The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Phil L wrote:
Weatherlawyer wrote:
John wrote:
Just a thought as I have just had a new fence.....

Concrete posts sometimes seem to fail due to the steel reinforcing
rods corroding. Is there any point in trying to reduce moisture
getting into the concrete by using some sort of paint or sealant?
Or isn't this corrosion much of an issue on new posts?
Don't be so bloody daft. They are only a tenner or so to replace.
They should easily last a couple of decades.

And the 18 inch by 14 inch lump of concrete at the base of each one?
- will that just melt away leaving a new hole for the £10 posts to
go in?
Start saving up now. Thats 50 pence a post per annum. Can you
afford a penny a week?

They don't last 'decades' neither, at least, most of them don't,
I've seen posts disintegrate within 5 years in exposed conditions.


That's pretty much down to poor concrete.. If the cement ratio is high
enough to make them relatively inpervious to water then the steel will
last indefinitely.

This isn't known by the purchaser.

However if its 'screed grade' with plenty of voids, water will get in
freeze and split them and expose the rods after a couple of hard
winters..

Even solid,good grade concrete will blow apart if the steel is too near the
surface, again not usually possible for the purchaser to know.