Best protection for exterior softwood?

[melvinmaggot]

Hi, Am in the process of buying some 7 inch square posts that will be used as alternative to railway sleepers for a very small retaining wall in the garden (the sleepers were too wide). Not sure if the posts are pressure treated or not.A few questions:
1. Does anyone have any ideas on what the best treatment is for both types of softwood(pressure treated or untreated)? Is it ok to use the normal cuprinol or ronseal garden fence style products?
2. If the wood has been pressure treated and i cut it in half do i need to treat the ends or does the preservative treatment run all the way thru?
3. Is it ok to do this as soon as i buy the posts, or should i wait for them to 'weather' before treating?

Any ideas greatfully received

Cheers

Melv.

 

[r896neo]

if its been pressure treated, which i hope it has, it doesn't need treated after you cut it. the best preservative products will depend on whether or not it has been treated so best find that out.

 

[mattylad]

You would be best buying it pre treated.

 

[melvinmaggot]

ok - now have confirmed it's been treated - so it sounds like there's no real need to do anything else with it. However, if i decided i wanted to add another layer of protection or maybe stain the wood, what would be the best products (preferably something you can buy from the large DIY chains.

Thanks again for your help to date

 

[oilman]

if i decided i wanted to add another layer of protection or maybe stain the wood, what would be the best products (preferably something you can buy from the large DIY chains.

You have to choose, you can't have both.

 

[melvinmaggot]

..that's why I used the term 'preferably'.