Constructing Fencing from Treated Timber Poles

There are many different kinds of fencing, though treated timber fencing offers many benefits as well as a long lifespan with natural resistance to pests or weather.

If you are considering fencing for your home, farm, or area, you’ve likely explored common options such as steel enclosures or vibacrete walls. However, it is worthwhile to consider the many benefits timber fencing with an adequate wood treatment can offer.

Why should I build a timber fence?

A treated wooden fence offers supreme flexibility, and can be naturally resistant to inclement weather, unstable ground conditions, or pests, and requires minimal treatment.

Treated wooden fencing involves selecting building poles using a form of pressure treatment, whereafter each pole that constructs the fencing can be customized to one’s liking with paint or other decorations.

However, a treated timber fence can also be installed as-is without the need for further sealing or application.

Treated timber fences can be constructed quickly and can be assembled easily and cost-effectively, which can reduce installation costs substantially. Furthermore, timber fences can ideally be constructed in a variety of placements, and can also be easily disassembled or moved should an enclosure no longer be necessary.

Why should I use treated timber products?

Wood naturally requires maintenance to preserve its properties against the likes of pests, nature, or the weather. However, treated timber is used worldwide for a variety of applications and ensures that construction projects can last far longer than initially anticipated thanks to a lower risk of infestation, damage, or other failures.

Treated timber is naturally moisture resistant, meaning that there is a far lower likelihood of wood rotting or becoming unstable; further, treated timber fencing is resistant to pest or insect infestation, is naturally fire retardent, and can last up to 15 to 20 years.

As an end-to-end treated poles supplier, R&B Group grows and harvests its own timber poles which each go under a special treatment process.

The end product is a unique brand of hardwood treated pole called the HardPoleTM.

What pressure treatments are available?

R&B Timber Group offers two main forms of pressure treatment for its range of treated timber poles:

CCA treatments

CCA (Chromated copper arsenate) a preservative containing copper, chromium and arsenic that is designed to extend the lifespan of timber poles.  

CCA is applied is applied using a vacuum and pressure cycle, and is intended to protect timber against a variety of threats – including the likes of inclement weather or pest infestations.

Creosote treatmentS 

Coal-tar creosote is similarly applied through a pressure treatment and is toxic to fungi, insects and marine borer and is further water repellent.

R&B Timber group can supply poles in varying grades, lengths and diameters, depending on what the market requires. Normal lengths are from 1.2m up to 7.4m.

How should I install my wooden fence? 

In order to successfully install treated wooden fencing, it is vital to take note of several conditions surrounding where you plan to construct an enclosure. 

When planting treated poles into concrete, it is important to ensure that concrete only surrounds the sides of the poles.  

Ideally, there should not be a concrete layer directly under the pole as well or else any water that collects will not drain away properly. The pole itself should rather be rested on dry stones which will allow water to drain while concrete can then be poured around the sides of your wooden pole for stability. This will ensure the longevity of the structure.

Directly in the ground

A majority of treated timber posts are actually planted directly into the ground, rather than concrete.

Treated timber posts can be planted in ground that is ideally hard and not too sandy – compacted soil is ideal; however, if the ground surface where you plan to install an upright pole is loose, it is better to install into a concrete base.

A general rule of thumb is to ensure that an upright pole is buried deep enough in the ground so that it does not move or shift easily; installing at least one third of a post beneath ground level should be sufficient to achieve this.

In water

Generally, securing timber poles into water (for purposes such as creating a dock or jetty) is expensive and use specialised machinery that can prove damaging to the environment.

For this purpose, a simple solution which is generally far more environmentally friendly is to simply sink a wooden pole inside a concrete-filled bucket into the position you desire.

However, this method is generally only advised in a few applications and is only particularly useful in waterbodies where a strong current is not present. If these conditions can be met, poles can be secured easily by creating a chain system which holds their position in place.