Purpose of concrete-in metposts?

Why would these be any better/easier than simply concreting the wooden post straight in?

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Reply to
Lieutenant Scott
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If the post needs to be removable.

If you want to make post replacement easier in the future.

If you have only got posts the height of the fence (i.e. not enough to reach to the bottom of the required hole).

If you want to avoid digging more than the few inches for the concrete.

If you like the look of rusting orangey metal at the bottom of your fence posts.

Reply to
polygonum

I thought of that. But I couldn't think of any reason to remove a post unless it needs replacing.

Those metposts rust as fast as the wood rots.

Perhaps. But then I would have measured the posts correctly before buying them. Buying a longer piece of wood is cheaper than buying a metpost aswell.

It recommends an 18" cube of concrete. Would that not be sufficient for the wood itself?

Indeed! You'd think they would galvanise them!

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

the post won't rot as fast...

Reply to
John Rumm

Mine did, mind you the parrots chewed off the protective coating. And some had a hedge against them which will have increased the damp.

Anyway, the metpost will rust.

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

Actually tha latter can be fixed with a coat of zinc paint first, but with wood in concrete they tend to shrink then let water in the hole around the wood then rot.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

it needs replacing.

I built an arris rail fence in 1986 where the posts are socketed in the metal spike version (no concrete - you hammer them in). Neither the posts (which are untreated) nor the metal has rotted/rusted away, and the fence it still rock solid. Some neighbours who comcreted their wooden posts into the ground are on their third set IIRC over the same period. The trick is to keep the timber clear of the ground. It rots at the air/ground boundary. Some metal post supports might rust through, but I haven't seen any which have in decades.

them. Buying a longer piece of wood is cheaper than buying a metpost aswell.

wood itself?

Yes, but you'll have to smash that up and get it out in order to replace the post in 8 years.

Doesn't seem to be any need, but the make I used 25 years ago (Fensock) doesn't seem to exist anymore, and Metapost doesn't look to be as well made.

If I was actually specifying a new fence now, I would specify use of reinforced concrete repair spurs to be concreted into the ground, and posts to be bolted to them above ground.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

unless it needs replacing.

Mine had grass growing against the metposts, hence were damp.

them. Buying a longer piece of wood is cheaper than buying a metpost aswell.

wood itself?

Ditto for the rusted metpost.

They aren't. I think it's just steel with a single coat of crappy paint. I suppose you could treat them yourself first.

Fort Knox?

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

I'll tell my neighbour that when his falls down. Mine used spike metposts. He told me I was being lazy. They went up the same week, so it's a race....

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Wew've some metposts in the garden - put in by previous owner, but from what I know of the history of the garden, they are probably a good 20+ years old at least. They are still sound (if a bit rusty).

BTW, you can get galvanise Metposts, but don't see them around much it seems.

Reply to
chris French

The trick with concreting is to bring the concrete above the earth level. Most people seem to dig the hole, insert post, fill with concrete to below ground level and then infill again with soil. The air ground boundary is always wet soil. I've always tapered the concrete up the post to 1 inch above ground level. 4 inch Wooden posts erected this way have lasted me 10years+.

However, the previous oak posts were at the end of their useful life at nearly 60+years and these were just in soil - no concrete at all - the bottom of the posts tapered outwards to hold them firmly in the ground.

I recently purchased a couple of "treated" fence posts (not for fencing) and cut them down - the treatment was only skin deep and hadn't penetrated the wood at all. I suspect that treatment applied to posts purchased from the sheds would last, at best, a few days at the ground level boundary.

Reply to
alan

st straight in?

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> Jazz is what you get when you push a blues quartet down a long flight of = stairs.

They are much better. The post lasts far longer and can be easily replaced if it gets damaged. You still need a big lump of concrete to prevent it from shifting in the wind..

Not quite as rigid.

Reply to
harry

rote:

some had a hedge against them which will have increased the damp.

The rot proofing is very toxic,you shouldn't let wood gnawing birds near it. If you get decent quality post fixings they will last 20 years or more. They should be galvanised and powder coated.

Reply to
harry

Yes, I tapered mine up in a dome and pressed some small gravel into it to make it blend in a bit.

I paid extra for pressure-treated fencing, raised the bottom of the post on pebbles, treated the buried part yet again and, as there had been rotting posts in some positions, liberally splashed anti-rot liquid in and around the hole (it's a good weed killer!).

Reply to
PeterC

straight in?

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>>> Jazz is what you get when you push a blues quartet down a long flight of stairs.

I would also think harder to get a truly vertical post.

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

had a hedge against them which will have increased the damp.

They were posts from B&Q, not sure what the treatment is - I think is blasted through the wood?

Never had a problem with them doing it.

So what should I use? Wood with no treatment that will disappear in 1 year?!?

Metpost is obviously a cheapy s**te make then.

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

Vacuum / pressure injected:

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> you shouldn't let wood gnawing birds near it.

You could use a naturally durable timber like oak...

Reply to
John Rumm

burning in a confined space are. I can imagine plenty people sticking some on their log fire in their living room.

That is very expensive. The parrots do not EAT the wood, so maybe it's not as bad as it sounds.

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

Its good at killing stuff, just want you want from a treatment designed to prevent fungal and insect attack.

Probably not good for you. Try to avoid inhaling the dust when working on it as well.

Its not too bad if you buy it as green oak...

Reply to
John Rumm

It's good at killing people.

There was a reason we banned asbestos.....

Reply to
Lieutenant Scott

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