A protective sleeve could hold the key to preserving fenceposts and stakes from decay and rot for not just years but decades, ensuring that timber, not steel, concrete or plastic, remains the material of choice for fence posts the world over.
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 preservative treatment) showed zero failures after 25 years of in-ground exposure.
“This is a major milestone for us,” said Tony Young, Head of International Sales for Postsaver, who spoke exclusively to Wood Central yesterday. “To see our product perform so well under long-term, independent scrutiny validates everything we’ve worked towards.”
Postsaver was established by Richard George, who with his brother, Jim George, tapped into their experience in the plastics industry to create Postsaver in the early 1990s, developing a product that stops costly ground-line rot by targeting fungi, oxygen and moisture. Today, it offers a 20-year post-replacement guarantee, has sold over 10 million sleeves, in 30 countries worldwide.
“Whilst preservative dip treated stakes showed signs of decay after a few years of field testing, preservative dip treated stakes fitted with Postsaver sleeves have not failed after 25 years of field testing,” Young said. “After 25 years, these stakes do not show any signs of decay.”
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, 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,” Young said.
According to Young, Postsaver is a potential lifesaver for public infrastructure projects, with the new study “opening new doors for collaboration within the wood protection industry and inspiring 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.
