4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from
deteriorating/rotting?

Keep them off concrete, for sure.

Greg

On Oct 16, 7:33*pm, gregz wrote:
gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from
deteriorating/rotting?

Keep them off concrete, for sure.

Greg

And, treated lumber holds up somewhat better.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary wrote:

4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

Nothing will be perfect. Wood in the ground won't last forever. However, if
the posts extend beyond (deeper than) the concrete into some gravel, the
bottoms will drain and they won't rot so fast. About the worst thing you can
do is put wood into concrete, without letting it stick through the concrete.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary
wrote:

4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

They do make a metal post holder that keeps them off the ground. You
put an anchor into the concrete, bolt the holder in place, then nail
or screw the post through the flanges.

In any case, I'd put some Penofin oil on the post ends anyway. Should
last decades like that.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/simpson...se-abu44z.html

http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...BA-ABE-ABU.asp

Can you predrill the holes for the bolts, or does that drilling have to be done only when the post is in place? I'm concerned that the drilling may expose the unprotected interior of the wood.

I'd say there are two good options, and you could use BOTH of them for overkill.

1. There are two portions of a tree trunk; the heart wood and the sap wood. If this is heartwood from redwood trees, it'll be naturally rot resistant, just like cedar heartwood.

However, if it's sapwood, I would let the posts stand in a tray containing an inch or two of end cut preservative, and let capillary pressure draw that end cut preservative up into the wood overnight.

And, if it wuz me, I would do that several times, allowing a week or so for the mineral spirits in the end cut preservative to evaporate out of the wood before soaking those post ends again. Every time the wood dries up, it'll draw more end cut preservative into it the next time those posts ends are dipped in end cut preservative. So, with each dipping, the amount of copper and arsenic fungicides remaining behind in the wood as the mineral spirits evaporate increases.

Kinda like staining wood. Every time the mineral spirits or alcohol evaporates out of the wood, leaving the dye behind, you can stain the wood darker by applying more stain.

You can't do that with heartwood because heartwood cells are dead and the openings between the cells get sealed up as the sapwood dies and forms the outermost layer of heartwood. So, heartwood won't "suck up" the end cut preservative like sapwood will.

I'd say if you did that 3 or 4 times, your redwood posts would be well protected against wood rot.

2. Google "squirrel baffle" and you'll find all kinds of different designs that can be used as a "roof" to keep the post under that baffle dry:



Use a good quality caulk both above and below the baffle to hold it in place, and keep the roof from leaking.

If you load up the bottoms of those posts with end cut preservative, and you use squirrel baffles as "roofs" to keep the bottom of those posts dry, they'll last longer than grandma.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:30:27 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary
wrote:

4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

They do make a metal post holder that keeps them off the ground. You
put an anchor into the concrete, bolt the holder in place, then nail
or screw the post through the flanges.

In any case, I'd put some Penofin oil on the post ends anyway. Should
last decades like that.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/simpson...se-abu44z.html

http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...BA-ABE-ABU.asp


Ed, would creosote be better than the penofin oil to prevent wood rot
in this situation?

On Oct 16, 9:00*pm, Doug wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:30:27 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary
wrote:

4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

They do make a metal post holder that keeps them off the ground. You
put an anchor into the concrete, bolt the holder in place, then nail
or screw the post through the flanges.

In any case, I'd put some Penofin oil on the post ends anyway. *Should
last decades like that.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/simpson...x4-uplift-post...

http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...BA-ABE-ABU.asp

Ed, would creosote be better than the penofin oil to prevent wood rot
in this situation?


Doug-

Yes, creosote is a great wood preservative but...

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsh...osote_main.htm

synopsis:
Creosote is a wood preservative used for commercial purposes only; it
has no registered residential uses.

cheers
Bob

On Oct 16, 4:06*pm, gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

Make a block of 2x4 of old growth heartwood redwood or heavily treated
wood (soaked in an appropriate wood preservative)
as the piece beneath the end of the 4x4 and against the concrete.

Think of if as a chunk of mud sill.
Transverse grain is much more resistant to moisture than end grain.
End grain against concrete is bad design practice

If your new posts are not heartwood they're not going to be very
resistant.

You could also soak (over night) the ends of the 4x4's in paint cans
with a few inches an appropriate wood preservative.

What is your application? raised deck? post & pier foundation
repair?

Ed-

I believe the OP is using a pre-made pier that includes the straps.
The Simpson product you suggest could be "cut down" (strap portion
removed)
and the remainder used a giant galvanized spacer.

On Oct 16, 5:51*pm, "
wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

Nothing will be perfect. *Wood in the ground won't last forever. *However, if
the posts extend beyond (deeper than) the concrete into some gravel, the
bottoms will drain and they won't rot so fast. *About the worst thing you can
do is put wood into concrete, without letting it stick through the concrete.

I believe the OP's situation is 4x4's on a pier block...like for a
pier & post foundation, only wood / concrete contact, no penetration
into or through the concrete here.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:30:38 -0700 (PDT), DD_BobK
wrote:

On Oct 16, 9:00*pm, Doug wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:30:27 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:06:56 -0700 (PDT), gary
wrote:

4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

They do make a metal post holder that keeps them off the ground. You
put an anchor into the concrete, bolt the holder in place, then nail
or screw the post through the flanges.

In any case, I'd put some Penofin oil on the post ends anyway. *Should
last decades like that.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/simpson...x4-uplift-post...

http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...BA-ABE-ABU.asp

Ed, would creosote be better than the penofin oil to prevent wood rot
in this situation?


Doug-

Yes, creosote is a great wood preservative but...

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsh...osote_main.htm

synopsis:
Creosote is a wood preservative used for commercial purposes only; it
has no registered residential uses.

cheers
Bob



Thanks Bob. I guess I haven't kept up this stuff since my dad used
it years ago.

"Doug" wrote in message
...

Ed, would creosote be better than the penofin oil to prevent wood rot
in this situation?

It would probabaly be a lot beter. Only problem is where to get some of
this stuff. I though the EPA or whatever outlawed it years ago.

Most everything that worked really has been outlawed.

On Oct 16, 11:30*pm, DD_BobK wrote:

Yes, creosote is a great wood preservative but...

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsh...osote_main.htm

synopsis:
Creosote is a wood preservative used for commercial purposes only; it
has no registered residential uses.

cheers
Bob

But copper naphanate is still available as a wood treatment & is
available by the gallon at hardware stores. Pour it in a small
diameter bucket and stand the 4x4 in it overnight to allow it to wick
up. It'll turn your redwood green for a few weeks, then the sun will
bleach it back natural.

Red

On 10/16/2012 6:06 PM, gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?


use steel posts

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On Oct 16, 4:06*pm, gary wrote:
4 x 4 redwood posts are bolted to the straps in concrete piers.

When replacing the posts, how can I prevent the bottom of the posts from deteriorating/rotting?

pour copper green into a five gallon bucket, stick the posts into the
bucket, let sit for one month.

And remember 'green side down'