alan_m wrote:
On 15/03/2019 07:19, harry wrote:


The problem is even worse now, wood preservatives are such crap these days.
The fencing spikes are the best solution to rot I find. Plus give the
ends of the posts a good soak in creocote/similar.
In exposed situations, braces at 90deg. to the fence run are the best
solution if you can fit them in.
OR
https://www.tekplas.co.uk/shop/pvc-f... AEgJXh_D_BwE



I had reasonable success with delaying the rot in wooden posts by taking
the concrete used secure in the ground to above the soil level. IMO the
mistake most people make is to put in the postcrete/concrete and then
fill the rest of the hole with soil. The post always rots at a soil/air
boundary.

In general I don't use concrete at all if possible, it tends to keep
water/dampness around the post where it enters the ground. I have a
lot (probably one to two hundred) wooden posts around our smallholding
and the longest lasting ones are simply banged into the soil. The
quality of the posts is important, I have some original ones (which
were good ones!) which are now well over 20 years old and are still
sound whereas other not so good (and not so old) ones have failed.

It's quite difficult to be sure which suppliers' posts are best, ones
where the supplier talks about UC4 (or HC4) treatment are probably
good. Good 4"/100mm by 6' long posts now cost around £5 or more, back
20 years ago I could shop around and find them at about £1 each!

.... and modern preservatives are not so bad, apparently failures
reported to a wood research centre that studies this sort of thing are
no more now than before the CCA (copper/arsenic) treatment was banned.
Just make sure that the posts you get *are* UC4/HC4 treated, they will
often be date stamped and even have a 15 year guarantee.

--
Chris Green
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