A protective sleeve could hold the key to preserving fenceposts and stakes from decay and rot for decades, ensuring that timber, not steel, concrete or plastic, remains the material of choice for fence posts.
It comes after a landmark field study conducted by the BRE (Building Research Establishment)—Europe’s top independent timber testing authority—found stakes using Postsaver’s dual-layer ground-line barrier sleeves (used in combination with a mild dip preservation) showed zero failures after 25 years of exposure.
“This is a major milestone for us,” said Richard George, CEO of Postsaver, who spoke to the UK-based Timber Trades Journal yesterday. “To see our product perform so well under long-term, independent scrutiny validates everything we’ve worked towards.”
Mr George and his brother (Jim) tapped into their experience in plastics to develop Postsaver in the early-to-mid 1990s, improving upon a product that stops costly ground-line rot by targeting fungi, oxygen and moisture. Today, it offers a 20-year guarantee, has sold over 10 million sleeves, and has supplied 30 countries.
“Whilst preservative dip treated stakes started to decay after 3 years of field testing, preservation dip treated stakes fitted with Postsaver sleeves have not failed after 25 years of field testing.”
Claire Powell, Head of Marketing for Postsaver.
Postsaver’s dual-layer barrier sleeve technology combines a tough, heat-shrinkable outer layer with a meltable inner seal, locking in preservatives and sealing out decay threats at the most vulnerable section of the post: the ground line. By physically blocking moisture, oxygen and fungal intrusion, it locks in preservatives where needed most, reducing leaching into the soil and maximising the effectiveness of treatments by holding them in place over time.
“This synergistic approach means better protection with less chemical waste and, ultimately, a longer lifespan for timber installations,” Ms Powell said.
According to Mr George, who spoke to Wood Central last year about Polesaver, a potential lifesaver for at-risk utility networks, the new findings “will help open new doors for collaboration within the wood protection industry and inspire greater confidence in wood as a long-lasting, sustainable construction material.”
Wood Central understands that the BRE used its Notional Decay Rating (NMDR) system—a visual inspection methodology defined in EN25—to assess performance. All stakes have returned to the field for future monitoring.
