Landscape timbers for electric fence?

Ken45101 · Apr 29, 2010

mkane09 said:
Upon further review, I think I'll just go with treated 4 x 4 posts. This is probably not the place to cut corners for a few bucks. Wish I could get locust posts locally, though....(Knoxville area if any fellow TBNers know of a local source).

mkane09

Again, pressure treated for home use are probably not as good as fence posts treated for farm use. I would check carefully how they are pressure treated.

Used to be, PT wood was guaranteed for 20 years. I'd look for tags like that.

Ken

Pirwin21 · Apr 30, 2010

I am also considering landscape timbers for a garden fence. What does anyone think about tarring portion of the post that will be underground? Do you think this would be effective or just a waste of time and resources?

JCB · Apr 30, 2010

I was looking into this not too long ago.

Most cheap timbers ($2) are not rated for ground contact. It has as much to do with the amount of treatment as the type. Look at the stickers when purchasing. You want APWA (pressure treated wood assoc.) recommended. The cheap timbers typically don't have the stamp and are listed as treated to refusal. I think you want an APWA rating of at least .25-.4 content if I remember correct. Any anecdotal evidence aside, I'm pretty sure you'd really regret using a treated to refusal timber, not certified for ground contact timber as fence post. Buy the better ones.

Joe

sweettractors · Apr 30, 2010

I have a honeydo job this weekend of taking out landscape timbers around a raised bed for flowers. They have been down 8 years and are 2 deep. the one next to the ground is actually better than the ones on top that took the rain and weather, however all are completely shot. These were purchased at local Lowes store. I am going back with 4x4 treated this time. Not a big project anyway. Ken Sweet

Sportsman762 · May 19, 2010

I have a couple hundred landscape timbers that i use as fence posts. Some have been put in over 20+ years ago. If the ground is wet then they will rot and need replaced every 10 or so years. We did have one that lasted four years that we just had to replace it was completely rotted. It was replaced with another landscape timber. They do not rot in the ground just at the top of the ground. I am in OH so my ground is not as wet as some.

Ken45101 · May 19, 2010

Sportsman762 said:
I have a couple hundred landscape timbers that i use as fence posts. Some have been put in over 20+ years ago.

20 years ago, pressure treated lumber had 20 year guarantees on it. Now EPA does not allow the use of the old, effective chemicals. I doubt that you will find any landscape timbers with 20 year tags on them. I'll even guess that today's landscape timbers probably have tags that say "for above ground use only" but I haven't looked at any recently.

Ken

mkane09 · May 20, 2010

After all the discussion, I found a fella on CL that cuts locust posts not too awful far from me. He's cutting me 150 4-5", 7 foot posts and 12 8" 8 foot posts for $825. I'm happy, if they are what he says they are.

mkane09

sweettractors · May 20, 2010

mkane09 said:
After all the discussion, I found a fella on CL that cuts locust posts not too awful far from me. He's cutting me 150 4-5", 7 foot posts and 12 8" 8 foot posts for $825. I'm happy, if they are what he says they are.

mkane09

That seems a little high, We bought some line locust posts this spring for $2 each and corners for $4 each. Be sure you get to use them while they are still green. Once they cure out, It is next to impossible to get a steeple in them. Ken Sweet

AllWaysBreakinSomething · May 21, 2010

Looks like a lot of posts but I read the thread so here's my 2 cents.. ahh.
My horses break the 4x4's and any other type of landscape post to easily. Now the locust posts that have been here before I bought the property outlasted the fencing material twice according to the neighbors. You are on the right path using locust. Only other choice I'd use is creosote poles. Just make sure to get some good staples or use screws with the insulators. Locust is hard. Really hard.

Have fun. Post some fence photos. I use electrobraid. It's a conductive round rope about 1/2" in diameter. Very easy to see and looks great. There is an inexpensive lag insulator that works well. You will need to predrill in locust so you don't break the insulator. If your interested I'll take a picture.