Wood into concrete into ground

plasterman

What's the done thing for fence posts to protect them? They'll be partially going into soaked ground, mud. And then into concrete footings. Bitumen paint, creocoat, wood preservative? The wood is already pressure treated.

This is for a long term job I never want to have to touch again. So whatever is best, cost not much of an issue.

10-10-20

Concrete posts would be the better choice here, are they an option?

The water will be trapped in the part of the post which is in the concrete, so that'll likely be the first part to fail, leaving you with a hell of a job of removing the entire concrete footing just to replace the post.

Maybe use a post fixing of some kind instead? It'll help keep the post out of contact with both the concrete and water, and if it does need replacing down the line you should be able to swap it out quick enough. The spikes look like the best job (although I've never used them) as they can be placed & removed fairly easily.

https://www.goodwins.ie/fence-hardware-tools/c-3072.html

Codpeas

Another option is this kind of arrangement - allows you to keep the wood above the ground but still giving concrete anchoring.

I put this one in to replace the bottom of the post, which had rotted, without having to take the fence down. The brace at the side it due to post having a bit of a split in it and I didn't want to make that worse with the big coach screws that are now holding it up - didn't go with bolts as access to other side of post was a PITA.

Lumen

I'm not convinced that spikes will have enough resistance to wind load in a fencing application. 750mm is long enough but the taper? And isn't there still a risk of the post snapping at the top of the shoe?

Steel posts (e.g. Durapost) worth considering.

I hate digging holes even (especially) with a petrol auger. Tractor FTW.

You haven't stated what type of fence. Obvs Durapost won't work for horizontal, only panel fence.

standardg60

https://www.timbertrove.com/postsaver-double-life-fence-posts-5788-p.asp

If you can't use concrete posts, which are definitely the best option, then these lads OP.

The metal spikes are nothing but trouble, very difficult to keep straight and the socket is not deep enough, the posts always end up moving.

It's not the part of the post in the concrete which normally fails, mostly at the join between the two where the moisture sits.

plasterman

No. Has to be wood.

cheif kaiser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119866527#Comment_119866527

I have fences erected in my garden for the past 20 years and always use wooden posts. I have tried everything in the book to stop them from rotting but inevitably they always fail. The first lot started to fail after about 5 years and each year since then, at least one fails. My best method so far has been to put some pea gravel in the hole, coat the base of the post (to just above ground level) with bitumen and sit it on the gravel before filling in with concrete but even this has failed on a couple of posts. If you never want to touch them again, I don't think wood is your best option. They will fail at some point!

monseiur

If posts have to be timber, use timber post boots, heavy duty galvanized of course. You just bolt the 'boot' to a concrete base and fit post in boot with stainless steel bolts. Ensure that concrete base is well above highest water table, this is ideal weather to check this. It's not the cheapest option as it involves more labour etc. but it will prolong the life of posts.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119866527#Comment_119866527

If you insist on wood and are pouring concrete use one of the above for a nicer finish.

If the concrete is already in place you could drill and epoxy it in, or use surface mounted post shoe.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119872583#Comment_119872583

If you use one of these:

Set into concrete, but with the rebar portion sitting a few cm proud of the concrete, would this not do the job? It would keep the timber off ground level, and away from pooling water.

Bad idea?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876458#Comment_119876458

Isn't that what I said to do? :)

The base of the "plate" should be touching the concrete, the thickness of the plate is enough to keep the wood out of water, assuming the concrete is level and the post isnt in a puddle or something. The post should sit above the plate, like this.

For wooden posts they are the best fixing imo, neater than seeing the post shoe.