Topping gate posts

[sandspider]

Hi all

 

Had a fence put up recently, and want it to last. I'd like to top the gate posts and straining posts with something that will last, and stop water from getting into the end grain. (There's a crack opened in the top of one post already) Posts are 8" round creosoted, and I can't find any large round post caps! What's the best thing to cap them with? Lead? Wood but with the grain horizontal rather than vertical? Plastic? Ideally the cheaper and more easily available the better!

Also, what's the best way to attach them? If lead I'd just fold it round I suppose, but wood / plastic would need a nail or two, then the nail hole would let water through and into the post... Don't think gripfix or similar would stick to creosoted wood, plus it's damp at the moment anyway.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Cheers.

[se7enthdevil]

how many are there?

 

i could turn you what you need...

[Luckyeleven]

Plywood

[sandspider]

how many are there?

 

i could turn you what you need...

 

Only 5 or 6. Thanks, but I'm after something cheap, easily available and waterproof rather than pretty.

 

Plywood

 

That would probably do it! But how to fix to the posts without letting water in?

[Mortimer Firewood]

I'd the posts are pressure treated and not been cut I'd leave them as there more likely to rot off at the bottom.

 

If they have been cot off at the top then yes lead cut to and inch bigger than the post and gently form it to a cup over the post and fix with the nails used on felt roofs the name of which escapes me.

[Goaty]

Aluminium, would need something bigger than a beer can though. Lead gets nicked. A bitumous paint on the top and an inch down the sides to hold it on should last a while.

 

 

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[rapalaman]

I'd the posts are pressure treated and not been cut I'd leave them as there more likely to rot off at the bottom.

 

If they have been cot off at the top then yes lead cut to and inch bigger than the post and gently form it to a cup over the post and fix with the nails used on felt roofs the name of which escapes me.

 

Clout nails

[Commando]

I'd the posts are pressure treated and not been cut I'd leave them as there more likely to rot off at the bottom.

 

If they have been cot off at the top then yes lead cut to and inch bigger than the post and gently form it to a cup over the post and fix with the nails used on felt roofs the name of which escapes me.

 

Exactly my thoughts, more likely to rot off at ground level before etc top rots. You could just dab the end grain with real creosote if you are worried about it.

[sandspider]

Posts have been pressure treated (I think) with creosote. Not entirely sure if the ends were cut or not! But I can see cracks in the end grain, which I imagine water must be sitting in. Won't this eventually work it's way down inside and rot the posts? Anything I can do to make them last longer would be good. I suppose a coating of bitumen and roofing felt would do it! And I already have both...

[Richard Thompson]

just coat the tops with tar, if you wanted after the tar add some sheet plastic,

around here people use tin cans for the small posts and sheet zinc for the strainers nailed down with a few nails but thats only for the gardens. the farmers use the posts au-natural and replace after they fall over due to rot