Fence Posts.

[justusnak]

OK, so a few weeks ago, we picked up Black locust fenceposts. These were fresh cut, still have the bark on them. My question is...do we need to remove the bark, before putting them in the ground!?

 

[hobobrando]

When I built my chicken run I used fresh cut cedar posts. I left the bark on and so far so good, they have been in the ground for almost a year now and I like the natural looking bark and they are holding up well.

 

[justusnak]

Thanks for the quick reply. Hubby will be home in a few hours with the auger, and we will be setting them today. Nothing like waiteing for the last minute hu!? LOL

 

[patandchickens]

Strongly suggest you remove the bark on any fencepost, they will last significantly longer that way, also will not loosen in the ground.

Hobobrando, yours will last longer if you at least remove the bark from the accessible parts.

Have fun, I am totally jealous of your having locust posts available!! ,

Pat

 

[sylvie]

I have Black Locust fence posts for everything: The vineyard, the garden fence, clothes line, the creek foot bridges and the chicken's run.
We did not remove the bark. Even if the bark decays, the wood won't for many years. It will probably last longer than you will have your home.

A funny thing about Locust is that it will sprout leaves if you are using green Black Locust. If the thickness of the post is pretty even you can put them in upside down, otherwise be prepared to do some pruning. It's almost worth it to see a post sprouting. It won't root.

We've also used dead locust and haven't seen any rot. One of the best trees in my book. Great firewood, too.

 

[valmom]

Locust is great wood. Given your time constraints, I wouldn't bother removing the bark It won't make a huge amount of difference in anything.

 

[justusnak]

OK, now for ANOTHER question. Boy am I needy or what!???
I see other farm fences....and in each corner, there are cross supports, I am guessing to hold the corners tight. I can understand that part...but how the heck does one go about attaching them suckers!?? I can't for the LIFE of me figure this one out. Oh, and we are planning to use 1x3 black locust boards across the top of the metal fence...( post to post) and possibly along the bottom. Would the corner supports still be needed!?? This has been one hard fence to build, and I dont want to have to EVER do this again! LOL

 

[miss_thenorth]

OK, now for ANOTHER question. Boy am I needy or what!???
I see other farm fences....and in each corner, there are cross supports, I am guessing to hold the corners tight. I can understand that part...but how the heck does one go about attaching them suckers!?? I can't for the LIFE of me figure this one out. Oh, and we are planning to use 1x3 black locust boards across the top of the metal fence...( post to post) and possibly along the bottom. Would the corner supports still be needed!?? This has been one hard fence to build, and I dont want to have to EVER do this again! LOL

I tried looking for a pic for you--can't find one. So I will try to explain.... at a fence supply store--you will get a metal piece that is about 3-4 inches long, and on iether end it will come out about 1 inch. Screw the long piece to the fence post that is in the ground, and then et up your brace piece. The flared ends will screw into the side of the brace piece. When we did our fence, we also pounded a fence post ~ 4 ft from the coner post--angled the brace piece from the corner to the one 4 ft away. We also chopped off the one four ft away before the brace piece was attached to it--its only purpose was for support.

Does that make sense?

 

[Tallman]

OK, now for ANOTHER question. Boy am I needy or what!???
I see other farm fences....and in each corner, there are cross supports, I am guessing to hold the corners tight. I can understand that part...but how the heck does one go about attaching them suckers!?? I can't for the LIFE of me figure this one out. Oh, and we are planning to use 1x3 black locust boards across the top of the metal fence...( post to post) and possibly along the bottom. Would the corner supports still be needed!?? This has been one hard fence to build, and I dont want to have to EVER do this again! LOL

If you have never built fence before, this could be a real challenge. I have built a fence or two, but in order to offer any suggestions, I would need to know a few things. When you mention a "metal fence" are you referring to a wire fence? If so, is it woven wire, welded wire, strands of barbed wire, chicken wire, or something else? If it is wire, are you going to stretch it? How tall is this fence? What are you fencing in? What is the length? I'm sorry for all of the questions, but it makes a difference. If you are building a half mile of barbed wire fence, it is different than building a twenty foot pen using woven wire, welded wire, or chicken wire.

Maybe you can show a picture. I wish I was there to help as this is hard to do this way.

 

[sylvie]

OK, now for ANOTHER question. Boy am I needy or what!???
I see other farm fences....and in each corner, there are cross supports, I am guessing to hold the corners tight. I can understand that part...but how the heck does one go about attaching them suckers!?? I can't for the LIFE of me figure this one out. Oh, and we are planning to use 1x3 black locust boards across the top of the metal fence...( post to post) and possibly along the bottom. Would the corner supports still be needed!?? This has been one hard fence to build, and I dont want to have to EVER do this again! LOL

I tried looking for a pic for you--can't find one. So I will try to explain.... at a fence supply store--you will get a metal piece that is about 3-4 inches long, and on iether end it will come out about 1 inch. Screw the long piece to the fence post that is in the ground, and then et up your brace piece. The flared ends will screw into the side of the brace piece. When we did our fence, we also pounded a fence post ~ 4 ft from the coner post--angled the brace piece from the corner to the one 4 ft away. We also chopped off the one four ft away before the brace piece was attached to it--its only purpose was for support.
Does that make sense?

Here's a pic of what you are describing:
http://wrightideas.typepad.com/expirationdates/images/2008/03/02/cross_bracing_brackets.jpg

It's almost identical to what's used for 2x4's bracing.