Cedar vs pt Pine fence posts

[Pete Judd]

Around here, we use Railroad ties for the corners, and steel posts the rest of the way. Then barbed wire and a strand of electric to keep the critters in. Will last almost forever.

 

[Bob77064]

Here is Missouri we use "hedge", also known as Osage Orange. The Maclura Pomifera tree is highly insect and decay resistant; very heavy and dense.

It was widely distributed during the dust bowl days and planted as windbreaks. I would say the majority of farms here in the Midwest use this along with metal T posts, mainly because of its local availability.

Hedge posts can often be found for sale in the rural areas, or found at farm auctions. I have no clue if you have this species or similar in your area, but if you do - you can't go wrong.

Here is what the non edible fruit looks like. If I had a nickel for everyone of those I tossed into the sky and shot with a shotgun...

FWIW, the scrub cedar we have here isn't worth diddly for posts. For that matter, neither is the pine.


View attachment 281389

We have several of those trees and they are tough. When I cut one up with a new chain saw it dulled the blade. And it sure does burn hot.

 

[JoeBuyer]

Pine is gone in no time in the ground and cedar lasts about 15 years in the ground (not as dry as Texas). However as fence rails we have some cedar my great grandfather split and put up in the 1800s. The posts have been replaced but the rails get reused. We moved to railroad ties for posts 20 years ago and they will last 30 to 40 years we are expecting.

 

[texasjohn]

Zonta, sorry, I don't know the species of pine that comes from local lumberyards...do know it is widely sold, penta treated...looks kinda green.... also, have used cresote posts...they last longer than the penta treated, but too rot...I have pulled up lots of fence posts made from the local Ash Juniper locally called "cedar". If you can get a large post with large red heart, it will last and last...harder to find that now...almost all the old growth cedar is gone...kinda need a tree that is maybe 40 years old and straight to make a good fence corner post....8 inches to 12 inch top....6 inch top red heart size.

I do know there are types of pine, such as the long leaf, which seem to have much greater rot resistance than the yellow/white pine now found in box stores. I bought property with old tumbled down house on it..likely 70+ years old...I burned the scrap wood in the fireplace....sap sizzled out like it was cut yesterday....very sticky.

Now that is a very interesting comment on pine poles. I wonder if the pine you use is different from the one we use here. We use Pinus Radiata in all the vineyards and I have never seen them rot out. They are pulling out vineyards 20 years old and the posts are as good as new. Wonder if it has something to do with the climate or the type of pine. We have no severe frosts or snow. Would the freeze thaw thing cause them to break up??

 

[Depmandog]

We have several of those trees and they are tough. When I cut one up with a new chain saw it dulled the blade. And it sure does burn hot.

You definitely DON'T want to load a stove full of hedge!! All sorts of bad stories of stoves getting too hot - warping and worse!

 

[KYDan]

Here is Missouri we use "hedge", also known as Osage Orange. The Maclura Pomifera tree is highly insect and decay resistant; very heavy and dense.

It was widely distributed during the dust bowl days and planted as windbreaks. I would say the majority of farms here in the Midwest use this along with metal T posts, mainly because of its local availability.

Hedge posts can often be found for sale in the rural areas, or found at farm auctions. I have no clue if you have this species or similar in your area, but if you do - you can't go wrong.

Here is what the non edible fruit looks like. If I had a nickel for everyone of those I tossed into the sky and shot with a shotgun...

FWIW, the scrub cedar we have here isn't worth diddly for posts. For that matter, neither is the pine.


View attachment 281389

Here in Kentucky we have Eastern Red Cedar and the red will last some time, but unless the tree has been over shaded by other trees there will not be a lot of red in the center and the white rots quickly. Unless you use extra long staples they will pull out from the white part of the cedar with the freeze and thaw cycles. The old timers here refer to the osage orange as hedge apple and say that the post will outlast the hole. I have cut this wood with chainsaws and seen sparks occasionally. It is really dense and very hard wood. If you cut it when it is green water will flow like it is coming from a spigot. the wood is has a yellow color. I have some posts that have been in my wet clay ground for forty years that are still solid. No cedars or even railroad ties will last that long!

 

[dmccarty]

Around here, we use Railroad ties for the corners, and steel posts the rest of the way. Then barbed wire and a strand of electric to keep the critters in. Will last almost forever.

I saw a couple of fields fenced like that south east of me. Looked nice too. Certainly should last quite some time.

Later,
Dan