Telephone Poles

[mark02tj]

I know that the topic of using utility poles has been written about ad-infinitum but something that I haven't seen written about is using them for cross-members or beams.

Here's what's going on - the other day as I was pulling out of my driveway I noticed a utility contractor across the street in his pickup. He was putting some caution tape around the pole and spray painting around the grass. The next day I saw another crew up the road and they were marking telephone lines. Yesterday I left and saw a new pole sitting in the neighbors yard. As I drove up the road, I noticed dozen or so new poles laying along the road. It looks like they might have already replaced one pole at the corner. The new poles look like they may be shorter than the old poles (hope they're tall enough that the neighbor across the street can get his combine under them!) but they're a LOT thicker. I'm guessing the old ones are probably 8-9" in diameter where the new ones are more in the 14" range.

I'm hoping to catch the crews to see what they're doing with the old poles and why they're replacing them (I already read part of the "What's the useful life of a utility pole" thread). I'd like to put up a picnic shelter here and the poles would come in handy.

My primary question is this - can a utility pole be safely used as a cross-beam (right terminology?) for my picnic shelter? In other words, can I lay one horizontally across the uprights and use it as support for the roof structure? Or are these only designed to be used vertically? I do know that I'd have to take into account the taper of the pole.

We live in a log home so having a mostly log structure for the shelter would be a nice touch.

THANKS!!

 

[pmsmechanic]

I would do some research before I use them in a place where there is human contact. From what I understand the chemicals used to keep the poles from rotting underground are pretty harsh. For sure more so than what is sold for residential use.

 

[Streetcar]

Utilities near cincinnati have program to test structural integrity of the poles. They replace poles that no longer meet their standard.
The poles are designed for both vertical and horizontal loads.
Do not know the safety of long term human contact with the poles

 

[s219]

Other than health concerns (out of my league) you sure can use them for structural beams -- sometimes I have used raw logs for post/beam structures, and it works great, save for some extra time notching at joints.

You can calculate the area moment of inertia for a round section (there are probably formulas on Wikipedia or just google it) and come up with the equivalent to traditional lumber. That way you can use standard beam tables for dimensional lumber to determine the size needed for the desired span, and then work out the equivalent diameter for a round beam.

 

[Coyote machine]

I was able to sign a hazardous waste release with my local utility for a bunch of poles. I used two for my pond bridge. I can drive my tractor, backhoe/bucket over it no problem. It will likely outlast me with the rough sawn planking and 'cosmic' treatment of chemicals from the utility.

 

[txturbo]

same thing is happening two blocks from my house. They are replacing the wooden poles with steel poles. They have about 20 60-80 foot poles laying in a pile that I've been eyeing.

 

[jimmysisson]

If the poles are protected from rain and snow, I doubt there would be any hazard, possibly aside from casual contact with posts via a wet hand. I would guess the creosote or whatever they used is tightly bound to the cellulose structure. As well, anything near the surface would likely have been leached out by weathering.
Calculating loads on an unknown species with x amount of degradation (from years of exposure) would be difficult. Overbuild your structure and keep the poles dry in service and you should be fine.
Jim

 

[oosik]

Boy, oh - boy ------ would I like to get my paws on a pile of "pulled" power poles. I figure they would be fantastic to use for the framework of a barn/shed.

 

[paulharvey]

Call your local power company. They may sell them to you for cheap, or they may refuse. Typically the line contractor is required to bring everything back to the pole yard. My power company will reuse poles on occasion, but sells the ones they can't for $0.80/lf. They will not help cut or load do to legalities.

Many times when they upgrade a pole, the power company will move there wire to the new pole, and "top" the old pole, cutting 6-8 ft off the top, getting it out of their way (and clearance for their line) and leave the old shorter pole until the shared users move to new pole (phone, catv, ect).

After the shared users move, power company comes back and pulls the old, now too short, pole. These shorter poles are to short to reuse for them, but my guess is a 16-24 ft pole will do what you want.

Edited to add random paragraph breaks to look like I speak English (lol)

 

[beeforty]

Just remember that since they have been cut off that the treatment given to them does not go all the way through, just like regular PT wood. I have an old pole section that I got years ago and never used and the whole center of it is rotted away.