R Scott wrote:Poly tape. The red stuff. Used in conventional building for vapor barrier under concrete. Patch holes, seam sheets together, wrap posts, transition between floor and walls, etc.
Trace Oswald wrote:Mike wrapped his posts in several layers of trash bags and then put the floor poly around the posts.
Mike Oehler Himself wrote:The polyethylene is a moisture barrier, an absolute one, but it can remain so only if it is not pierced, torn or punctured.
Jason Vath wrote:Update. It's on baby!
Trace Oswald wrote:Mike's book and videos explain all those things.
Glenn Kangiser wrote:
paul wheaton wrote:
I was about to tell you off because the word of "some guy" vs. the word of mike ..... and now that I see how much experience you have, I'll assume the position of "silent pie hole"
Do tell - what have your experiences been down this path?!!!
I have browsed that thread several times. Sometimes I read all of the pages and sometimes I just look at the pictures. But that is, no doubt, an excellent thread!
Whitlock is my buddy and neighbor. I am "some guy." Whitlock is doing his own project now too. Glad I'm not the only crazy person in this area.![]()
I think Mike had experimented with the charring and plastic bags and maybe been successful in his case. The charring would likely work out better without the plastic in some cases. In my case it failed.
For one thing I had wet logs for posts. The logs when held vertically dripped water from the wood. I am sure this collected in the bags and was recycled within the wood. They were also next to the uphill patio so may have gained a bit of moisture from there. As another mark against them, we are in porphyry clay which is hard and dry ... a claystone preventing surface water from penetrating the ground for the most part, but when it does get into a hole in the clay, the water will stay there for months, sealed in it's own pocket as the clay swells slightly and seals off all exits.
It could have worked better with totally dry wood IF moisture never got into the bag with the wood, but that is hard to insure. Once it is inside the ag it becomes a terrarium recycling the moisture until the wood is totally rotted and turned into mush. I found some nice big pine beetle larvae happily munching away inside the bag area.
I jacked up the beams and cut the bottom rotted off post with a chainsaw and fabricated steel bases for the three posts lagging them to the bottom of the post.
I don't view my experiences as detracting from Mike's pioneering in this field. Just as further research and a continuation of the work Mike started. I owe him big time.![]()