faster like firewood. Good Luck!
Gary

 

[feedjake]

Yes indeed, I was planing on stacking them in the cover of the barn, with spacers, and leaving the two (opposing) doors open for good air-flow, until mid to late summer 2012. Thanks!