"Ian Jackson" wrote in message
...
In message , Tim Lamb
writes
In message , Ian Jackson
writes
In message , Jacko
writes

Sure, but it is unlikely to stop the wood rotting
where it is in contact with wet soil or concrete.

If you fill up the hole, and leave it for an hour or so, you will
probably find that the preservative has vanished. Where has it gone? Has
it evaporated? No - it has soaked into the wood. So you top it up a few
times more, until it the wood has absorbed as much as it can. If you
repeat the treatment once in a while - especially when the post is
getting a bit old and the original preservative is becoming less
effective, I think you'll find that it will forestall the evil day when
the rot eventually begins to set in.

I think this would work if you have the patience:-)

It's not an alternative to pressure treatment. It's just something you
could try when the post's getting a bit old - something to be done on a
fine day in between doing other more important DIY jobs.

I just don't believe someone wouldn't have come up with that
approach in the centuries we have been doing that if it would work.

Telephone poles are routinely dug around and then treated with some
chemical preservative.

Not the old ones.

Yes, it has happened to mine more than once.

I personally know poles that are at least 70 years old, and as far as I
know, have never been given any maintenance.

I know mine has, more than once because I have seen it.

Look up Boron as a timber preservative.

Some years ago, I noticed what appeared to be large nails hammered into
timber electricity poles at ground level. The guy I asked said he thought
they were to extend the life of the pole.

I've never heard of that. Is it possible that something leaches out of the
nails if the wood is soaking up water (and therefore more likely to rot)?

Unlikely IMO, otherwise it would be routinely done with new poles.