How long before a fence post rots and snaps? - Fencing

[KAMIKAZEE DIY]

Garden project ongoing. Some fencing to be put in. Strength of fencing will be well tested by wee man next door so was thinking of going 3 foot deep for a 3 foot fence instead of traditional 2 foot deep.

Have read that painting fence posts with BITUMEN. Is best way to protect them.

Was just wondering if this is regarded as best tried and tested method or if contractors have any special "ninja moves".?

There's decking ( sorry I know that's a swear word) to go up, and if fence posts needed to be replaced decking would prob need to get lifted.


Thanks for any advice

[r896neo]

3 foot deep for a 3 foot high fence is total overkill. 2 foot is plenty unless its made up ground or something.

In my opinion the problem comes when people leave the concrete an inch below the surface and create a lovely little trough for water to sit at the base of the post.

Either bring the concrete up out of the ground by 4 inches and slope it away from the post or if that is aesthetically a problem use concrete posts. Bitumen paint may help a bit but i wouldn't rely on it to solve the problem.

Last time i was in my fencing specialist they had a sort of bitmen and butyl collar that you put on the post where it contacts soil. You heated it up and it shrank tight to the post.

Good idea but probably a fortune.

[dig dug dan]

Use 4 inch pressure treated posts. 2 foot in the ground is plenty. Leave the concrete about 3 inch below final soil height.
Concrete is dearer and does not look as nice, but will last ages.
always use a gravel board under the panel too.

[Carberry]

~10 years for it to rot.
Whether it snaps or not mostly depends on how exposed it is, if it is going to have gaps to allow wind through, are people going to be leaning on it etc

[Mikey_C]

fit concrete, plastic or oak. if you do fit timber soak the end in 50/50 mix of used engine oil and creosote for two weeks before

[lutonlagerlout]

concrete posts all the way
as said not as aesthetic but they last
our fence bloke now wont use timber anymore ,to many comebacks even when done right
LLL

[Tony McC]

Bitumen is a 19th C method of preserving timber. And it's bloody messy!

Pressure-treated timber, if it has to be timber, but I'm with LL - concrete may not be the prettiest but it's the most reliable.

[Mikey_C]

Bitumen is a 19th C method of preserving timber. And it's bloody messy!

Pressure-treated timber, if it has to be timber, but I'm with LL - concrete may not be the prettiest but it's the most reliable.

I meant as well and pressure treating and only on the bit that was going in ground so no exposure to human contact.

as for it being a 19th century method... things (including wooden fences/fence posts) had a habit of lasting longer back then, I wonder why?

[dig dug dan]

fit concrete, plastic or oak. if you do fit timber soak the end in 50/50 mix of used engine oil and creosote for two weeks before

I removed a fence today i installed 18 years ago. the posts were still as good as new, and the customer had done just what you suggested prior to us installing!
the ones that were not done, snapped

[Tony McC]

as for it being a 19th century method... things (including wooden fences/fence posts) had a habit of lasting longer back then, I wonder why?

It might be something to do with their prediliction for steeping everything in carcinogenic gloop. The preserved items last for decades but the poor sods exposed to the preservative had a much shortened service life!

Asbestos for fire-proofing, uranium for making clocks glow-in-the-dark, creosote (the real stuff) for preserving timber....we learn from our mistakes (hopefully!)

[darrenba]

My local fencing supplier sells these, anyone used them?

http://www.postsaver.co.uk/

[Forestboy1978]

A guy we did a job for wanted 100mm wooden posts bolted onto repair spurs so he could just change the post when needed but still have the effect of wood. I didn't go through the figures so don't know it's relative cost to concrete. Probably dearer when you factor in messing around drilling holes for coach bolts etc.

Personally, concrete slotted posts all the way for me. When the panel dies just slot in a new one.

[Tony McC]

Postsaver - what I don't get is how a short sleeve protects those parts of the post not covered. All those nasties identified on their website can gain access to the timbed above or below the sleeve, couldn't they?