Post saver

[Wooden Lungs]

Here is a link to a product I used a while back. Seemed clever and was easy to use. The basic principle seems the wood will not rot If starved of oxygen. I do not like putting posts in the ground with concrete or post crete. Imho the posts have a much shorter life span even if they are tanilised.
I much prefer sitting them in galvanised shoes, which you can buy cheap at screwfix or local hardware etc. Keeps them out of the ground and gives the post a much longer life span.
But this product was quick and good to use. Maybe I should revisit site in a couple of years and see if my fence is still up and the posts have not rotted.
http://www.postsaver.co.uk/

 

[ldmillar1981]

Those were on dragons den

Not used them looks good, dragons thought it was very easy to copy.

 

[NERemodeling]

anyone else have any experience with this or something like it?  how did it last over the long run?

would regular ice and water shield from a roof do the same basic thing?  http://www.graceresidential.com/products/product-details.aspx?productid=151
probably wouldnt be able to torch the ice and water shield

John

 

[JeromeM]

would regular ice and water shield from a roof do the same basic thing?  http://www.graceresidential.com/products/product-details.aspx?productid=151
probably wouldnt be able to torch the ice and water shield

John

your "ice and water shield" wouldn't be the same as it's clear that "postsaver" uses a shrink wrap sleeve with a bituminous lining. So when the post is driven into the ground the cover stays on.

However if you used shrink wrap tubing over "ice and water shield" it would probably work (at twice the price [tongue])

 

[NERemodeling]

your "ice and water shield" wouldn't be the same as it's clear that "postsaver" uses a shrink wrap sleeve with a bituminous lining. So when the post is driven into the ground the cover stays on.

However if you used shrink wrap tubing over "ice and water shield" it would probably work (at twice the price [tongue])

Ive never heard of driving fence posts until i saw this thread and this product (image on the companys website)  over here we dig holes either with an auger or by hand with a "post hole digger"    then insert the post and backfill 

with this method maybe the ice and water would work just fine 

 

[JoggleStick]

I'm not sure of your 'standards', but here in Australia we have a rating system for treated timber. H2 is internal, H5 is Marine environment. H4 is for in ground use.
H3 is external above ground, etc CCA is long banned, but there is ACQ and other treatments...

I don't have to consider frozen ground here in the sub-tropics, but rot and termites are a plenty.

For an attached deck we would generally always use 'stirrups' - OTH fence posts get set in the ground. A good hardwood H4 post will last up to 40 years. I wouldn't use pine posts in ground for love nor money and I can't see what this product offers? I've seen posts be 'black Jack'd' in harsh soil- but I'm struggling to see the benefit? Over the cost?
You're not gonna make silk purses outta sows ears, are you now?

Just about every farmer will have a post driver of some description? No big deal.
Clearly the system suits the local requirements and expectations and I guess that's all that really matters. Fast Buck Industries....

From what I have seen any exposed timber will last much longer if protected with paint, oil, etc. and for fence posts- either cut the top on a rake or put an aluminium cap on it and the small but important detail of sloping the Crete away from the post at the base- to prevent puddling and water ingress at the post/soil interface- makes a considerable difference to longevity....

 

[Wooden Lungs]

Good point about tapering the fence post tops and leaving a "fall" around the crete. Having worked quite a bit in Australia I am familiar with the standards and techniques. Setting the posts in crete here is similar to leaving it upright in a bucket of stagnent water as you effectively create a well for the post to sit in which has no weep holes for the water to escape ???
As I mentioned for my own private client work I would never set timber into the ground and would always use some type of galvanised shoe that would be levelled and set in crete the day before timber install. In the UK the ground can be water logged for weeks or months on end so the norm is to set the posts in a quick set concrete which hardens enough to level posts literally in minutes.
I dont like this system but have used it several times when sub contracting, due to main contractor constraints  . Especially on new build housing the method is to erect quick decks and fences to define the boundries of new developments. The notion of longevity on hedge carpentry here does not really exist unless it is a really high end job .The nasty stuff like arsenic has been removed from the wood preservatives and green tanlith is widely used. Internally tanilised timbers have a long life span but set in wet ground it does not!! Hence this product has come about.

