God is in the Details

What life expectancy do your post come with ? I use some that come with either 15 or 20 year guarantee ( cant remember)  but a lot of the local farmers use cheeper posts that only last a max of five years. 

The ones in the pic are 1.65m and 2.4m 80mm tanalised machined rounds for which I pay about £2.30 and £4.20 both inc VAT.

 

Normal life in my soil in my experience would be 5-7 years or perhaps a bit more, and depending on the exact environment I have reused some after that time. With a postsaver I am expecting 10-12 years, but I have not had any in the ground that long. That is more conservative than the manufacturer claims, and since Network Rail and similar are routine users I am happy to treat their claims a# credible.

 

Obviously it is horses for courses. For a longer life fence or a heavier load I would select a different post or perhaps go for a 100 125 or 150mm.

 

F

Edited April 4, 2018 by Ferdinand

I wonder how well painting a band of bitumen paint around a post would work? 

 

Or, perhaps, painting the lower half, to just above ground level, with bitumen paint?

1 hour ago, JSHarris said:

I wonder how well painting a band of bitumen paint around a post would work? 

 

Or, perhaps, painting the lower half, to just above ground level, with bitumen paint?

 

Interesting comment, @JSHarris.

 

I think a painted surface would potentially be vulnerable to the treatment / environment. EG it would suffer if knocked in to a soil with clay or pebbles with a post rammer. Treatment might also be more complex if we had to get into heated bitumen for effectiveness. But perhaps a use for eft over painted damp proof course?

 

That may work better if a hole Is dug first, but for me I would then probably be using a concrete post or spur plus bolted on wooden square post.

 

The key point is that they will rot near or just above/below the surface.

 

An experiment would be good, but all my current stock now have postsaver sleeves on them . Volunteers?

Edited April 4, 2018 by Ferdinand

I put in 150 meters of fencing and got the machined timber posts from a local N Wales supplier called Clifford Jones. The ones I bought are from their 'Platinum Plus' range and have an anticipated 25 year lifespan (with a guarantee for what its worth). The posts are kiln dried and pressure treated. They also incise the posts to get the treatment further into the wood.

 

Their next grade up involves sleeving the timbers similar to @Ferdinandand they quote a 35 year expected life.

Edited .. not sure I was right.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Ferdinand