He has fenced a 10-acre field at his East Midlands farm using 400 posts fitted with Postsaver protective sleeves by his fencing contractor, which are specially designed to keep timber preservatives in and decay out.
Richard, who is chairman of the Notts branch of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), hopes the exercise will prove useful, particularly as he plans to expand on the range of conservation schemes at his 2,500-acre farm in Blidworth.
“I have had a few problems where animals have pushed over posts that have rotted prematurely so a low-cost product that can help extend the life of timber posts to perhaps 15 years or more could prove to be very beneficial,” said Richard.
Fencing supplier and timber treatment specialist Jon Walker of Calverton recommended the application of Postsaver sleeves as an added layer of protection to the chestnut posts he has provided for the exercise.
“These sleeves involve only a very small extra cost and they are a good combination with posts that have been treated with the correct strength of preservative solution required for ground contact timbers,” commented Jon, who has 25 years’ experience in the industry and whose business treats 150 tonnes of timber a week.
Designed to protect the most vulnerable part of a fence post from rotting organisms, Postsaver is a tough, double layer polythene and bituminous sleeve developed by brothers Richard and Jim George in response to changes in EU preservative legislation.
“Many farmers and landowners are unaware of the growing problem of premature fence failure associated with the ban on traditional copper, chrome and arsenic preservatives in favour of more environment-friendly options.
Postsaver sleeves are produced in a range of sizes to fit all popular round and square post sizes. They are easily applied using a simple hand-held gas burner or with a pro-mill machine where large volumes of fencing are being treated.
