Kitchen Garden Forum

I have been discussing in another post the erection of some free-standing guttering to collect rainwater from a metal roof. This will involve me putting two fairly stout wooden posts into the ground. From experience, I know that plain wood will rot. What is the best and easiest way of getting wooden posts to stay in the ground and not rot? I want to avoid concrete if possible and would prefer to spray something onto the wood. Is there an easy way of doing this?
I saw a similar thing done at another allotment, but this involved creosoting the posts prior to sinking them into concrete, although the plot holder first covered the bottom of the post in a plastic bag, which somebody else told me would make the wood rot. Any comments?

You can buy metal spikes that you hammer into the ground and the posts sit in them. They're not too bad if the posts don't have to take a great load. I think they're called Metposts.

What about putting the the post into metal spikes.
I have forgotten what they are called but you can get all sizes in the large DIY stores.
The spike goes into the ground so the wooden post is less likely to rot. Tin foil round the bottom is added protection.

We use them alot on the allotment, 4" square post for the runner beans, fruit supports etc.
I will be erecting new supports soon for a grape vine and I shall use them.

I think the name is something like metreposts but I am sure someone will come up with the corect name for you.

Beryl.

Pipped at the post Jenny - thanks I think you got the name right.

Beryl.

Great minds, Beryl, great minds.....

It appears you young ladies put us blokes to shame when it come to building advice.

You might think so OH but I had to hide hammers from my Governor plus screwdrivers ever since I found my best one being used for stirring paint!

Easy solution ...I bought her a basic DIY kit one Christmas ...she was as happy as Larry (not that I know who Larry was/is)

Hello Barry

You could use Bitumen paint, I have regularly used it on pre-treated soft wood to good effect.

Barney

My 'elderly next door' uses cut-off lengths of plastic down pipe sunk into the ground, and the wooden posts then somehow fit into it, but I reckon your best bet is DEFINITELY Metposts, as Jenny & Beryl have already said

I buy in tanalised pressure treated wood which lasts long enough for all normal purposes. If treating any yourself you won't get anything like the same sort of penetration, the best you can do is preferably use old wood as dry as possible and leave the ends soaking in preservative for days preferably.
The weakest part is round the post at soiltop level, some gritty free-draining material is a help there.
Allan

Weed - DON'T get me started in my DH 'borrowing' my tools and RUINING them.

I'd go with the modern version of pressurised tanalising - no nasty tin compounds involved anymore and I've got posts in wet acidic ground for over 20 years with no problems. Try and find a place that actualy does the process themselves and you'll find they are amazingly cheap - £2 for a fence post or tree stake perhaps a bit more for a bean row end post.

Thank you everybody for your input. I want to do this as cheaply as possible, so I am very interested in the pressurised tanalising process. At £2 a post, this would be within my budget! Does Wickes sell these? It isn't that I am mean, by the way, but a rabbit proof fence I am having to buy is going to set me back at least £50.00 if not double that!! Not much left over for anything else...

Geoff, have you considered using angle iron?

Any good fencing shop will sell it in various lengths, set in concrete it will outlast timber by a considerable factor, especially if you bring the concrete a couple of inches above ground level. If you prime and paint it with a good paint, hammerite perhaps, they'll last even longer.

I suggest the "extra" precautions after replacing a boundary fence where the angle iron had surface rust on the visible and underground lenghts, but the six inched just at ground level was rusted through, constantly wet under the grass etc.