Replacing wooden fence posts

Hey folks,
So my farm was built in the 40s and a lot of the integral posts are finally rotting out and need to be replaced.

Now I don’t have a huge budget, but what I do have are other thick wooden posts and sealant/stain that were left over by the previous owner. Would this work?

I’ve found some telephone poles online I could also buy for a more budget friendly and lasting product.

The existing fences appear to be rail road ties with either no climb 3x4 wire or 4x4 wire

We have cows- help!

Any lumber mills near by? "Flats" work great for rails and are free usually. I used cedar posts around my garden. Also used them to hold my security gate at the end of my driveway (which I close and lock when going to town.

Dennis Goyette wrote:Any lumber mills near by? "Flats" work great for rails and are free usually. I used cedar posts around my garden. Also used them to hold my security gate at the end of my driveway (which I close and lock when going to town.

Yes there are a few mills nearby! Do you treat them with anything or put in cement? We’re in the soggy PNW
Thanks for the response

The ones (2) holding my sec. gate are cemented in. Most of the ones for the garden are not. If you have to do a lot of posts use a gas powered post hole digger (or on on a tractor). Cedar will last for a few years, but you could also wrap it in roofing paper (I have used that on porch frames when water drips down.) Cement puts more cost into the project, use quickcrete or something that sets in a couple of hours. I tried to get my posts 2 feet down, but the all the rocks and ledge it wasn't always possible so a couple in the garden may be cemented.

Here is a pic of a Norweign farm fence that I built. I cut the flats myself using an Alaskan Mill and 93cc Husqvarna chainsaw. Trees where downed from the property.

Here is a pic of the fence in Norway that I took and copied the design from (2010 I spent the summer there because I had friend there.) I still had to work online so I just bought a wireless router and 3 months from a provider and worked while there and traveled with my friends around. They had a camper at a campground on the largest lake in Norway. I would walk to the train station 5 mins away and then catch a train to their town (Raholt.)

I am surprised at the amount of timber being used in those Norway fences.
Sure in the old days when saw mills did not exist it may have been ok.
I use 2 inch galvanised water pipe as posts set into concreted 8 inch dia. holes about 2 ft deep.
I then attach what ever sort of railing or farm wire I require.

You have to remember John that the flats are scrap lumber from milling a log into a beam either for building or then cutting into blanks. I get flats from the local small mill (they run 2 saws) and that stuff stacks up pretty fast. With all the mountains in Norway, a mill could easily run off hydro power or just the force of the running water turning a saw.

The thought of a direct drive hydro mill gets the brain working!