Underground Post Treatment

[emasterson]

I am in the process of milling pine for some small outbuildings around the property. My intention was to treat the bottom of the posts with creasote, bury them and build from there. I went to the local hardware store and was told that creasote is illegal to use in NYS. Does anyone know of an inexpensive product out there to treat the bottom of my posts before I bury them?

[Tom]

In a word, No.

Look for a treatment plant in your locality.  You will be money ahead using a pressure treated pole/post.

[Jim_Rogers]

What you need to ask for or look for is fence post paint.
Years ago, I customer of mine, whom I was cutting Eastern White Pine fence post timbers for went to Home Depot and got some Behr brand fence post paint.
It is made for putting on wood that will have "direct contact" with the soil.

I'm not sure if they still carry it or not.
I've just searched home depot website and didn't even see Behr brand paints listed.
I've just searched Behr brand site and didn't see it listed.
A simple google search produced this brand and site for fence post paint:
http://www.jetcoatinc.com/66445.shtml

You'll have to contact them to get a listing of where you can buy it....

Good luck.

Jim Rogers

[Ironwood]

Creosote is only available to "commercial" folks like rail road tie treatment plants to my knowlege. I have a buddy who buys them somewhere in West Virginia. I was just thinking tonight I need to get some for a rack project. I need to call and get  a quote.

Ironwood

[SWIdaho]

WOODLIFE , CopperCoat Green Wood Perservative.

Made by Zinsser Co Inc.
173 Belmont Drive
Somerset ,NJ 08875

www.zinsser.com

This stuff starts out green and weathers to a light brown stain. I got it at a lumber yard that carries fencing. Home Despot and Lows don't carry it here.

The label says "a multi-purpose, water based, exterior wood perservative and insecticide pre-treatment for below ground and above ground applications..."

Later SWIdaho

[Don P]

The first deck I went through was one that had been creosote brush applied to the SPF annually, it rotted in 7 years. If you don't have pressure it goes in about 1 cell deep.

[WildDog]

I still have some creosote left and use it on hardwood to keep the termites/white ants at bay, Don says it doesn't penetrate much when painted on. I recently heard about putting a handful of course salt at the base of a post hole then half way up and again at the surface not sure if it's to stop ants or rot. with our local hardwoods we try to use post cut from the area they are to be used in, supposed to slow the ants down. ???

[logwalker]

If you are going to use your own untreated there is a good trick that will really help prolong the life of those poles. All the power companies use it out here. first dip the poles in copper-napthanate for several hours. Then place them in the ground and drill a 1/2" to 3/4" hole into the core of the pole downward at a steep angle. Find a auto tranny funnel with a long neck and put it in the hole and fill a quarter full with the Copper-N. this will gravity flow into the core of the pole and saturate it. If it leaks out to quickly then try a new hole avoiding cracks or checks. Plug the holes with a cork or whittled plug and refill every few years. I have watched the power companies do this around here for years and there poles are over 50 years. Joe