The thing with cedar posts that nobody tells you about straightness

I’ve been putting up fences for about 4 years now, mostly residential stuff around the suburbs. One thing I keep seeing new guys mess up is assuming cedar posts are straight just because they look good on the pile. Last summer I had a job in Clermont where the homeowner bought a whole pallet of 8-footers from a big box store. I set them all in concrete before checking the grain, and 3 of them bowed out nearly 2 inches each after a week of sun. Now I always lay each post on a flat surface and sight down it before I dig a hole, especially with cedar because it twists as it dries. Has anyone else dealt with that sudden curve showing up after you’ve already tamped the concrete?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah9142d ago

Oh man, I was totally the opposite for a while, thought cedar was the gold standard for staying true. But yeah, after a few jobs where the posts did exactly that twist after setting, I started checking every single one on the ground first too, no exceptions.

margaretj402d ago

Truth is, nobody checks the ground conditions before they set the post. That's the real issue right there. Soft ground, clay, sand - all going to grab that cedar different and pull it crooked no matter how straight you set it. Always test the soil first with a probe or dig a test hole before you even pick up a post. Makes more difference than the wood type half the time.