Asbestos in Redgum gate posts

[thebicyclist]

HI All;

Scavenging fence posts today I was delighted to see in the pile a couple of 300x300 Redgum gate posts, until I looked at the ends and realised they were a glue up of of a couple of redgum fence posts with fibro sheet between each layer!

Very glad I spotted this before I loaded them up. Not so glad that the contractor knocking the fence down had used a chainsaw to cut them down

I'd never seen this sort of glue up before, was it common practice at any time? I really can't see the advantage of the sheeting in the glue up either.

Cheers

Joel

[Bob38S]

Never seen or heard of it before - could understand layers of timber to bulk up a post to make 300 x 300 but not fibro.

Done for effect?

Was it cut fibro or like a Hardie plank - possible leftovers from the house?

Any chance of a pix.

Certainly a concern with regards the chainsaw bit.

[rustynail]

I think this is what is usually refered to as a brain explosion. Maybe the poor chap just overthought the project. Probably had a few lumps of timber, needed to laminate to get to size, thought some inert infills would be a good idea and hey presto!

[cava]

If the redgum posts/fence was built after 1983, then there is a good chance that it is not asbestos. However, before that date, it is a different proposition altogether.

If you suspect asbestos, keep it wet whilst working/removing it. One of my jobs back in that period was checking for asbestos.

[thebicyclist]

Hi All;

Thanks for the replies. Luckily this wasn't my site so I just informed the contractor my suspicions and left them behind. (no pics I'm sorry)

I really can't be sure about the age of the posts but given they were rotted to the point of collapse they're pretty old, either way it was not worth the risk.

Cheers

Joel