Pole shed

morgan in ar · Dec 20, 2015

I need to build a pole shed, and I want to use what I have. I have some straight black walnut poles, bark and sapwood all gone, just heartwood left standing. Will walnut hold up in the ground? My other option might be sassafras. I don't have any cedar to speak of, and all the hedge is too crooked. What else? White oak? Thanks

Andy Martin · Dec 20, 2015

Black walnut is pretty rot resistant, if it's not big enough to sell and buy treated wood. Even small walnut logs have some real value. Hedge is the best of course, better than treated wood. Old power poles work pretty good too. White oak would not be a good choice. I don't know about sassafras, I know it makes good tool handles.

You might bury the hedge and splice white oak above ground.

ohiojim · Dec 21, 2015

walnut will not hold up in the ground, might go treated below and splice your walnut above ground,..that's how they're doing it around here for there pole barns..

FBH44 · Dec 21, 2015

Could I recommend making it last for a LONG time? Just burying poles in the ground, you're literally inviting the fungus, termites, worms, etc. to lunch and it won't take long to see rot. You do not want that. Spend just a small amount on 80# bags of concrete mix. Dig down 12" diameter holes a few feet down, fill with scrap steel and wire and pieces of old T-posts, and stick in an angle iron corner for each post. Have the angle corner stick up a foot or two. Make up a circular or square form 6" or 8" above grade, and fill with with concrete mix. The 80# bags cost only a few dollars. Make sure the posts sit 6" or 8" above grade. I've done that, and every time i walk by, and I see NO rot or termites of bugs eating away, I smile. Will last a LONG time.

Pair-a-dice farm · Dec 21, 2015

I've never used black walnut but white oak works if it's kept dry. If you are in North AR you might find some red cedar. I've got red cedar fence posts that have been in the ground over 35 years. Look for cedar that has grown in rocky ground, it will have more red heart wood.

L.Fure · Dec 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 04:26:00 12/21/15) Black walnut is pretty rot resistant, if it's not big enough to sell and buy treated wood. Even small walnut logs have some real value. Hedge is the best of course, better than treated wood. Old power poles work pretty good too. White oak would not be a good choice. I don't know about sassafras, I know it makes good tool handles.

You might bury the hedge and splice white oak above ground.

I think you have that backwards. Black walnut won't last in the ground very long. White oak should last from 15-20 years in the ground. Untreated post rot at ground level. That's the best environment for fungus to grow. If you don't have anything to treat the post with you should char the end of the post in a fire. I have done this with good results.

L.Fure · Dec 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:10:15 12/21/15) Could I recommend making it last for a LONG time? Just burying poles in the ground, you're literally inviting the fungus, termites, worms, etc. to lunch and it won't take long to see rot. You do not want that. Spend just a small amount on 80# bags of concrete mix. Dig down 12" diameter holes a few feet down, fill with scrap steel and wire and pieces of old T-posts, and stick in an angle iron corner for each post. Have the angle corner stick up a foot or two. Make up a circular or square form 6" or 8" above grade, and fill with with concrete mix. The 80# bags cost only a few dollars. Make sure the posts sit 6" or 8" above grade. I've done that, and every time i walk by, and I see NO rot or termites of bugs eating away, I smile. Will last a LONG time.

This will be your best option if you don't use treated post. I know of a shed that was constructed like this using cottonwood for lumber. The shed has been standing for more than eighty years.

Grey · Dec 21, 2015

Grandpa used to say a good locust pole or post would wear out two holes.

MarkB_MI · Dec 21, 2015

If you value your time at all, the cost of ground-contact-rated pressure treated posts is a small fraction of the total cost of your building. Anything else, and you're putting up a temporary structure. Not to mention it's a lot easier to nail purlins to a square post than a round one.

Weldon K · Dec 21, 2015

Look at the site in link below. Click on PRODUCTS in top center of page. Three topics will drop down. Click on them one at the time and read them through. Will give you some good ideas about poles and replacing them after they rot. Better yet spend a little more up front with some of these product systems and NEVER have to replace a rotted post.
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Pole shed

morgan in ar

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Andy Martin

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ohiojim

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FBH44

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Pair-a-dice farm

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L.Fure

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L.Fure

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Grey

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MarkB_MI

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Weldon K

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