I'm building with them and would like to keep them sturdy, what should I be painting them with to maintain them for a few more years?
pauldw,
Jul 19, 8:15pm
Give some more info on these poles. If they are new they are likely to be H5 treated and paint would only be needed for decoration.
martin11,
Jul 19, 8:17pm
Lot of the earlier poles were hardwoods or larch , not radiata .
annies3,
Jul 19, 9:55pm
Saw a beautiful home built from these in a publication recently, I wouldn't think they need anything to preserve them, they appeared to be sawn in half lengthways with the flat side inside the building and round outside, the flat side was finished and looked great.
kerinandsteve,
Jul 20, 12:55am
I'm certain it is one of the hardwoods but as they are old I'd like to maximise their longevity. They are not creasoted like sleepers. It's not paint I want to put on them but some additional treatment like H5 as there are parts that are a bit dodge
annies3,
Jul 20, 12:57am
If you are going to live in this building I wouldn't go there, you are probably better to cut out the dodgy bits.
jonners2013,
Jul 20, 3:28am
i'd imagine your first step should be to find out what wood it is as that will impact what if any treatment is required.
comadi,
Jul 20, 4:37am
It depends on what you are building out of them, whether they will in ground or above etc. Softwoods like larch were usually treated with creosote, and you will know in an instant of drilling or cutting them if they are creosoted by the smell despite the age. Whilst there were a small number of the hardwoods bought into NZ that were treated with CCA treatment; most were not. The give away with Hardwoods is when you try to nail them, and use your chainsaw on them; they's hard ;-)
Using timber with 'dodgy bits' is once again totally dependant on what you are building, but a quality wood stain like this
Used engine oil mixed with kero or diesel works a treat.
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