Wooden Posts & Stakes: Naturally Sturdy for Paddocks and Fields

Wooden Posts & Stakes: The Sturdy Backbone of Your Paddock

Wooden posts and stakes are the classic basis for a permanent electric fence. They stay in place for many years, withstand the pull of tensioned conductors and look natural in the field. At corners, ends and gates in particular they are hard to replace. Combined with suitable insulators, a wooden post carries polywire, polyrope, polytape or wire safely without current leaking into the ground.

Robinia or Profiled Hardwood

Robinia is one of the most durable woods grown in Europe and needs no impregnation. Its posts have a naturally grown cross-section, and split posts work well as line posts. Hardwood posts with an even octagonal profile are easier to work with and give a calm, uniform fence line. With different diameters, rails and sturdy corner and gate posts, you can also build a permanent horse paddock from them.

Making Your Wooden Fence Last

Set corner and gate posts deeper and choose them sturdier than the line posts, and brace them with a strut on long fence lines. If you drive posts in rather than setting them in concrete, the base stays drier and the wood lasts longer. Screw the insulators on so that the conductor never touches the wood, because wet wood conducts. For an electric fence for horses, choose highly visible conductors so the animals can clearly recognise the boundary.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a wooden post last in the field?
That depends on the type of wood, the soil and the moisture. Robinia is considered especially resistant and can stand in the ground for many years. Well-made hardwood posts last longer if they do not stand in permanently wet soil.

Do I need insulators on a wooden post?
Yes, always fix the conductor to wood with insulators. Damp wood conducts electricity, and without an insulator the fence voltage would drop sharply. There are dedicated corner and gate insulators for corners and gates.

Concrete or drive in: which is better?
Driven posts usually stand more firmly and water drains away better at the base. Concrete holds moisture against the wood and makes it rot faster. In very loose soil, a thicker post or a strut is the better answer.