# Fence posts split after less than one year.



## John Brown (15 Apr 2011)

We had some fence posts replaced last July - the original concrete ones had blown as a result of the reinforcing bar rusting . They are 4 by 4 timber posts, and after less than a year more than half of them are showing serious splits. I called the fencing company today, and told them that, while I have no problem with any aspect of their workmanship, it seems to me as though the posts were not seasoned properly.
The fencing company told me, in no uncertain terms(thought not impolitely) that no timber fencing supplies are seasoned these days, he said they come pretty much "straight from the forest".
Is this right? Will I be flogging a dead horse if I pursue this?

John


----------



## Hudson Carpentry (15 Apr 2011)

Its common for posts to split, what you may consider a serious split someone else may not (another words pictures please). Splitting may not remove the required strength from then post for the application.

I would hope fencing timber is not direct from forest but direct from treatment plant!


----------



## John Brown (15 Apr 2011)

Hudson Carpentry":cpg6mced said:


> Its common for posts to split, what you may consider a serious split someone else may not (another words pictures please). Splitting may not remove the required strength from then post for the application.
> 
> I would hope fencing timber is not direct from forest but direct from treatment plant!


Yes, I would hope so too. I'm simply quoting what I was told. I will see about some pictures, but let me say that I have lived on this planet for 58 years, and walked past a whole lot of fence posts in that time, and I don't recall seeing more than half of them splitting. I'll go and take the dog for a walk and do some checking.


----------



## jasonB (15 Apr 2011)

Fencing will be very wet when delivered so drying out is not at all uncommon, you can usually see the water squeeze out when you drive in a nail or screw, same for quite a bit of structural timber as well.

Jason


----------



## studders (15 Apr 2011)

Mine split quite badly not long after I fitted them, wasn't happy about it as they were not cheap but, two years on they seem to be doing their job OK.
Interestingly the original posts were over 70 years old, had no sizeable splits and weighed a lot more than the new ones. Shame they had rotted at the base really. I regret not reusing the old posts and concrete spurs.


----------



## Tomsk (15 Apr 2011)

I have an arrangement  with a local sawmill to acquire large quantities of timber offcuts from fencing posts etc which I keep for my wood stove (all pre-tanalising). Much of this is so green I need to leave it for 18 months or so to season before use, so I can quite believe that it does pretty much come 'straight from the forest'...


----------



## Phil Sewell (16 Apr 2011)

I put in a new fence using 4" posts about a month ago and some of them have splits in them already. I think you will just have to accept it. I'm pretty sure they won't have much of an affect on the strenght of the post. 

Perhaps you should have gone onto concrete, I personally think they look bloody awful (my brother, a landscaper calls them "municipal) but they have obvious advantages.


----------



## John Brown (16 Apr 2011)

My faith in concrete has been shattered - much like the concrete posts I was replacing.
But I opted for wood for two reasons, firstly I agree that they look "bloody awful", and secondly, I belive it would have been difficult to re-use the rest of the fence(arris rails and featheredge). Living on a corner plot, there's a whole lot of fence to consider.

Anyway, it sounds as though I'll just have to accept it.
Thanks for the many, and not so varied, opinions!

John


----------

