Can I Use Landscape Timbers for Fence Posts?

[jjamerb]

If you soak ends in oil it will make them last even longer. They use tar and oil on the bottom of telephone poles. A friend of mine used them on parts of his deck with no concrete and so far no problems. It's been almost 10 yrs from what he said. I was also looking at them for the cost savings.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I have used both, plus treated 2x4's and regular wooden fence posts. This sounds like a great approach to me. I suspect there are alternatives to the roofing tar, like deck paint etc., but if you happen to have the equipment to do this, I am sure it would work great.

I hate T posts. The don't go far enough into the ground, and wobble in this sandy soil.

 

[Raven1]

Could any of you post pics if you have done this or if you use t-posts how did you secure your netting? Thanks this is helping me alot.

 

[Stamper]

Quote:
yes, please!

 

[HappyHatch'en]

My landscape timbers cost me $2.00. I rap the ones I put into concrete with roofing felt (tar-paper), the paper helps protect the post from the acid in the concrete. I believe we over build at times and the landscape post will last longer than I will. How many old fences do you see on farms that are wood and how long have they lasted?

 

[babymakes6]

Here's another idea-I called the electric company and asked them what they do with poles they replace. They said they give them to anybody that wants them, so that's what we're doing with our fence. When they are in our area replacing poles, they have our address and drop them off-we don't even have to go get them! Saved us a lot of money!

 

[gumpsgirl]

I used landscaping timbers for my run and am very happy with them. I got them on sale for $1.97 a piece, and buried them 2 feet in the ground. They have held up great! We just completed coop and run #3 and I used the same thing, as I've been happy with the way they have held up.

I've used t-posts for various fencing projects in the past and really don't care for them myself. I think that's all going to be personal preference there.

 

[CallyB57]

Hi... ;o)
I have been reading the posts about using landscape timbers for fencing needs. Being new to raising chickens, for some reason I thought 'treated' lumber could not be used because the poison might somehow 'leach' into the soil and a chicken might eat a poison bug or peck the soil to get some grit. Also, didn't know there were 'untreated' timbers that could be used. I am thinking of making a large area maybe 20 x 40 feet or so for my chickens to range in, but it seems like the untreated timbers might not last very long. I am NOT going to use concrete, as I'm 57 and I refuse to mix concrete for all those timbers. Can someone who has used either treated or untreated landscape timbers please advise me? Thank you.

 

[TammyTX]

We have a four board horse fence and we used landscape timbers for the post. They are sunk into the ground about 3 feet and secured with concrete, then painted with creosote or whatever they let us use instead of creosote now. Many of those landscape timbers have been in the ground since 1986 and they are still in good shape.

HOWEVER....they do not treat landscape timbers with the same chemcials as they did several years ago. The newer (less than 6 years old) landscape timbers we have used are rotting at the base. Also, if you look at the tags many of them now say "not for ground contact"....what the!?!....where the heck do you use a landscape timber if not on the ground????

Anyway, just my two...we have about a 1/3 mile in board fence.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
You would be best to preserve the buried section in cement or something else, withou direct ground contact. Also use a rain divert collar to keep water from running into the post set. If you do that, they will last a long time. No fence is permanent, without some maintenance, however.
The post has the advantage of being far more rugged against attack than the T-bars. Remember, its not the chickens you must keep in as much as keeping out those things that want to eat them.