So I helped a friend cut down some trees and have a few 8-9 foot sections I'm thinking of using as posts. I also have a few trees around that are the right size for posts and I want to chop them down, cut them up and use them as posts. The only thing that makes me think twice about it is the longevity of the posts. What luck has anyone had doing this? Would you treat them with a preservative first?
Cut up trees as fence posts
- Thread starter ABrauny
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sim.-ang.king
Well-known member
Oak should last, but it would depend on what kind of maple they are. Sugar, and soft maple are better firewood.
Ouachita
Well-known member
Also depends on local environment and soil type. Around here, people used to fire treat white oak. Just the end in the ground and a few inches up. There are still some on my grandads place that were planted in the 40's. I don't think I would pull them up and re-use them, but they certainly lasted longer than any modern day treated post
Don't locust and cedar make good posts?
Ouachita
Well-known member
I'm not familiar with using locust here, but our native cedar quality varies. If you plant our cedar when it's still green, you can expect to re-tamp and re-staple, until the outer pithy part has stabilized (rotted away). The inner "heart" will last forever. If I do use cedar for post, I split them and staple to the heart wood.
lynnmcmahan
Well-known member
Black locust is good. Better yet Is Osage orange, if they are available in your area. Oak would be hard for me to nail.
greybeard
Well-known member
Oak or elm would not last long in my area, due to the insect population and the dampness.
Our local cedar does not last much longer--tho the cedar from the hill country and further west lasts a very long time. Our local cedar is mostly sapwood, with a small diameter heart, and I've seen lots of local 4" cedar posts planted and a couple years later, only a 2" heart left standing.
Bodark/Osage orange/Hedge apple/horseapple/ Bois d'arc=all names for the same tree--(Maclura pomifera).
They last a long long time, but are hard as a hooker's heart to drive a staple in.
Our local cedar does not last much longer--tho the cedar from the hill country and further west lasts a very long time. Our local cedar is mostly sapwood, with a small diameter heart, and I've seen lots of local 4" cedar posts planted and a couple years later, only a 2" heart left standing.
Bodark/Osage orange/Hedge apple/horseapple/ Bois d'arc=all names for the same tree--(Maclura pomifera).
They last a long long time, but are hard as a hooker's heart to drive a staple in.
snake67
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You got nothing to lose.
Peel the bark off and stick them in in dry ground be happy.
Or peel the bark off of them and stick them in wet ground and be happy.
They are free
If they make ten or more years in dry ground be happy
If they make five years or more in wet ground be happy
You will always have to replace some wooden posts in your fence lines and while others will last longer than you will live - no matter what anyone tells you, you can never be sure which post will be the old timer and which post will rot out - I have some on this place that are probably 50 years old and doing fine.
I also have some that are less than ten years old and need replacing.
You either do that or burn them for heat
In the end they are free and your time is worth nothing
I still have far too much snow on the ground to even think about fencing.
Have fun
Bez
Peel the bark off and stick them in in dry ground be happy.
Or peel the bark off of them and stick them in wet ground and be happy.
They are free
If they make ten or more years in dry ground be happy
If they make five years or more in wet ground be happy
You will always have to replace some wooden posts in your fence lines and while others will last longer than you will live - no matter what anyone tells you, you can never be sure which post will be the old timer and which post will rot out - I have some on this place that are probably 50 years old and doing fine.
I also have some that are less than ten years old and need replacing.
You either do that or burn them for heat
In the end they are free and your time is worth nothing
I still have far too much snow on the ground to even think about fencing.
Have fun
Bez
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Wow bez, i don't think I've heard you sound this happy.
snake67
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denvermartinfarms":1wv88dky said:
Even crusty old bass turds like me can have a good day once in a while
My direct way writing has a way of making people think I am PO'd when in fact I am quite laid back - just always write like I talk - direct.
Too late to change now.
Cheers
Bez
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I'm probably a lot more direct in person, than I am here.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
TennesseeTuxedo":1hfvre11 said:
Yes. Oak or elm will last about 3 years in my area. I wouldn't waste my time and if I couldn't pressure treat the logs or vat treat them for a few months I wouldn't waste my time with oak or elm.
3MileRanch
Well-known member
I have used post oak and got about 8 years out of them. Dry them first for best results though.
Of course the T-post I put in the ground at the same time are still standing, lol. Didnt need to dry them either.
Of course the T-post I put in the ground at the same time are still standing, lol. Didnt need to dry them either.
gimpyrancher
Well-known member
But you had to pay for the T-posts. :cry2:
