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Had a cedar post snap clean at the base on a job in Bend last month
It was a 4x4 that looked solid, but the core was rotten. We had to pull the whole section and reset with a new post, which added half a day. Anyone have a good trick for spotting that kind of rot before you set it?
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diana_wright26d ago
Try a moisture meter on the end grain.
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blake_owens3d ago
Used to just trust my eyes and a hammer tap. That moisture meter trick on the end grain showed me how wrong I was. Now it's the first thing I do.
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Man, "looked solid" is the worst kind of lie a piece of wood can tell you lol. Been there, feels like a total betrayal. I usually give the base a few good whacks with my hammer before it goes in the hole, not just a tap. If it sounds hollow or feels soft, it's a no go. Saves you from that exact half day of swearing and extra work.
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