1
Had a cedar post snap clean at the base on a job in Bend last month
It was a 4x4 that looked solid, but the core was rotten. We had to pull the whole section and reset with a new post, which added half a day. Anyone have a good trick for spotting that kind of rot before you set it?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
diana_wright25d ago
Try a moisture meter on the end grain.
2
blake_owens3d ago
Used to just trust my eyes and a hammer tap. That moisture meter trick on the end grain showed me how wrong I was. Now it's the first thing I do.
8
Man, "looked solid" is the worst kind of lie a piece of wood can tell you lol. Been there, feels like a total betrayal. I usually give the base a few good whacks with my hammer before it goes in the hole, not just a tap. If it sounds hollow or feels soft, it's a no go. Saves you from that exact half day of swearing and extra work.
0