We are replacing rotten fece post and would like your opinion on preasure treated or the newer metal post. The cost isn't a factor. We've had wonderful luck with old cresol treated post, had'em in the ground around 30 years and starting to rot.

-- Sandy(FL.) (MANDARINHILLBILLYS@prodigy.net), November 16, 2000

Answers

The rancher across the road from us has used both with the same dependability. He did say its harder for his cattle to push down 6x6 timbers then the metal post, but its easier for him to drive in metal posts (no posthole diggers required).

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 16, 2000.

We have used presure treated landscape timbers as fence post in a pasture we rented. Had to replace some after 5 years, we no longer have the pasture so I don't know how they are holding up. The metal post are you talking about T-Posts? T-posts work good with field fence ad barb wire. I am not sure how they woud work in combination with wood post if you are not replacing them all at once. Good Luck!!!

-- Mark in NC Fla (deadgoatman@webtv.net), November 16, 2000.

Sandy, the T posts will outlast the pressure treated posts, and drive in easier, unless you have a tractor driven post driver. If you do have a tractor driven post driver, I would go with locust posts, you can usually buy them locally in rural areas, they will outlast you. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 17, 2000.

T posts for fence runs are great, but even with the new connectors, sold under the brand Wedge Loc here and in the Jeffers livestock catalog, as corner posts, we have seen ours pulling up out of the ground. They are wonderful for more temporary type fencing though! Treated on the corners are outlasting our cresote posts, even though we have been pouring our used motor oil on these big posts, they are being eaten by bugs. Landscape timers used on a local fence easily can be snapped off at the ground, leaving the cement and the end of the post firmly in the ground. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 17, 2000.

T-posts are a lot cheaper. Locally a bit over $2 for six footers. You can salvage a fence by simply driving a t-post between the wood posts to maintain the same spacing. The wood posts can then rot in place. I started out with a driver from the local co-op, but it just didn't have enough hitting power. I had a friend cut out a 6" plug of solid round rod which just fit inside the tube. I drilled in holes from the side and plug welded at the top. Will really drive posts now.

Typically spacing is 10' between posts. I sometimes use 12 1/2' for parameter fencing and 15' for interior fencing if I am putting on new, tightly stretched barbwire (called bobwire locally).

At one section the critters liked to stick their heads through to eat the forage along a roadside. Here I put on standoffs and put up two stands of electric wire.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 17, 2000.

Ken, it's called "bobwire" here also. Like in the sentence, "Run your bobware fence down long the crik". I'm a hillbilly myself, so I guess I can poke fun of the way we all talk! Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 17, 2000.

My brother had a feed/seed/farm supply store and he primarily sold cresote, hedge, and tee posts. I don't recall that he even carried the penta treated posts.

Here in Kansas we space our posts further apart than mentioned by others. Probably 20 feet or thereabouts. Perhaps our ground is more solid when posts are tamped in than in other locations.

As to what we call the wire, we call it "barbed wire." One Kansas museum is devoted exclusivly to it. Here is the url if you care to take at look at the web site for it. http://www.rushcounty.org/barbedwiremuseum/

By the way, any fence that has wooden posts should have an occasional metal one used to stop any lightning from traveling along the wire blowing the wooden posts apart. The metal one serves as a ground rod.

On yet another note, our family farm had 1 1/2 miles of railroad right of way running across it, and some of the right of way fencing had concrete posts used in it. They are still standing with no rot. Even when they crack the rebar holds them together and useful.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), November 17, 2000.

Annie:

When I first moved down here from SE OH, I used to say I was going to or had been down at the crik. Locals didn't know what I was talking about. Here it's creek. However, 'fixin' was a new on to me, such as "I'm fixin' to ..."

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 17, 2000.

Sandy,

Whatever kind you choose, I read somewhere (Foxfire?) that if you set your posts when the moon is waning they will be less likely to come loose.

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), November 18, 2000.

A couple of tips on setting wooden posts. Pore some water into the hole before backfilling and then tamp down the dirt until it is a fairly solid mass. This helps to eliminate air pockets. Also try to leave the post set for at least a couple of days for them to firm up before stringing wire on them. Unless your ends and corners are solid, each strand will lean the post some, loosening the previous strands.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 20, 2000.