Tuffdip is a new product developed for farmers and the timber industry to eliminate the problem of premature fence post failure.
The product was developed by two farmers from Herefordshire and the Scottish borders after EU restrictions on the use of CCA chemical treatments resulted in a shorter lifespan for treated fence posts. Frustrated by the industry’s failure to address the issue, they came up with a unique answer to fence post rot.
“The problem, as every farmer knows, lies in the couple of inches immediately below ground,” said Malcolm Leng, one of the owners of Tuffdip, “Seal the in-ground part of the post and, as the Tuffdip slogan says, job done!”
Mr Leng and his co-founder, Michael Fenton, have developed a tough polymer-enhanced timber coating that uses very hard bitumen as its base. What is unique is that Tuffdip is applied cold as a water-based emulsion and is eco-friendly, non-hazardous and non-toxic.
It is available to timber yards to offer pretreated posts at a small premium for extended life, but Tuffdip also sells direct to the end-user for self-treatment.
“Treatment is simplicity itself,” Mr Fenton said. “New posts are dipped for 10 minutes to cover just the underground portion plus a small margin above ground, then it’s left to cure. A few hours later thump them in and, for a tiny cost per post, you have a fence that will outlast any copper-treated timber.”
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Tuffdip has been developed to prevent fence posts rotting in the ground. |
Testing has shown that conventionally treated posts remain wet just below ground at typically 40 per cent moisture or more. Tuffdipped posts measured at exactly the same point dry out to well below 15 per cent. The logic is unquestionable. Posts at less than 20 per cent moisture content resist rot. Tuffdip is the only rot-prevention system that keeps the entire post dry underground, while allowing the timber above ground to season naturally.
Requiring no heat, no complicated equipment and no need for protective clothing, Tuffdip is simple, effective and inexpensive. For a tiny fraction of the cost of a new fence, post life will be lengthened, reducing the frequency and hassle of replacement.
For more information visit: www.tuffdip.com.
