Line post

[RickH]

I want to erect post, the top of which will be an anchor point for a line (similar to washing line)

I can bolt post to a brick wall, with 1.2m of post extending above top of wall.
Loading (line pull) would be at 90 degree to wall.

I could use a 50x 50 treated timber, my concern is whether it will remain stiff enough, typical ‘treated’ timber in builders merchants & B&Q, is not very close grained … not much better than carcassing quality.

Anybody know of a better ‘performing’ treated wood?
I could I suppose go up to 38x63 cls and use that ‘on edge’

I know a piece of angle iron would be better, but would not look good in garden.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

... typical ‘treated’ timber in builders merchants & B&Q, is not very close grained … not much better than carcassing quality.

That's because it is whitewood aka pine or carcassing. If you want better quality you need to look for C24 structural grade (available in treated) or possibly a joinery grade redwood - but they generally don't sell that treated. C24 is stiffer and has less knots than standard C16 structural studding. Specify CLS or PSE finish. May only be available at bigger merchants

 

[RickH]

I was after some CLS last week …. Must have gone through 20 lengths to find one without large knots.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

I was after some CLS last week …. Must have gone through 20 lengths to find one without large knots.

Here's the thing, though, CLS is meant to be carcassing - it's used to do stuff like building stud walls where it will ultimately be overboarded with sheet material in most cases, so it doesn't matter what it looks like. If you get a good piece, that's really just pot luck sometimes. Some timber merchants do offer better quality CLS from time to time, but the visible quality varies tremendously for us in the trade as well. We don't like knotty timber because knots are where warping, twisting and cracking often seem to radiate from. The one thing you can be certain of is that CLS graded C24 is going to be less knotty than C16 simply because it has a higher strength and therefore is permitted less defects. But it isn't defect free. What grading was on the stuff you bought? (ink jet printed on one edge, normally)

Frankly, if you want clear, almost knot-free timber you have to consider switching from whitewood (pine) to redwood. "FAS" (firsts and seconds grade) redwood is almost knot free because that is a show grading, but you won't get it pressure treated as a rule, because it is sold to make joinery products. If you specify "FAS" (firsts and seconds) as the quality you'll get the clearest stuff, but most of the time we get "5ths and unsorteds* from merchants which can require a bit of juggling to hide the defects,. Try to find a timber yard who sell to volume customers or who offer a selection of hardwoods, rather than going to a general builders merchants or worse still B&Q. At least then you stand a chance of being offered some useable stuff.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Who is going to be looking at this? Can you "hide" the angle iron with the post? ie, it will look like a wooden post from one side but will actually have the angle iron screwed to it.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Who is going to be looking at this? Can you "hide" the angle iron with the post? ie, it will look like a wooden post from one side but will actually have the angle iron screwed to it.

I would use a scaffold pole, bottom set in the ground, top fixed by a bracket.

 

[Mottie]

The Washing Line Pole Shop

Washing Line Poles -Made in the UK- Delivered to your door.

washinglinepoles.co.uk

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The Washing Line Pole Shop

Washing Line Poles -Made in the UK- Delivered to your door.

washinglinepoles.co.uk

Expensive, when compared to a scaff pole, bought from a passing scaff truck.