Cedar Posts

jamtuc · Apr 17, 2009

I have a question about cedar posts. I have searched the discussions and cant find the answer I am looking for. I have a stand of Cedars I have started clearing. Most of the trees are fairly small (2 to 3 inches). I thought they may work as fence posts but they do not have alot of heartwood. The question is will they hold up putting them in the ground?

tydp · Apr 17, 2009

In East Texas, we try only to use cedar posts from West or Central Texas because they have much more heart wood and last much longer. What you have are free, my favorite price, but they won't last nearly as long as those that have alot of heart wood....

mikim · Apr 17, 2009

I use 'em -- they last long enough for me -- but I strip the bark off which lets the soft wood dry out -- makes 'em last a lot longer.

two_bit_score · Apr 17, 2009

Most people I know use those smaller posts a "stays" instead of 'line' posts. They work great for stays.

SPYDERLK · Apr 17, 2009

jamtuc said:
I have a question about cedar posts. I have searched the discussions and cant find the answer I am looking for. I have a stand of Cedars I have started clearing. Most of the trees are fairly small (2 to 3 inches). I thought they may work as fence posts but they do not have alot of heartwood. The question is will they hold up putting them in the ground?

In addition to the heartwood issue, that sounds a bit small for a post - - next year would be a better size. In any case when using cedar it helps to strip the bark. They strip well with a 3kpsi pressure washer. Easier if you season them for a month or so before you strip.
larry

jamtuc · Apr 17, 2009

Thanks alot guys, I can always count on you. I did plan to use the small posts as stays and I have some larger ones for the line and corners. Would it help to treat them? I have also been told to use gravel instead of concrete but we have always used concrete around here.

Thanks again for all the replies.

James

studor · Apr 17, 2009

Treating never hurts -- gravel helps drain off moisture better than concrete. There are threads on here about treating posts.I have a lot of cedar rail fence on my place -- not treated but the legs are not in the ground -- fence is about 60 years old.
regards

jpm1 · Apr 19, 2009

We have had cedar posts in the ground for over 30 years and still going strong! In our neck of the country there are white cedar and red cedar. One lasts longer than the other but I don't remember which is better. Take off the bark and your better off.

2manyrocks · Apr 21, 2009

I've always heard that it's best to remove the bark. Probably wouldn't hurt to soak the ends in preservative if you have the patience to do it.

My reservation about using cedar posts is that if you factor in the cost of your labor of cutting the posts and putting them in the ground, and then factor in their life expectancy versus using a creosote coated post, I'm not sure how economical it really is to use cedar posts. I would guess that you'll be replacing them in 10 years? I hesitate to say how long they'll last, and I guess the other thing to consider is what kind of animals they would be holding in because the posts may not be strong enough for long enough if you have to contain large animals.

patrick_g · Apr 21, 2009

Eastern Red Cedar (actually a Juniper, juniperus virginiana) makes a pretty good stay (as mentioned earlier in this thread) but only the red colored wood (not the white) has good properties for posts in contact with soil, especially soil that is moist (and where isn't it?) The white wood will rot off fairly quickly. What effect that has on your post's performance depends on how loose the post is after the white rots off and how much post is left after the white is gone.

The red part is very aromatic (think cedar chest) and repels bugs but the white part is lunch to wood destroying organisms. I have been logging the ERC for a few years and milling the wood for lumber. Lots of insect activity in the white part but NONE in the red.

As has also been pointed out earlier in this thread, the long term economics of the situation may not favor cedar posts unless you have some substantial sized diameters of the red part.

My neighbors to the south have been using cedar logs for structural members in a couple outbuildings and have been having problems with the ends in contact with the dirt rotting out.

Given the personal labor involved (and other costs) I would hesitate to use suspect materials that would force me to do the job over and over or give me maint problems.

Pat