Is this timber post no good?

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chez

93 posts

Master Geek

#284076 29-Mar-2021 16:37

I am not sure how long it's it's been like this but I was told that termites were treated long time ago. I've lost track of how much this progressed or not. What do you think of this timber. It's a timber post on my deck. The timber is sealed with concrete on the ground. There are no other similar look of this on the deck. Just this wood. If I need to replace it, would a licensed builder do the job?

wellygary

8328 posts

Uber Geek

#2682666 29-Mar-2021 16:49

I've seen plenty of fence posts that look like that.

Assuming its H4 or H5 unless you can see an actual insect invasion in it I wouldn't worry too much, if the look worries you, then you could paint it...

Bung

6489 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2682684 29-Mar-2021 17:48

AFAIK that's more likely to be a fold in the wood where there's been bark that got surrounded as the tree grew.

edge

423 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2682690 29-Mar-2021 18:09

Yep. As per @bung, it looks like a bark inclusion. You can get pests from such pockets such as the pine bark anobiid but, given that post has been there a long time it definitely won't be that. Any insects that might have been in there would likely have just found it a nice place to inhabit!!

"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of what he was never reasoned into."
— most commonly attributed to Jonathan Swift, author/theologian

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#2682705 29-Mar-2021 18:41

That looks like standard fencing timber to me.
Based on the knots, that part looks like the soft wood at the very center of the tree.

For that type of timber, posts are usually heart (center) wood. If you look at the end of a post, you can often see that soft bit near the middle.

Bung

6489 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2682777 29-Mar-2021 21:08

Andrew is right. It is pith. Even though they claim to be able to treat heartwood as well as sapwood, posts like that always seem to rot out faster. Timber cut from the centre of a pine log also is more likely to twist.

frankv

5680 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2682904 30-Mar-2021 09:12

chez:

I am not sure how long it's it's been like this but I was told that termites were treated long time ago. I've lost track of how much this progressed or not. What do you think of this timber. It's a timber post on my deck. The timber is sealed with concrete on the ground. There are no other similar look of this on the deck. Just this wood. If I need to replace it, would a licensed builder do the job?

Termites aren't commonly an issue in NZ.

What is your post holding up? Roof eaves or a balcony? Stick a knife or screwdriver into it to see if it's soft (i.e. rotten) or not. Push against the post to see how much it bends compared to other posts. If it's not rotten and doesn't bend, it'll be fine.

chez

93 posts

Master Geek

#2684101 30-Mar-2021 15:31

Thanks guys. It's all good.