Saw a fence in Savannah that used old railroad ties for posts

I was down in Savannah, Georgia last week for a family thing and walked past this property with a fence that really caught my eye. The whole thing was built using reclaimed railroad ties as the posts, with standard cedar pickets nailed right into them. Has anyone here ever worked with that material before, and is it a good long-term idea or just asking for rot problems?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_rose13d ago

Those old railroad ties are soaked in creosote, a really strong preservative. I helped tear out a garden bed made from them and the stuff gets on everything. For a fence post in the ground, it might last decades but it can leach into the soil. I would worry about that near any plants or gardens. It is a cool look but comes with some real downsides you don't get with new pressure treated wood.

vera2913d ago

Plus the smell on a hot day... it's pretty strong and can get into your house if you're downwind.

lee.cora13d ago

So the creosote smell never really goes away?