Post Protector: POST DECAY 101: The Science of Decay, Simplified!

Post Protector answers the questions:
What Really Causes In-Ground, Wood Posts to Decay?
How can Post Decay be Prevented?

[desktorp]

pretty scary to know that there are little blue monsters living in the dirt

[bobsondugnutt]

I have also heard that the lye in concrete reacts poorly with the chemical treatments of the lumber, causing problems. Does moisture content of wood matter as long as it isn't continually introduced to microbes? Watertight plastic sleeve + treated lumber seems good. If moisture content becomes high within the sleeved portion (hard to imagine if kept dry inside the building envelope), capillary action will wick water up to the exposed portion where it will be able to dry.

[JamesMontana]

I imagine this works very well. Can you say a roughly how much longer a post will last using this ?

[MrLeebooher]

Right and it's ribbed for the company's pleasure when it rots anyway ! Bury the post 6 inches lower than the concrete for the moisture in the wood to escape with 2 inches of gravel in the bottom of the hole !

[grahamgrimmer]

Can you get this from any outfit in the UK

[JoseGutierrez-myzb]

Back in the day farmers used to coat posts with used engine oil and the posts lasted for decades in the ground. Then the climate people came and ruined everything. Oil comes from underground and farmers put it back in the ground where it came from

[RodCalidge]

Just pour concrete posts. If you must use wood, just coat it in kerosene.