Questions and Answers for Post Protector 4 in. x 4 in. x 42 in. In-Ground Fence Post Decay Protection

A:  I ran some exterior caulking over the gap to keep water from enter. Suggest using a clear caulk. You might have to reapply the caulk if the post shrink after they dry out.

A:  No need to shim. The Post Protector will slide easily over you 3.5" x 3.5" post and the fit is perfect!

A:  The Post Protectors are made slightly over sized as post sizes vary from moisture and manufacture. The Post Protectors are flexible and when you attach them they flex onto the post(This is better explained on the installation instructions). You can also shim if you have severely undersized posts and are concerned but this is usually the exception. Hope this helps and if you need further clarification please call customer support from the Post Protector website to discuss you particular installation in more detail. Thanks!

A:  The inside dimension on the 4442 is 3.625(3-5/8) square

A:  I didn’t see a need in filling up the sleeves, but I did caulk around the top to keep water out

A:  Yes. I have one installed this way for the past 3 years and it works well. I set it on a 6" stone backfill base with 3-4" of stone backfill around. Drill some water drain holes. I also wrapped the post with 1-2 layers of cardboard so it would really "fill out" the post protector, thus ensuring the pressure of the stone and earth wouldn't compress the protector and make it too hard to take out later.

A:  I have not tried this but a friend installed the same way with the thought of being able to remove them. If you do not put the screws in this should be possible. As the post shrinks after it drys out it should be easier to remove. A poor mans bollard. If done often you might wear out the composite of the protector.

A:  Yes, you can use them to create a 'removable' post. Here is a removable 4x4 post placed in a Post Protector with drainage holes drilled open, 6" stone base/footer, 6" stone as initial back-fill, and soil as balance of back-fill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82_KFB9E1NA

A:  the post would be easy to remove. it just slides into the sleeve. they provide lag bolts and sealing washers to keep the post inside the post protector if you choose to use them

A:  Yes. Post Protectors are used commonly to create a removable post. https://youtu.be/BIPu6vG53GQ

A:  wwwdotpostprotectordotcom has all the information or call the manufacturer to discuss.

A:  The post protector is closed on the bottom, yes. We have a video in our digital assets portion of HomeDepot.com that explains the cause of rot and how Post Protectors stops/alleviates the problem. The speaker is a university expert on wood and lumber. The video is also shown on the post protector Website.

A:  yes they are sealed at the bottom. you can choose to put a filter bed at the bottom of the hole you dig and then put some drain holes in the post protector or just seal the top of the post protector like I did mine. they will prolong the life of the post.

A:  Yes, mine were closed on bottom

A:  Yes, they are closed on the bottom but on 'outdoor' post applications, you drill out optional drainage holes located on the base uplift rib for drainage. A typical outdoor post installation goes as follows: slide Post Protector over the post, affix the PP to the post with provided hardware according to installation instructions, drill out option drainage holes on base uplift rib, set post on solid concrete footer or 4"-6" crushed stone footer, initial back-fill material 4"-6" stone for drainage, balance of back-fill material can be concrete, soil, or stone, make sure that the top edge of the PP is 4"-6" above grade, PP are weed-wacker proof too. Any rain/snow running through the PP and draining has NO ill effect on the post. MOISTURE is NOT the cause of decay, but one of the conditions needed for decay to occur (Conditions for Decay: moisture saturation of wood fiber, oxygen, suitable temperature, 40-100 degrees). When these conditions exist, soil-dwelling or, as in Hucfinn's case with concrete back-fill, atmospheric micro-organisms will colonize with wood post, using the wood fiber as their food source, otherwise known as DECAY. PP retains the speed, affordability, and strength of direct-burial post foundations and acts as an additional layer of protection to work in conjunction with the chemical preservative. A physical 'barrier' so micro-organisms don't have access to the post.

A:  On an 'outdoor' post application (any post that will be exposed to rain / snow - deck, fence, etc.), slide the Post Protector over the post, affix PP to post with provided hardware, drill out option drainage holes on the base uplift rib, set post on solid concrete footer or 4"-6" stone footer, initial back-fill material should be 4"-6" stone, balance of back-fill can be soil, stone, or concrete!

A:  Yes. Soil, concrete, or stone backfill.

A:  If you are placing your posts in concrete and have sandy soil, I would drill the drain holes at the bottom. I would use all of the lag bolts included and then go ahead and concrete them in. I did not use concrete and only used one lag bolt and my posts have some wiggle in them. I should have used at least two lag bolts. The wiggle is the posts moving inside the sleeves. One could probably add some shims after installing the posts to cure the wiggle. Because mine are going into a water environment I am going to silicon and completely seal them. Your situation seems to be conducive to natural drainage so I would just use the drain holes and not seal them up.

A:  In short-The post protector creates a barrier between the soil and the post and without soil contact, decay doesn't occur. No need to seal the top as water alone doesn't cause rot. We have a video on the site that explains decay in detail from a university expert. There are pre-marked drain holes on the Post Protectors. You can drill those out per the directions and given you have sandy soil, that will let the water drain if you don't seal the bottom of the post with concrete as you note.

A:  You could but if you leave open at the bottom for some drainage. Otherwise the post will rot because it sits in standing water. Other things to think about: It is best to have 1/3 of the post below ground and 2/3 above ground. For added strength you could do 1/2 below and 1/2 above. Also for a corner and end post use a 6"x6" or for a long run even an 8"x8". As they are much stronger and will last longer.