Finish for bottom of cedar fence posts?

[Chris Weishaar]

Well after last falls debacle of getting outragous prices and bad information on getting a cedar fence installed I am tackling it myself. The yard is flat and judging from the excavation for the addition it is on at least 8 feet of sand! The fence will be eastern white cedar, roughsawn. I will probably finish the above grade portion with Penofin, althoug we may just let it weather. The supplier suggested that I use a cheap stain to seal the below grade portion of the cedar.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to what may be better than just some cheap stain or will that be fine? I don't want to use the penofin since it costs so much. I also don't want to try wrapping them in bituthane (another recommendation).

Thanks in advance,
Chris

[phil harold]

cedar posts are going to rot off just at ground level in few years

Use pressure treated for ground contact
or
some un-split locust posts

[Tom Hargrove]

Good choice with white cedar, which is far more durable than red cedar. I have white cedar fence posts in my yard that I installed one hot summer weekend in 1986. They are nearing the end of their life, but still work. The bottom of each hole has 6" of road gravel, and I back filled the holes with road gravel to allow the water to drain away.

If you are using white cedar, I don't think that any finish short of creosote will extend its working life. Treated wood might last longer.

[phil harold]

My experience is red cedar
and black locust posts, seen some over 60 years old as fence posts and they are solid
an old carpenter told me never to split them and thier life will be one year shorter than granite

[Frank Hagan]

I used redwood, and the fence lasted about 15 years. The key was to make sure the concrete didn't encapsulate the post bottom. Like Tom, I used gravel in the bottom of the holes, positioned the post in, and then filled gravel up the sides 3 or 4". Tamped down, the post stayed vertical as I mixed and put the concrete around the post.

A lot of the fence guys just put the dry concrete mix in the hole; I guess the ground moisture hardens it up soon enough.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
I use a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits & roofing tar on the bottom of posts.
I mix it, then dip the post in the mix = pull it out and let it dry overnight.

Before they go in the ground, I brush another coat on and come up about 2" above the cement level. i pour the cemant usually while the mix is still wet.

The red cedar posts on my deck that were treated that way were perfect after nearly 15 years - so - it seems like the guy that recommended it to me back in 1987, when they went in knew what he was talking about.

FWIW - the red cedar post I used for a mail box stand went in about 3 months earlier.
It wasn't done with tar/spirits. It did rot right at the cement line.

[Chris Weishaar]

Thanks Everyone. I think I am leaning towards the roofing cement solution. It also recommended by a couple of folks here at work. I am not putting the posts in concrete. I am on at least 8 feet of sand (that's as far down as I have dug) and I will back fill with gravel and sand to allow the water to drain. I never have water that stands for very long in the yard and if it doesn't rain for 3 or 4 days then the plants all need watering! When we moved in we took down the cedar fence that was in place for at least 20 years and only a couple of posts were rotten.

I will post pictures as things progress.

Chris