# Why is there no T-post perimeter fence on the prairies?



## Rectifier (Jun 12, 2011)

Hi,
I have several miles of falling down fence that I need to repair. Previous rancher was propping up the barb with any sticks he found, some are quite funny to look at.
The job looks easily done with pounder and steel T posts as corners and strainers are still intact.

However nobody uses T posts out here, I haven't seen one from the Rockies to my place in the middle of SK. When asked people just say wood is free - but untreated wood doesn't last, and is much more work! I want a professional fence with years of low maintenance.

I am thinking of hauling a trailer full of T posts from Alberta coop (none available locally!) Unless anyone knows a real reason they are not suitable on the prairie! 
Fence is to be barb with page wire to be added later to contain cattle and sheep.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

what kind of soil do you have, I prefer wood, posts over T posts, (and currently wood posts are a few cents cheaper now, locally) but in real sandy ground the T posts can be been over out of the ground, (never bending the posts), some of my ground that bad but most is not,

as of late I put in a wood every 100 feet and two or three T post between depending on the fence and how it is used, and if it is electrified.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

$.

US Gov fence uses T post. 5 strand is how you spot a gov fence.

Couldn't you get a load delivered? Not sure how many would be on a pallet but it would be a bunch...


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## Rectifier (Jun 12, 2011)

Soil is a clay loam on the heavy clay side. Glacial till with many small rocks so digging is a pain. My tractor is too big to get in to some of the forests on the line so hand digging/pounding is the only option.
An issue is seasonal water, fence runs through some sloughs which may or may not be there depending what kind of year it is. This rots wood posts and loosens them so they fall over. I hoped T posts could be pulled and reset while wood are a write off if flooded.
I currently work in AB and am getting my ranch set up to operate next year, so I can haul posts on one of my many trips out.
AB T posts are cost competitive with SK wood as taxes are lower in AB.


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

DH prefers wood posts because it's easier to repair broken wires and keep the fence stretched tight using them. They'll last close to 50 years because we don't have a ton of rainfall and the "soil" is hardpan. Ironically, the only wooden fenceposts we've had trouble with came from Canada, about 15 years ago. I think there are ranchers in the neighborhood who'd still like to get their hands on that post salesman.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

T-posts don't last forever. Fence at this house was up less than 30 years before the t-posts rusted off at ground level. PITA to dig the barbed part out. OTOH, my grandpa had some wooden posts that lasted close to 100 years, mostly locust or hedge apple. 

If you do put in t-posts, try painting them with some good paint right at the area where the top of the ground will be. That's what I've tried. Don't know if I'll be around in 30 years to see if it works though.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Don't know your area but how is the wildlife in the area. Many places around here elk tear down fences in the migration. Propped up wood fences are easer to deal with the repairs then trying to bend up all the layed over posts and broken wires.

WWW


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

cows will push over a tee post fence. you need some stronger posts every so often. if you build serious corner braces and have a shorter run you can get away with tee posts only, but you have to keep the wire tight.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

Rectifier said:


> Hi,
> I have several miles of falling down fence that I need to repair. Previous rancher was propping up the barb with any sticks he found, some are quite funny to look at.
> The job looks easily done with pounder and steel T posts as corners and strainers are still intact.
> 
> ...


 http://www.rohrermfg.com/


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## Rectifier (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks for all the input! I am not planning to build a 100% T-post fence, but just use them as line posts in weak areas to repair the fence. Sounds like they will work well when mixed with wood. I also plan to run a top electrified wire to discourage leaning, cows can push over most fences if they want to!
Didn't know about the rust problem and I wonder how they would do vs wood when submerged.
Re: rohrer pounder, I've heard they are great. I would love to get one and build a PTO compressor for my old 10HP JD yard tractor, pull a trailer of posts and just slam them in


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Danaus29 said:


> T-posts don't last forever. Fence at this house was up less than 30 years before the t-posts rusted off at ground level. PITA to dig the barbed part out. OTOH, my grandpa had some wooden posts that lasted close to 100 years, mostly locust or hedge apple.
> 
> If you do put in t-posts, try painting them with some good paint right at the area where the top of the ground will be. That's what I've tried. Don't know if I'll be around in 30 years to see if it works though.


"Post oak" split posts last a lifetime... I have some peripheral fence my grandfather put in on this place, from the early 50's, still hard as steel.

Also, t-posts cost money. I remember in the 70's, my 70 year old grandpa was cutting down post oak trees, splitting them by hand, and using them... t-posts were around, but he was land rich and cash poor, and could split a lot of rails in a day...


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## Conhntr (Aug 7, 2010)

6$ for 6' tpost i just bought. Getting pricey!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

No post oaks around here. Seems like most every region has it's own natural fence post material.


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## jbo9 (Oct 30, 2012)

There are lots of steel t posts on the prairie south of the border. Each area has its own type of wood that works for fence posts. In Montana, cedar posts are common and last nearly forever. Do you have any cedar in your area? It depends on the soil and amount of moisture every year as to what will be better. Aroundhere, they used limestone that was easily quarried; there were no trees available when it was first settled. The posts have fallen over, but never rotten.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

An untreated post oak post in Missouri would be lucky to last 5 years. Most untreated posts here are cedar.

The best thing one can do to keep T posts from rusting off is to coat the bottoms with roofing tar. coat them to about 6" higher than one expects them to come out of the ground. Rust takes two things progress quickly; water and air. Right at the ground level the grass and duff keeps it wet with dew etc. and there is plenty of oxygen. Acid soils and soils with certain minerals will accelerate this process. The tar works better than paint.

I used to use regular "mule-hide" roofing tar that came in 5 gallon buckets. Don't know if they make it any more. Last time I coated some, I had some of that tar/aluminum paint roof coating left over so I used it. It was a little too thin. It is best to coat them in the summer and then let them dry for about a week before you use them.


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## doomas (Jun 25, 2013)

my best fence was using pvc pipe filled with concrete. 1 1/2 pipe can also be set in concrete. does not rot and will not burn..only problem is the sun working on it but has not taken any out of service yet. if you want electric..drill and thread tight wire through,,no insulator needed.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Conhntr said:


> 6$ for 6' tpost i just bought. Getting pricey!



Wow! That is high.

I just bought 2 dozen 5 footers for $2.35 each at Lowes in Houston. I think the 5.5 footers were still under $3.

Unfortunately, they were made in China!

How can they ship those heavy things all the way over here and sell them for that price and still make money? Even if the labor to make them was free....


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