# Composite fence posts?.



## keithmac (16 Jun 2017)

Hello all, our 12 year old hand made wooden fence is starting to show it's age, mainly the fence posts.

Has anybody used composite posts on here and if so what do you think?.

I'll be doing it bit by bit, was contemplating the concrete posts that you slide the panels in but don't think my back would take lugging those about..

Think its 30+ meters long each side and 6 ish meters wide. 6ft high fence.

Would need to go a fair distance down as well 600mm or more.


----------



## Heltor Chasca (16 Jun 2017)

Do you mean the plastic fantastic stuff? If so, my nearby nature reserves (Ham Wall etc) on the Levels use this stuff as boardwalks. It does really well in the damp reed beds, but I wouldn't know how 6' posts would do with fatigue from wind. Postcrete is my favoured aggregate. I would be interested in how you get on.


----------



## keithmac (16 Jun 2017)

Something like this, I don't mind removing/ replacing the panels as and when but if I'm going to replace the posts I want them to last 20 years or more hopefully..


----------



## Mrs M (16 Jun 2017)

Wish we had composite decking.
Only repainted ours last year and it's a mess


----------



## Heltor Chasca (16 Jun 2017)

keithmac said:


> Something like this, I don't mind removing/ replacing the panels as and when but if I'm going to replace the posts I want them to last 20 years or more hopefully..
> 
> View attachment 357428



Good approach. I've done miles of fencing and even more repairs. Not anymore thankfully. If that is a metal core, I would hedge my bets in your favour. How do the panels attach?


----------



## Randomnerd (16 Jun 2017)

I run a sawmill and make and install fencing some of the time. 
Larch is our preferred timber for posts. Lasts around 15 years untreated (I'm not a fan of tanalised wood - pretty carcinogenic). If you specify oversized timber from a good supplier you will get the right gear.
Oak will last fifty years, but you'll pay for it.
The concrete posts and gravel boards for larch lap panels are fine if you're happy with the energy consumption of the concrete manufacture, and they need to be installed well and fitted with good quality, thick larch panels.
Many fencers tend to avoid concreting posts in the ground. The concrete allows water to stand at the collar and the posts rot off there and snap in the wind. If the ground is right, a rammed mix of rubble and sub-soil carefully back- filled and compacted bit by bit is best. We make our fence posts 4' x 4" x 9' for a 6' panel.
The plastic gear is crap.


----------



## MrGrumpy (17 Jun 2017)

woodenspoons said:


> I run a sawmill and make and install fencing some of the time.
> Larch is our preferred timber for posts. Lasts around 15 years untreated (I'm not a fan of tanalised wood - pretty carcinogenic). If you specify oversized timber from a good supplier you will get the right gear.
> Oak will last fifty years, but you'll pay for it.
> The concrete posts and gravel boards for larch lap panels are fine if you're happy with the energy consumption of the concrete manufacture, and they need to be installed well and fitted with good quality, thick larch panels.
> ...



Good shout on the concrete never even gave that a thought but makes perfect sense! I know what we did on our fence and it was only because I had angled iron . Bolted the posts to that and that was concreted in .


----------



## Levo-Lon (17 Jun 2017)

As regards the No concrete on wood posts....hmm yes and no on that..
If you have nice stable ground then the packing method works very well..
If you have Fen soil and nice wet clay you are not going to like continually straightening a fence line..
As for the composite posts ...yes id think they will be fine And no painting..
With fencing you get what you pay for..


----------



## keithmac (17 Jun 2017)

I paid £2000 for them to come in and fence the lot, did an excellent job as well.

Just the posts are starting to look past their best but will probably last another few years. 

I'm just pre-empting the inevitable..


----------



## keithmac (1 Jun 2020)

I went with 4" timber posts again, 3 foot deep holes packed with gravel this time round.

Back breaking work (nigh on 40 posts) but should last another 15 years..


----------

