Structural Timber Posts
Structural timber posts in Melbourne
Greenhill Timbers stocks structural timber posts at our yard at 170 Settlement Road, Thomastown, with pickup or delivery across Melbourne and regional Victoria: H4 treated laminated posts for the ground, LOSP primed posts for painted work above ground, cypress fence posts, and solid-face Merbau posts for pergolas and verandahs that will be seen.
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Treated Post 88×88 H4 GL CCA
From $51.55 -
Treated Post 112×112 H4 GL CCA
From $98.80 -
Treated Post 135×135 H4 GL CCA
From $139.00 -
Treated Post 185×185 H4 GL CCA
From $537.95 -
Cypress Post 100×100 Sawn
From $37.44 -
LOSP Primed Pine Post 112×112
From $115.20 /each -
LOSP Primed Pine Post 135×135
From $177.55 /each -
LOSP Primed Pine Post 185×185
From $588.00 /each
Posts that go in the ground
Treated Post 88 × 88 H4 GL CCA, 112 × 112, 135 × 135 and 185 × 185 are glue-laminated to GL8 and CCA treated to H4, the hazard class for timber in contact with the ground under AS 1604. Lengths run from 2.4 m to 6.0 m (185 mm in 2.7 to 3.6 m). Because they are laminated from kiln-dried finger-jointed pine they have no pith centre, so they stay straighter than a solid sawn post. Cypress 100 × 100 mm sawn F7 is the traditional Melbourne fence post: naturally termite resistant, rated durability class 2 in the ground, in 2.4 to 3.6 m. From $37.44 a post.
Posts that sit above ground
LOSP primed pine posts in 88, 112, 135 and 185 mm are H3 treated, primed and undercoated, ready for a top coat, which makes them the pick for a painted verandah or a white picket fence. H3 is an above-ground rating, so set them on a galvanised post stirrup in 90 or 115 mm, not in concrete. Merbau posts with a solid face in 90, 115 and 140 mm are the feature option for pergolas and outdoor rooms, oiled rather than painted.
Which size
For a fence, 88 or 100 mm posts at 2.4 m centres. For a pergola or verandah with light roofing, 112 or 115 mm is the usual size; 135 and 140 mm carry longer beams and look right on a bigger structure, and 185 mm is for large spans and commercial work. Your engineer or the span tables in AS 1684 decide the final size for anything holding up a roof, and we cut to the length on your plans.
Setting a post
An in-ground post goes about 600 mm into the hole for a fence and deeper for a roofed structure, set in Rapid Set Concrete with the top of the concrete sloped away from the timber. A coat of Sceney’s Bituminous Black on the buried end adds a moisture barrier. Above ground, a stirrup with a 200 to 600 mm leg into the footing keeps the end grain dry.
CCA and where it is allowed
CCA treatment is approved for posts, fencing and structural work. It is not permitted for decking boards, handrails, garden furniture or play equipment, so use the LOSP or Merbau posts where hands will touch the timber every day.
Bring your plans in or call (03) 9465 9875 and we will work out post count, lengths and stirrups. See also our framing timber, LVL beams and picket fencing range.
Questions we get asked about timber posts
Can H3 treated posts go in the ground?
No. H3 is an above-ground rating. For posts set in the ground use the H4 treated laminated posts or a cypress post, and put H3 LOSP posts on a stirrup.
What size post for a pergola?
88 or 90 mm posts for a fence or a light pergola, 112 or 115 mm for a verandah or carport, 135 or 140 mm for bigger spans. Anything carrying a roof follows your plans or the AS 1684 span tables.
How deep should fence posts go?
At least 600 mm for a standard fence, deeper for taller fences and for anything carrying a roof. Set them in Rapid Set Concrete with the top of the concrete sloped away from the timber.
Which post for a painted verandah?
The LOSP primed pine posts. They are H3 treated, primed and undercoated, so they only need a top coat, and they sit on a galvanised stirrup above the ground.