Best wood to build a lamp post?

[dennis thompson]

I am going to build an outdoor lamp post which will contact the ground & be painted white. What wood would be best to use?
Thanks
Dennis

[Maurice Ungaro]

Cedar, cypress, or PT lumber.

Whichever one you choose, be sure to use a really good primer like Zinzer, or something similar. Use two coats to make it real durable.

[John Callahan]

I'd use KDAT (Kiln Dried after Treatment) PT wood. More stable and less prone to warping than regular PT lumber, it can be painted right away....... if your lumber dealer has stored it properly. Hopefully you can find a stocking dealer so you can pick through the lifts to find suitable pieces. I'd keep the cut ends away from the ground and I'd back prime everything (all sides and ends) before assembly .......I'm assuming this isn't just a 4x4 post. I'd use stainless fasteners especially if it's ACQ wood. Even if it's not, rust bleed isn't pretty. I'd check the treatment used- some preservative treatments use parrafin as a water repellent- it can interfere with paint adhesion. It hasn't been an issue with KDAT I've used in the past but I'd check to be sure. If KDAT is hard to come by or is of lousy quality I'd use cedar or cypress and treat it with Woodlife Classic preservative (especially the ends), backprime and paint.

[Rod Sheridan]

Cedar, cypress or white oak..............Rod.

[Jamie Buxton]

Another approach is to put a steel post into the ground, and enclose it aboe ground in a wood column made from 1x material.

[John Keeton]

I have two lamp posts constructed of regular PT wood. I am not familiar with the KDAT, but it would have to be an improvement. The regular stuff really wants to move a lot. Stainless steel is required if you want to avoid the stains as John says.

And Jamie has a good idea, but I used a 4x4 PT in the ground and slipped the boxed post over it. Left enough room on a couple of sides for the electrical. I also used a flip up section to access a ground fault plug.

[Frank Drew]

I'm not very familiar with the treated lumbers, but I do agree about cypress or cedar or even mahogany, which is very durable outdoors.

But no matter what wood, I'd strongly recommend keeping the end grain up off the ground, and this is even after giving the end grain a good coating of paint or preservative or other finish.

[Tony Scolaro]

I have learned to stay away from Cedar in the ground. It ain't what it used to be. The old growth oils would burn your hands yesteryear. Todays cedar will end up rotting out at the ground level, sloped concrete or no concrete at all same thing, with or with out rock at bottom of post or gravel. I love cedar but I know longer use it in ground. I just priced 4 x4 x 8 out here in Oregon it was $18. PT was $8 You could box the pt and when the cedar one bys rot you can replace them. just a thought. Tony

[John Keeton]

FWIW, I have used the PT 4x4 on previous lampposts, and the last one I did has been in place since 1991 with no issue. Of course, that was the old "recipe" for PT. Not sure on the new stuff yet. The ones at our home now have been in place for 4 yrs.