ohia posts

[Hunt Stoddard]

Anyone know where/who to buy already dried and treated ohia logs for decorative construction posts?

[Clayjacks]

Just saw exactly that on Craigslist. Under "materials".

[rainyjim]

I have to assume that given the recent ban on exporting ohia from the Big Island due to fungal concerns that there must be a lot of excess ohia available that would have otherwise been shipped to Oahu/Maui for the homes of the super-duper rich.

Just a blatant assumption.

Best of luck.

And PS be picky, don't grab the first ones you come across!

[terracore]

What is the average cost of something like this? I might have to clear an area and if I can make a few dollars drying and treating the logs.... ?

[Hunt Stoddard]

Well, I did check the craigslist ad and they're going for $100 a log, but they don't seem to be dried or treated. They are stripped of bark though. That still seems a little steep to me. If you had a deck with 10 posts, that would set you back $1000, and that's before you wait a year for them to dry and treat them. Now, if they were dry and treated, that would be another matter.

So, if you have a lot with fair sized ohias (6 to 10 inches) and can spare the space and time to dry and treat them, you could probably make several thousand dollars selling the posts. They do make beautiful deck and even interior posts. Just as long as they stay dry. I hear they don't do well in any kind of dampness.

[rainyjim]

If they are a large enough diameter you can (amazingly) utilize before they finish drying.

[Hunt Stoddard]

What about lengthwise shrinkage? Terrible if your post is 1/4 inch shorter a year from now.

[bananahead]

they dont shrink much lengthwise (no shrinkage noticed in 10 years now on over 100 logs in my cabin's construction).... they do crack lengthwise though (horizontal logs located in the sun but not wet). I have railing all the way around my cabin made of Ohia, and they are only treated with Thompsons WS, also the main 2 posts of my roof and main upright posts inside home are large 1' to telephone pole width Ohia, I was quoted by a neighbour that these post alone would be $500 ea., but not sure on if true (12' lengths 1'- 1.75' wide) I also have alot of them under the house Im keeping for later construction projects.. all mine are just striped of the bark... its a strong hard wood that will break bits, screws, bend nails, very hard, but does split lengthwise with thin splits (mostly superficial, none seem to compromise the wood)
aloha
ps the large carved 'Ku' idols you see at Place of Refuge etc are made of Ohia, and you will notice they often have splits as well, but are always in the elements too...

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save our indigenous and endemic Hawaiian Plants... learn about them, grow them, and plant them on your property, ....instead of all that invasive non-native garbage I see in most yards... aloha

[bluesboy]

dude that sounds sick

[Jay Bondesen]

A few years back:
Bob at Tropical Hardwoods on Pohoiki road had 12" poles for $10. a foot.

Jay