[jaffab]

All,

This may look like a newbie question but.....

When we read books, blog posts, watch youtube videos.. its all about T-posts for fencing.     But the books/blogs/videos are generally American (not a conscious choice, its just there is more American content).

When I start looking around for prices, here in the UK its all wooden posts - which seem a lot harder to drive (and more expensive).

I can find suppliers of T-posts here in the uk, but they are the exception rather than the norm.

So, the question is, am I getting this wrong.    And why less t-posts in the UK?

They seem to inexpensive, and so much less work than wooden posts....

So for instance...

One of the few places we found selling T-posts was here....
https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/electric-fence/permanent-fence-posts/t-posts-and-accessories.html
100 t-posts = £765

When we look at wooden posts, 100 wooden posts (2.28m(All Round)Min.125mm Peeled Strainer Post (Jakcured)>) is coming in at £2k

What am I missing?

[SallyintNorth]

I guess most of us either build permanent stock fencing, for which you need the wooden posts and stock netting, no electric, or use electric fencing as a temporary measure in which case we use the removable electric fence posts.

[Fleecewife]

A strainer is not a fence post, it's a big sturdy thing about 20 cm in diameter which is concreted in place and braced and takes the strain of tensioned wire fencing or wire mesh fencing.  You are comparing the price of them with electric fence posts.

[jaffab]

Yes - good point.    It was a quick google.   
But, the point still remains, T-posts not being common (as far as I can tell) in the UK compared to the USA, and the wooden alternative still being more work/more expensive?

No?

[SallyintNorth]

Are you wanting an electric fence?  Or a non-electric fence? 

[jaffab]

Doing the planning on fencing at the moment.
For the pigs area - we are looking at 3 wire electric.   For everything else, non (although, wife and I currently disagreeing about top wire - electric v barbed).

[oor wullie]

If you look at Clipex or Versalok you'll find metal posts for strained wire fencing.

I guess the reason most people use wooden posts is that's what has been done for decades and metal posts look 'different'.

I've never used metal posts but probably will next time I'm puting up a new fence as wooden ones tend to rot after a alarmingly short time.

[landroverroy]

Yes - good point.    It was a quick google.   
But, the point still remains, T-posts not being common (as far as I can tell) in the UK compared to the USA, and the wooden alternative still being more work/more expensive?

No?

You consider T- posts at @ £9 each to be cheap?? Compared to tanalised wood ones with a 25 year guarantee for @£3?


Agreed they are easier to put in, but if you can get hold of someone with a machine to put the wooden ones in, they are not so difficult. Also you can run an electric wire/tape along the top which extends their life enormously.
I've used clipex and would not recommend it. The best metal posts I got are vineyard posts - new old stock for £1.50 each. They are galvanised posts that you can put in with a metal headed mallet - much easier than a sledgehanmmer, and they have convenient hooks about every couple of inches up the post. So once the stakes are in, all you have to do is hang your stock netting and barbed wire on it. Much quicker than staples. They are also much more substantial than T - posts.[size=78%]  [/size]

[jaffab]

You consider T- posts at @ £9 each to be cheap?? Compared to tanalised wood ones with a 25 year guarantee for @£3?


Agreed they are easier to put in, but if you can get hold of someone with a machine to put the wooden ones in, they are not so difficult. Also you can run an electric wire/tape along the top which extends their life enormously.
I've used clipex and would not recommend it. The best metal posts I got are vineyard posts - new old stock for £1.50 each. They are galvanised posts that you can put in with a metal headed mallet - much easier than a sledgehanmmer, and they have convenient hooks about every couple of inches up the post. So once the stakes are in, all you have to do is hang your stock netting and barbed wire on it. Much quicker than staples. They are also much more substantial than T - posts.
[/quote]

So are you suggesting wooden posts, or Vineposts?

[arobwk]

You consider T- posts at @ £9 each to be cheap?? Compared to tanalised wood ones with a 25 year guarantee for @£3?

Where are you getting your £3 posts please?  I'm confused about whether this question should be directed at @jaffab or at @landroverroy - whatever, what size 25-yr guaranteed tantalised post can be bought for just £3 ??

[honeyend]

I am replacing my very expensive wooden posts, top of the range, with Clipex, as they rot or break, they have only been in six years.I have electric fence and stock fence and Clipex is amazing, a one husband job, with a rammer even on clay. Nothing chews or leans on it.

[arobwk]

Chuckling @honeyend at the "one husband job" remark! 

[naturelovingfarmer]

t-posts are not optimal for electric wire, they're actually made to support mesh fencing. You can put insulators on them to use them with electric wire, but they're designed for mesh.