Wood Fence posts for the garden

[cmhyland]

I've been looking around for fence posts to fence in the garden. Everything you find is some form of pressure treated and that stuff is nasty. Anyy thing rated for direct burial is CCA Cromium Copper Arsenate...

I looked at Cedar and at 40 bucks a post that is out. I think I'm going to the sawmill and duglas fur posts and I'mm paint the bottoms. The other option is to charr the bottoms of the post.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[unbidden]

Liquid rubber has been a recent popular coating for posts; how many posts are we talk'n about?

 

[dmccarty]

You sure it is really CCA and not ACQ?

There is nothing wrong with CCA unless you breath smoke from burning CCA or chew on the treated wood. I WISH I had CCA in the house instead of ACQ because ACQ reacts strongly with metal and requires either thick galvanized metal fasteners or stainless steel. Us the wrong type of fastener or metal on ACQ and the metal will rot.

You will spend a fortune buying wood that has natural resistance to rot. People say to use Eastern Red cedar, which I have plenty of on my place, but in my soil, the stuff rots. Wood rot I have seen is at the ground and air line. If I put anything in the ground that I want to last, it has to be PT at .4 other wise it will rot. Just a mater of time.

There is an article in the last issue of Independent Sawmill and Woodlot magazine on how to treat your own posts. Sounded like a lot of work and trouble to me.

Later,
Dan

 

[cmhyland]

Liquid rubber has been a recent popular coating for posts; how many posts are we talk'n about?

I'm estimating about 32 posts.

I think the liquid rubber might be costly.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Western]

Steel pipe?? I just did my garden using steel I had. 2-3/8" and 2-7/8" Drill stem pipe is real popular here (Texas) for fence, as is telephone poles, railroad ties.

 

[cmhyland]

You sure it is really CCA and not ACQ?

There is nothing wrong with CCA unless you breath smoke from burning CCA or chew on the treated wood. I WISH I had CCA in the house instead of ACQ because ACQ reacts strongly with metal and requires either thick galvanized metal fasteners or stainless steel. Us the wrong type of fastener or metal on ACQ and the metal will rot.

You will spend a fortune buying wood that has natural resistance to rot. People say to use Eastern Red cedar, which I have plenty of on my place, but in my soil, the stuff rots. Wood rot I have seen is at the ground and air line. If I put anything in the ground that I want to last, it has to be PT at .4 other wise it will rot. Just a mater of time.

There is an article in the last issue of Independent Sawmill and Woodlot magazine on how to treat your own posts. Sounded like a lot of work and trouble to me.

Later,
Dan

Dan,
You don't want CCA anywhere near your veggies... the Arsenic leaches into the soil and it is inorganic arsenic. Organic arsenic your body will process over time and get rid of it.
Inorganic Arsenic is something that get trapped ino your body and it never leaves your body.

The other possibility is I have a bunch of black locust trees and I may cut them and get them milled into posts. Black Locust gets so hard it will outlast pressure treated wood in direct burial.
The old yankee farmers used to say it would last 3 days longer than stone.
Regards,
Chris

 

[cmhyland]

Steel pipe?? I just did my garden using steel I had. 2-3/8" and 2-7/8" Drill stem pipe is real popular here (Texas) for fence, as is telephone poles, railroad ties.

Dennis,
In that same idea, 4 in PVC filled with concrete with a cap...

Regards,
Chris

 

[cmhyland]

looking at the cost of PVC I think it ends up being too expensive and is at PITA to attach things to it.... The old timers used to char the bottoms of the post.... they'd start a fire and toss the butt end of the posts in and char the first 3 ft.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Gunny]

Go with the locust. When I was growing up, my grandfather and father always used smaller locust for fence posts (about 6" for line posts, 10' or so for corner posts)
There are still a bunch of them that were set before I was born that are still there today. They always cut them way before they planned on needing them. Papaw said if you set a locust post while it was still green, it'd keep growing shoots!

I need to put in a short fence this summer so I cut the locusts last year and air dried them. As soon as it gets dry enough to dig the holes, I'll strip the bark off them and plant them. I'd also bet that by the time they need to be replaced, I won't be around to worry about it!

 

[Western]

Dennis,
In that same idea, 4 in PVC filled with concrete with a cap...Chris

I have seen that, also have seen larger poured concrete post, but I think by the time you add the cost and work involved???
Regards,

Dan,
The other possibility is I have a bunch of black locust trees and I may cut them and get them milled into posts. Black Locust gets so hard it will outlast pressure treated wood in direct burial.
The old yankee farmers used to say it would last 3 days longer than stone.
Regards,
Chris

Well there you go! cheap, accessible and as good as you'll find (especially for the price). I was thinking of the corners and gate ends for pipe/tubing. I use "T" post for line post.