Wood for posts

[firemanmarc]

Hello, We have an abundance of cherry, red oak, white oak, ash, sugar maple and silver maple. Which would be the best to mill for posts to make a lean to onto a garage?? I appreciate any insight. Thank you, Marc

 

[Sawyer Rob]

How long do you want it to last?? I wouldn't use any you named, and for what a pressure treat post cost, why built something that won't last??

Buy PT post, and saw out the rest of the lumber you need out of LOW GRADE logs...

Rob

 

[jimdad07]

I agree with Rob, however, if you can get your hands on some good sized cedar logs, then you might be able to build some something that will last out in the weather. The other wood might be alright if you keep it out of the elements.

 

[A. Stanton]

No big expert on wood, but what if you treated the bottom of the posts with some kind of fence-post treatment that would keep water from wicking up. Or used some kind of galvanized post bracket at the base, cemented down, to keep the base of the post off the ground. You could also use some type of exterior clear coat sealant to protect the whole post. I thought too of making scarf joints in the posts at the base. If you have an abundance of wood make extra joints for just the base. Then use a fastening system that would be easy to swap out the bases if they rotted away.

 

[headleyj]

no doubt white oak for any ground contact. If it's any other species just put a galvanized standoff post under it.

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/ab-aba-abe-abu.asp

here's the kind I favor. I've seen it before - slap the posts on top of the conc/ or in the ground, then they rot off. My dad has a 20 year old deck with these standoffs - never treated with any kind of sealant/ stain, nothing....just regular PT wood - zero rot.

You can guess how I built my deck

 

[dms]

When I built my second storydeck 5 years ago those standoffs were mandated by CODE. They seem to do a great job.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Oak or ash, and do NOT put them on the ground. Use a footing of some kind.

http://www.altavista.com/web/results?itag=ody&q=Deck+Footings&kgs=1&kls=0


Before you put them up, slop some treatment on them.

http://www.altavista.com/web/results?itag=ody&q=wood+treatment&kgs=1&kls=0



Done.

 

[firemanmarc]

Thank you guys for the replies.. I had thought to put them up off the ground. I do plan on enclosing the area when its done... Thank you again, Marc

 

[Mike Van]

If you can find some black locust out there, use it. It's as roi resistant as anything you'll find.