Eucalyptus For Fence Posts?

[thaidrav]

Is eucalyptus suitable for fence posts? Is it termite resistant? How long can it last in the ground?

[473geo]

Rot very quickly in my experience, especially if used green. the problem is they rot at ground level and are easy to just snap off. I tried a garden fence alternating concrete posts and euc posts........we replaced the euc posts after about a year.

[Khonwan]

No, no, and depends on diameter but not long.

Rgds

Khonwan

[Maizefarmer]

They do just fine if treated properly (soaked in a long trough with copper sulphate solution) - half the fence posts and telephone poles in New Zealand are Eucalyptus treated like this!

Edited January 2, 2010 by Maizefarmer

[BAYBOY]

Maizefarmer.

Termites not a problem in New Zealand!

BAYBOY

[473geo]

They do just fine if treated properly (soaked in a long trough with copper sulphate solution) - half the fence posts and telephone poles in New Zealand are Eucalyptus treated like this!

Maize farmer is right, although wood has to be well dry to absorb protection......you can soak in a mix of old engine oil and creosote (trade name I think)....takes a while to absorb but basically stops the water permeating the wood to rot it......problem with wood posts is they can be made to last longer but they weaken over the years.....if an animal smashes into the fence which can be a regular occurence.....then you will have 4 or 5 shattered posts to replace!!

If you wish to enclose land the cost of treatment, and the time taken soak the posts would make this a slow process and expensive.

Unless you have a way of pressurising the sealant into the wood.

I have used the soak method.....not in Thailand.......and there was a production line of, 3, 40 gall drums with posts at various soak up levels.......for renewing and repairing wood fences.......a 40 gall drum holds about 30 thin posts you need to submerge them halfway up.

So if you are not requiring a vast amount....and as labour is so cheap......concrete might just be the way to go?

Just to add if the Euc posts in NZ are made from mature trees - that would be very different to young wood in Thailand.

Edited January 2, 2010 by 473geo

[WatersEdge]

I have used Eucalyptus poles for various applications around the farm.

mainly sprinkler riser support stakes,

and bell pepper plant supports

Termites devour not taste or nibble them immediately,

as if drawn from afar to a great celebration.

Pressure Treated Lumber / Posts

Note the technical explanation of the history and chemistry at this forum Post #5

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu...ess=105x2812371

The mixture for treatment is listed.

Note the simple formula for Cupric Borate

48 percent copper oxide,

48 percent boric acid,

2 percent tebuconazole

Nothing outrageously toxic as in the Chromated Cupric Arsenate formula

also listed in the forum.

Copper Sulfate is effective against fungus, but not against termite.

It is water soluble

It is actually good for people, animals, plants in modest amounts,

a dietary and plant nutrient requirement.

I heartily recommend concrete posts,

form poured cheaply on site.

See the discussion topic earlier on Thai Visa

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Concrete-Cem...es-t297385.html

My posts 3 meter x 10 cm x 15 cm are 108 kg each,

so you'll need to invest some labor.

There's no reason a 10x10cm post wouldn't work,

as they are readily available from the concrete precast yards.

I had inconsistent materials and inattentive labor when I began building them,

and three/four men were as available as two to carry and place them.

I am thinking now of using PVC Pipe,

especially for temporary fences that will support and insulate electric shock wire.

[Maizefarmer]

Maizefarmer.

Termites not a problem in New Zealand!

BAYBOY

...... nope, but they are a big problem in Africa, and they are very popular as tel poles in Africa (I know in South Africa and Tanzania for fact - but probably other countries as well) - they get treated with creosote and seem to last forever.

Personaly I hate concreate poles - they are brittle and snap - but if the size is right, the mix is correct and they are set properly they can last well.

[lioness]

What type of Eucalypt do you have? some will be ok with treatment, others not so.

[bannork]

We lost several wooden posts to fires that always sweep across the fields in March or April.

[Maizefarmer]

Aaah yes - thats a point - not all types of euc timber will be suitable for post use.

To be honest, I don't know which varieties is suitable and which are not, but suitability needs to be understood in its correct context. In Thailand a lot of the tel poles are euc (which is something I have only just found out), and the criteria is diameter at time of cutting (which means age) and subsequent treament - not variety. "Not suitable" in Thailand (for tel pole use) means it won't last long enough - and how long to the telephone department means 16years min.

Well, I have never paid attention to what type of euc any of the fence posts I have on the farm are, but many of those I put into the ground when I first set up shop in the 80's, are still in the ground and as solid as the day I put them in. Many were sourced from different sources and I can;t imagine they are all the same variety. Some have rotted away and my take on that is that they weren't treated properly - nothing to do with age because the ring spacing on those that have rotted is more or less the same as those that have lasted.

Variety certainly could have impact on suitability, the question is how is suitability measured when it comes to fence posts and poles? In the case of a fence post or tel pole suitability can't be much more involved than the question about how long it's going to last before having to be replaced. My experience with timber as a general rule, timber type and treament aside, the denser it is the longer it is likely to last.

Select euc timber that is dry and dense - ensure it is treated well, and as far as poles and or fence posts are concerned, it should give you a good few years of service.

When it comes to things like building stairs or rafters - where you have many pieces joined together and expected to work together, changes in the timber and over time could have a big affect on shape, structual integrity, pest resistance ect ect ....... Those certainly are applications where variety would be an issue of concern.

[473geo]

All good advice here.....

Another thought......if the land drains and therefore is dry all year round say on a slope,hillside, or raised up so the posts are above the water line, treated wood posts, I think might survive ok

If the land is damp, wet, moist, most of the year wooden posts may not fare too well.....

Edited January 4, 2010 by 473geo

[Treefarmer]

Termites like wet wood, normally sapwood or pitch, which is soft. Least susceptible species are Ironbark or spotted gum. Galvanised steel possibly best for wet areas.

[VocalNeal]

Star posts are available here I do not know how they compare price wise with with concrete.

[haveaniceday]

I have been looking today for star picket fence post to hammer in. I can't fins any and come to think of it, I have never seen them here.

Anyone know if they are available and how much?

Pic below what I am talking about.

http://images.tradekool.com/15150930020000200/Star-Picket-star-Post-y-Fence-Post-t-Post.jpg

[ozzydom]

I have been looking today for star picket fence post to hammer in. I can't fins any and come to think of it, I have never seen them here.

Anyone know if they are available and how much?

Pic below what I am talking about.

http://images.tradekool.com/15150930020000200/Star-Picket-star-Post-y-Fence-Post-t-Post.jpg

If you enter "star pickets " into the site search section at the bottom of the page ,your question will be answered.

[Latis]

I am about to renew 1km of fence around my very small farm and plan to Eucalyptus. The farm is at Sirindhorn Dam in Ubon. I have been seasoning the posts for 18 months and from November, when the rains have stopped, I will be soaking 800 posts in used car oil. Each post will get 3 hours submerged in a vat of car oil. The base of the posts that go in the ground will be placed in plastic bags, as an additional barrier for the posts and soil. My understanding is that Eucalyptus grows much faster in Thailand than in New Zealand or Australia, hence the wood is weaker. I put four untreated 6" Eucalyptus posts in the ground and after six months, the 6" had rotted/been eaten away to 3 inches. Treating the wood fence posts is the only way to go.

[haveaniceday]

If you enter "star pickets " into the site search section at the bottom of the page ,your question will be answered.

I have done a search, spent 2 hours reading, become totally side tracked, and, well come to the conclusion that a bloody star picket is to advanced for Planet Thailand to get it's head around.

Any one know the price for longer ones? Not looking at bulk, but I would buy several hundred.