Holm Oak posts rot resistance
Paul Blake
Posts: 2
Hello, I have some newly cut, Holm Oak branches I would like to use to make structures to support climbing roses and vines. Does anyone know how rot resistant these are likely to be, especially the parts in the ground?
0
Posts
Unless they are thick limbs I don't think they are rot-resistant at all.
I know that oak fence posts last for a very long time, but they are made from a different part of the tree, if that makes sense.
Welshonion - I think you might be right, also that the wood being green and bark covered may be bad - but would like to know if anyone has tried it.
I just looked on the wood database, a site for woodworkers, and that states that Holm Oak has good rot resistance and has been used for boat building. That being said, ground contact is usually a different matter and encourages decay, and, as alluded to above, the branches are likely to be predominantly sapwood which in Oaks is not very resistant to rot. It is the heartwood that will last in the ground and so I imagine that your timber, in ground contact, is going to rot sooner rather than later.
If it's a big concern you can always pressure treat them.. However Oak in itself is a very dense wood, so I can only assume it should last a fair while before any decay begins to form. If you decide to give it a go, keep the thread posted as I personally would be interested in trying it myself in future!