? Cutting your own trees for poles

[CHICKENHEAD]

I have 20 acres of oak and hickory trees. I am looking at building a pole barn. Has anyone ever cut their own trees for the poles for a pole barn? I know people have done it, but whats the process. Do you have to cut them and let them dry for so long?

[DM]

I see folks doing this every once in a while, but they all wish they had not done so 15 or so years on down the road, when the poles are rotting at ground level and below.

Don't make a "poor" investement in your new bld., buy the poles going in the ground, and use all of your own lumber for the rest of the bld. that's above ground..

And NO there's nothing that YOU can buy that will preserve them, no matter what home remedy someone here will tell you works...

You see this question often on sawmill forums, and in the end, the same answer i just told you, IS the answer.

Sell some oak, and buy PT poles rated for in ground use...

DM

[flatwater]

Thats not entirerly true about the poles. My Dad took some pine trees (8 inch dia.) and used them for support post for a large wood shed. He took tar paper and rapped the ends that went in the ground and set the post on a flat piece of cement that sat on some gravel. He tampt driveway gravel around the post instead of dirt. That wood shed out lasted my dad. It's solid and is still standing after 85 years. Part of the success is having at least a 2 foot overhang.
Flatwater

[Deberosa]

I am not sure how they put the poles in the ground for my barn, but they are all cedar. They go down the inside of the barn and for the rafters and beams. There is a foundation for the main barn and cedar timber and poles on that part.

The inside poles are still solid, the lean-to poles that get exposed to more weather are wearing and rotting. But for an 80 year old barn it sure has stood the test of time!

[DM]

Both of those buildings were built many many years ago with "old growth" logs... There's a HUGE amount of difference between todays logs and old growth logs...

My neighbor put a roof over his sawmill using his own 8x8 poles he sawed out... Less than 10 years later we had a big wind that blew his bld. down... The poles were already rotting, and couldn't stand the side load... My barn on the other hand, build with 6x6 PT poles is still standing fine, and mine was build many years before his...

Don't confuse todays tree's with old growth logs...

DM

[CHICKENHEAD]

Good advice everyone. I think I will just figure a way to save some money and try to buy some 5x5 pt post. I am looking at building a 32x 28 barn. For now I just need a roof. I dont need the sides yet so I should be able to do it a lot cheaper than a whole barn. I dont have the meens to cut my own lumber.

[flatwater]

Here in eastern Washington State there are a number of small family run saw mills that will cut full dimension lumber for a lot less then you can buy from the local lumber stores. I'm going to build an underground house starting this year and will be in need of some myself.
Flatwater