Posts bent like a bannana

[mk2phil]

I left a fence post lying down on the grass over the ridiculously hot weekend, then last night I decided to move it back to where I've been storing them (will be fitting them shortly). When I picked it up and looked down th barrel of it, it was quite badly bent out of shape - and it was bolt straight when I bought it as I checked them all thoroughly.

Should this happen - is this typical of leaving posts lying in the sun all day (the same has also happened to some gravel boards I have)?

Will the posts do the same when they've been erected? Will wood preserver/protector do anything towards minimising this? The posts are planed and reeded if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance

 

[JohnD]

I think it is because you left in on the grass in the sun.

The sunny side will be dry, and have shrunk

The grass side will be wet, and will have expanded.

If you leave it upright to equalise it will probably straighten in a few days.

Wood preserver (like Cuprinol) will help stop it rotting, but the waxy stains will reduce water penetration. Timber in contact with the ground will be damp and not last long.

 

[mk2phil]

I'm going to soak the buried ends of the posts in Cuprinol wood preserver, and then paint the rest of the post and panels in some kind of cuprinol 'ducksback' type stain.

Is this best way to get maximum life from the fence posts and panels?