I have no experience with posts that have been pile driven so cannot comment except I would imagine if you were to shrink a post protector around one, then pile drive into stifff ground surely it would tear the post protector off??

Its seems it is acceptable to install a fence or deck in this way as it is widely accepted that it would have a short life span, but would be cheap to replace, very similar to the notion that outbuildings like sheds with bitumen felt roofs and the sheds themselves are disposable. (5-10yrs)
It rains here A LOT........infact for every day the sun shines in Australia we would get Rain.

 

[NERemodeling]

I'm not sure of your 'standards', but here in Australia we have a rating system for treated timber. H2 is internal, H5 is Marine environment. H4 is for in ground use.
H3 is external above ground, etc CCA is long banned, but there is ACQ and other treatments...

I don't have to consider frozen ground here in the sub-tropics, but rot and termites are a plenty.

For an attached deck we would generally always use 'stirrups' - OTH fence posts get set in the ground. A good hardwood H4 post will last up to 40 years. I wouldn't use pine posts in ground for love nor money and I can't see what this product offers? I've seen posts be 'black Jack'd' in harsh soil- but I'm struggling to see the benefit? Over the cost?
You're not gonna make silk purses outta sows ears, are you now?

Just about every farmer will have a post driver of some description? No big deal.
Clearly the system suits the local requirements and expectations and I guess that's all that really matters. Fast Buck Industries....

From what I have seen any exposed timber will last much longer if protected with paint, oil, etc. and for fence posts- either cut the top on a rake or put an aluminium cap on it and the small but important detail of sloping the Crete away from the post at the base- to prevent puddling and water ingress at the post/soil interface- makes a considerable difference to longevity....

seems like things are quite similar actually    im not sure but i think are P.T. coding is UC1-UC5 (the numbers line up with  yours)  there is also UCF which adds a layer of fire protection

CCA has also been banned since sometime early-mid 2000  we too use ACQ as well as a few other copper based treatments

i don't install fences but have been thinking about putting one around my own yard for my dog, not sure if i will set the posts in concrete but raising the concrete just above the ground and sloping away is a good tip    the posts will be painted, the questions about wrapping the base with something was really just curiosity about weather or not it really makes a noticeable difference in the lifespan

As far as decks go i also think we do the same things  I pour a cylindrical concrete deck footing/pier, starting below the frost line (42"deep here) and raise it above grade.. then mechanically attach a galvanized steel "stirrup?" or "shoe" to the top of the pier, then attach the post to that, followed by another galvanized connector between the post and the beam, finnaly each joist gets a galvanized connector to the beam. 

John

 

[peter halle]

Years ago I purchased several rolls of a product designed to protect posts below the soil line.  The job fell thru due to a customer death.  I will try and find the material.

Peter

 

[Paul G]

Rot is a non-issue with postmaster, doubt I'll put a wood post in the ground again http://contractors.masterhalco.com/Contract.nsf/woodpostmaster

 

[awdriven]

I've had great luck with 2 1/2 inch schedule 40 galvanized pipe. Appearance is rather cold, but you'll pretty much never have to replace them. The Postmaster looks interesting, but if I recall correctly, the 2.5 inch pipe had more wind resistance.

 

[Paul G]

I've had great luck with 2 1/2 inch schedule 40 galvanized pipe. Appearance is rather cold, but you'll pretty much never have to replace them. The Postmaster looks interesting, but if I recall correctly, the 2.5 inch pipe had more wind resistance.

I've used that also. To improve on the back side appearance I added some fence boards held on with U-bolts wrapped around the pole. Postmaster is so much easier though not having to fuss with the brackets.