How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

[kebwi]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Let the pole sit on a bucket of water before. So It'll be swollen before getting wet from the concrete. Then just proceed as Tscarborough suggested. Idea being that it'll shrink once the concrete has dried and will be easier to remove even if the plastic has been compressed too much.

Other way might be to put one layer of bubble wrap and then normal plastic. That way you should be able to wriggle the pole out.

Nifty. I think the soaking idea occurred to me and then I completely forgot about it...of course, it may never dry out embedded in a tight three foot hole, but it's still a good idea.

[Laku]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Let the pole sit on a bucket of water before. So It'll be swollen before getting wet from the concrete. Then just proceed as Tscarborough suggested. Idea being that it'll shrink once the concrete has dried and will be easier to remove even if the plastic has been compressed too much.

Other way might be to put one layer of bubble wrap and then normal plastic. That way you should be able to wriggle the pole out.

[kebwi]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Wrap the pole with multiple layers of plastic, you want 1/8" to a 1/4" of slack. You can shim the post after you put it back in. Underneath the pole you will want some gravel for drainage as well.

I had a similar thought. My only concern was that the plastic -- being somewhat compressable -- might tighten up against the pole during pouring/setting so hard that I can' get the pole out...but that was basically the idea I was converging on.

[kebwi]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Wrapping the wood in plastic just ensures that it will retain moisture, and rot faster. Even wolmanized will rot like that. It just takes longer

I could just use the plastic while pouring the concrete to prevent the wood from sticking to the concrete. Once set, I could remove the pole, take off the plastic, and reinsert the pole. Point taken however.

Are you talking about a 4x4 post? Maybe you could get a steel 4x4 post that is slightly larger and then mount the steel in the concrete with a few feet sticking out. Then just slide in the wooden post in to ground level. Fill in the metal tube so its level (inside) with the ground and have a few weepholes at ground level so it does not retain water.

Not a bad idea, except for potential expense (I see similar things done with PVC, but I can' reconcile the shapes (round hole, square/rectangular peg, you know the deal)).

[Tscarborough]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Wrap the pole with multiple layers of plastic, you want 1/8" to a 1/4" of slack. You can shim the post after you put it back in. Underneath the pole you will want some gravel for drainage as well.

[Jaronimo]

Re: How to make a wooden post relatively removable from concrete

Wrapping the wood in plastic just ensures that it will retain moisture, and rot faster. Even wolmanized will rot like that. It just takes longer

Are you talking about a 4x4 post? Maybe you could get a steel 4x4 post that is slightly larger and then mount the steel in the concrete with a few feet sticking out. Then just slide in the wooden post in to ground level. Fill in the metal tube so its level (inside) with the ground and have a few weepholes at ground level so it does not retain water.

Basically the steel gets inserted 3-4 feet deep in the ground and has the same amount above ground, so the steel acts as a sleeve. Should be pretty strong depending on what gauge steel you use.

[kebwi]

Sorry to be posting multiple threads. I prefer one thread per specific topic instead of broad discussions that explore an idea from multiple directions.

That said...

So, the 'ol pressure-treated wooden post in a concrete footing. It's a classic. I'm curious if I can make the post slide in an out of the hole with just enough give to be removable, but tight enough to minimize looseness and sway (to ease pole replacement as the wood wears out every several years). My current idea is to wrap the pole in plastic before pouring the concrete and perhaps giving it a touch of occasional vertical motion while the concrete is setting so it doesn't stick (lift it up a smidge and let it drop back down).

Two questions:

Is this a royally bad idea (the response I expect to get to this thread I suppose)?

What other or additional steps might assist this goal? Should I coat the plastic with something slick (e.g I've heard you can coat the plywood form of a concrete fill with motor oil to make the wood easier to remove). Should I coat the inside (wood) the outside (concrete) or both sides of the plastic (or perhaps between multiple layers of plastic)? Would a slipping agent of this sort make any difference many years later? I'm rather doubtful on this point which obviates any purpose to adding a slipping agent (oil) in the first place.

I was kind of thinking of inserting something thin next to the pole during the pour (masonite or a comparably thick sheet of metal) and then removing it after setting to make a tiny gap so the pole has some room...but the masonite or piece of metal itself could get locked in tight during setting and be too tight to remove after the fact, which would negate the purpose of such an approach.

I know I throw a lot of crazy ideas out on this forum. Any thoughts are, as always, appreciated.

Cheers!