How to protect cut H4 Pine from termites?

[kiranraob4u]

Hi, 

I bought few seconds H4 Treated Pine Round wihich are 3.5 m in length. I want to cut them into 3 m will be be safe from termites? with cut end outside and other end into the ground. can I paint the cut end to avoid any damage? 

I would like to erect them around garden beds. 50 cms depth will be fine for 3 m post? Can I directly put in the ground or it will best if I put cement around the post and how wide I should dug the hole?

Can Ryobi 18V ONE+ 165mm Circular Saw can cut 100mm H4 Treated Pine Round ?

Regards 

Kiran

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @kiranraob4u 

H4  treated  pine is great for you purpose. Treated  pine is chemically treated all the way through so a cut  timber is still protected  100%. Termite  wont touch them wood rot in 25 years may occur under  ground.  Sealing the underground ends touching the dirt in bitumous  paint will preserve them  longer should you  wish but added  expense, like  $55 so not feasable for a smaller project.

Yes a ryobi  165mm circular saw will cut a 100mm  round allthough you will need to cut it from the front and the back make  sure the whole log supported for the  cut including the off cut.  Cut it on the lawn if you dont have trestles. Timber that large are like small trees and will move  and splintter as you cut through them as the cut is almost complete and can fall and trap a fast moving blades spining and can cause seriuus injury and kick backs at the user.  Your cuts will rarly align 100% so bury  that rough end into the  ground saves time.

Before you  cut them lets work out what depth under ground  will suit your application.

Now the general  rule of thumb is depending on if the timbers will be under any side ways load. These guides assume yes  under load.

A- Sand 1/2 in sand   ie 3 meter length  1.5m is below sand

B- Dirt  1/3 of the post length needs to be in the ground and that leaves  2/3 sticking out thats in general  dirt. So thats 1 metre in the dirt 2M out. 

C- Heavy compacted  clay ground 1/4 length. thats approx 750mm under ground and 2.25M  out.

D - Concrete Might get away with 1/5 thats 600mm in the cement and 2.4meters out.

So you asked if 500mm into the ground on a 3M post That means  2.5M above  ground into cement.

ANSWER is cut your posts 3.1m  long and cement 600mm down on the post length  (draw lines around post at 600mm as s a guide.)

Dig your hole 700mm  deep to allow  100mm of concrete below your post this forms a cement shroud around your post giving it  further life span. 

 I mean put 100mm of concrete into the hole then your post then cement all around the post.

If your post is  too deep Lift it up a bit  the concrete will flow underneath,  If the post to high tap it down witha lump hammer or a  brick to the line drawn on the post.

,

[kiranraob4u]

Hi Jewelleryrescue,

Thanks for detailed informative input. How wide hole should be?

Regards 

Kiran  

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @kiranraob4u 

Your post is 100mm  try to  keep hole dia 200mm approx

Try make holes as  small as possible  using an auger or post hole shovel, This way the  nateral  ground supports your post ASAP as  a dirt or clay hole no cement will settle in and around the post no cement required.

You  can have 500mm holes but thats a lot of cement to fill around the post. 

Fun Fact.

Did you know  farmers used to only dig post holes to time it with the moon phases and maybe  still do as the moons gravity will compress the dirt and uncompress the  dirt and moisture as the moons  gravity actual elongates the planet earth in the same way  trillions of tons of sea water is moved.

So you should  dig during the dark of the moon to yeald less dirt and make digging easier.    

Bunnings  sells  torch batteries too.

[JacobZ]

Hi @kiranraob4u,

As @Jewelleryrescue has said, H4 treatments penetrate the core of the timber, so there is no issue with cutting them.

A 165mm circular saw will have no issues cutting the post, but you'll have to make at least two passes to get the whole way through. Make sure you lock the posts in place before cutting so they don't roll while you are cutting.

It's usually easiest to just concrete the posts in. You can hire a Post Hole Digger through your local Bunnings. They come with a 300mm auger, which is a good size for your hole. 

At this size, you should go about 600mm deep and use two 20kg bags of concrete per post.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[kiranraob4u]

Thanks Fun facts interesting 

[kiranraob4u]

Thanks Jacob