C16 treated wood BUT not suitable for ground contact- uh oh

[nirajshah31]

Uh oh - just realised the wickes smooth/planed pressure treated spruce C16 timber (45x95) I’ve purchased (but not yet delivered) is not suitable for use in direct ground contact!
Oops.

Can I make it suitable? How?
Or should I use fence posts instead?

(Building a kids climbing frame in the garden)
Thanks

 

[MikeG.]

No softwood is suitable for ground contact. Indeed, even the most durable of hardwood will rot at ground level if left in contact with the soil, eventually. Design out contact with the ground and crack on, or crack on anyway and accept that whatever you make will be too dangerous for the kids to use in 2 or 3 years.

 

[nirajshah31]

Should I sink The current c16 softwood into sika expanding foam??

Or use a hardwood post into the sika foam/met spike and then bolt the c16 to that (putting it on a slate)

Thanks

 

[MikeG.]

Foam? No. Raising the timber off the ground on masonry or steel is the only viable long-term answer.

 

[nirajshah31]

Okay, I’ll use met posts and a fence post.
What treatment/solution should I apply to the post AND how should I bolt it to the frame?
Thanks

 

[Max Power]

These are available on ebay and elsewhere with a twenty year guarantee against the timber rotting.
I haven't used them but will do in future. I replaced an 8 x 8 treated larch gate post that had previously rotted out in 5 years. I coated the new one with bitumen (so in effect like these sleeves) up to a couple of inches above ground and its 100% sound around 8 years later. I've since replaced the paddock fence the same way. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6q4AAOSw ... -l1600.png

 

[ScaredyCat]

What about this sort of thing?

https://www.manomano.co.uk/p/adjustable-pedestal-50-80-mm-for-wooden-deck-jouplast-1512015?model_id=1512015

"tested for loads superior to 1 ton, "


.

 

[Max Power]

What is it your'e building ?