Lasting Non-toxic Fence Posts..Do They Exist?

[Haoleguy]

All - Thanks for the replies on catalpa and black locust. Have considered the black locust but not sure if they are straight enough to use a post driver and have not located a source. I'm looking for something that is 12' long that I can drive to a depth of 4'. I have come across a company in PA that seals/infuses a plastic covering on the bottom of pressure treated posts that can withstand post driving. I have also come across a boric acid pellet that is slid into an angled drill hole from above ground to a central location below ground that can be retreated as needed. I do have experience with eastern cedar posts that I harvested on my property to use for fence posts and found that the sapwood deteriorates quickly and weakens the post position with high tension wire.

JimmyJ - Thanks for thinking outside the box. This post was/is called the Everpost which as you say is recycled plastics. The issues are that it flexes a bit and warps in warm weather. It's a nice product for many applications but unfortunately a bit unknown and a poor distribution network.

 

[Redneck in training]

Hedge apple tree is used for fence posts in Iowa. There are some fences hundred years old still standing. It might be hard to find 12 ft long straight pieces though.
We used galvanized thick wall pipes back in Czech republic I am originally from.

 

[ampsucker]

i would second osage orange (or third it?) if it weren't for the long, straight requirement. it is a crooked wood.

cedar is your best, long, straight, cheap wood but you don't like that.

how about 20' sections of old well pipe? it's commonly available in 1.5" and 2" diameters, can be capped to prevent water from building up on inside, one end can be sharpened and the whole thing driven into the ground 5 feet to give you a 15 foot fence. if you're motivated, you could even paint them with rustoleum. probably get a good 20 year service life.

other thing guys around here use: old oil field pipe; fiberglass pipe (i do NOT like this stuff, it's like touching insulation everytime you brush up against it); old phone or electric poles; etc.

another alternative to a tall deer fence is a shorter, double electric fence. i've actually had decent luck with just a four foot electric, but if you run a four foot electric and then another electric or taller non electric fence about 6 feet inside the first one, you'll exclude all but the most ambitious and brave deer.

amp

 

[psj12]

The recycled plastic posts are not decay resistant. We tried them for road sign posts and found the sun decayed them through UV.

 

[Egon]

Concrete fence posts??

They do exist but I have no idea as to cost or where they are available.

 

[Haoleguy]

One of my woodworking friends said that the new wood is generated through a process which is called torrefaction. This process eliminates wood moisture and changes the wood structure so that it does not sponge water after exposed to moisture. I have added the url to those that might be interested. I will give them a call and see if they have generated fence posts and put them directly into the ground....only issue is if it is truly new then there is probably little historical data and only extrapolated projections. MEC Torrefaction

The concrete & metal choices are interesting as I do have a portion of my first floor supported by the metal/concrete columns. Off hand not sure how to attach wire fence while applying tension.

Thanks psj12 for the update on the plastic post.

 

[Redneck in training]

I just recalled that reinfoced concrete posts were common in Europe. They had three holes making it easier to pull the tension wires even over long sections.
http://www.e-pletivo.cz/inshop/plotove-sloupky/betonove-sloupky/[id-Slbet3]-betonovy-sloupek12x12cm-delka-280-cm.html
The post is about 4"3/4 X 4"3/4" X 9' and cost about $10. Don't know if something similar is available in USA.

 

[jimmyj]

My great grandfather made all the corner posts on the old farm from concrete. I am not sure how he did it honestly, but it was probably the early 1800s and a lot of them are still there. It looks like there were wire rings or something similar anchored to them. They're more of a pain than anything now as they are not wide enough for modern equipment at gate areas and such.

Interesting about the plastic posts, if they're not UV resistant, and the bend, what's the point. Good tips.

 

[have_blue]

A few years back, Gamma Wood was supposed to be the coming thing.

The conversion process was to take regular wood and infuse it with a monomer, then treat with gamma rays. The gamma rays would polymerize the monomer, turning it into plastic. The wood ends up being a composite.

The advantages of gamma wood were, you could make strong, lifetime wood out of weak, rot-prone wood such as poplar, tallow trees, etc.

I hardly get any returns from Google, so I guess it didn't fly.

 

[dangerdoc]

A few years back, Gamma Wood was supposed to be the coming thing.

The conversion process was to take regular wood and infuse it with a monomer, then treat with gamma rays. The gamma rays would polymerize the monomer, turning it into plastic. The wood ends up being a composite.

The advantages of gamma wood were, you could make strong, lifetime wood out of weak, rot-prone wood such as poplar, tallow trees, etc.

I hardly get any returns from Google, so I guess it didn't fly.

Try gammapar.com