Concreting cypress post in ground

[ecallarman]

I am hoping the TBH brain trust can yet again provide some guidance. I will be building my property overhead entrance with large peeled cypress logs. My question is, what can I do to prevent them from rotting in/at the ground? I was thinking cypress would resist rotting but I am seeing mixed feedback on the internet. My plan was to dig holes and concrete these posts in before hanging the top cross member, but I don’t want to have to deal with rotten posts in 5 years. What say TBH?

One thought I had was to coat the end of the post, that will be in the ground, with a rubberized coating to keep the moisture out of the post. Maybe even extend the rubberized coating above the ground 6 inches. My area/ground is Setx which is a nasty gumbo clay that can stay wet for prolonged periods.

[Copanocruisin]

I think you are on the right track. When I built my pole barn framed shop over 32 years ago I used treated 4x4s and coated them with roofing tar to above the slab level. I can still see the post good at Ground level and on the outside of the slab and I haven't seen any issues. I have 19 post and got a real good look at most of them after Hurricane Harvey. Just sayin.......cC

[ecallarman]

I think you are on the right track. When I built my pole barn framed shop over 32 years ago I used treated 4x4s and coated them with roofing tar to above the slab level. I can still see the post good at Ground level and on the outside of the slab and I haven't seen any issues. I have 19 post and got a real good look at most of them after Hurricane Harvey. Just sayin.......cC

Thank you for the input.

[dpg481]

I was just reading about something very similar this week using cedar posts. I was looking at the difference between using the cedar and ground contact treated posts. The articles I read stated there is a chemical reaction with the concrete and the natural wood will rot after a few years in the ground. I think you are probably on the right track with using a coating, but I also wonder if that coating itself will cause rot. I was wanting to mill the large cedar trees on our place to use as uprights for our barndo build, but after reading what I found I'm just going to buy ground contact posts that have a lifetime warranty.

[cva34]

I always heard Cyprees were Forever (almost post)....if thats true maybe just need concrete for stability (keep from leaning).....Could be wrong but what I heard!


Gota say ups its the siding boards on old barns and homes..(Not Post) sorry