.NEW & USED TELEGRAPH POLES
........NEW. LANDSCAPING POLES

Poles
are an essential part of the construction world, whether for supporting cables, or construction and landscaping:
~ telephone/electrical
~ roof supports
~ bridges & walkways
~ architect columns
~ edging & retaining
~ river embankments
~ marinas & moorings
~ platforms & decking
~ gate posts & fencing
~ adventure play areas
~ treehouses

The list is endless!

Selection &
PRICES

NEW
telegraph poles

USED
telegraph poles

NEW
landscaping poles

GENERAL INFORMATION about new telegraph poles
Telegraph poles have been used for decades to carry overhead telephone, powerline and computer cables, as well as for construction and landscaping projects.

BRITISH STANDARD
All our Telegraph poles adher to BS 1990: Part 1 1984, Wood poles for overhead power and telecommunication lines, Part 1. Specification for softwood poles. Published Date: 28/09/1984

TYPE OF WOOD
Normally our telegraph poles are made from Redwood or Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris). All the poles are FSC or PEFC chain of custody certified, meaning that all the trees that are harvested come from sustainable managed forests.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
After harvesting, the bark is taken off our poles and they are graded into sizes (light, medium and stout) and stacked for seasoning. Poles are dried naturally by air. This process begins when first harvested and continues once they have been shipped to the UK, they are moisture tested again and laid out for further seasoning. They are left for up to twelve months to complete the natural drying process. During this time poles are consistently moisture tested, and are not pressure treated until their moisture content is below 28%.

DRESSING
In order to provide a smooth surface to all the poles, they are dressed - peeling the outer cambium layer with an automatic dressing machine.

TREATMENT
Your poles can be treated with one of two treatments.

AC500 Treatment is a non-creosote, environmentally friendly, water based pressure treatment similar to Tanalith E treatment. AC500 treated poles can be used for standard telegraph pole purposes, and in addition CAN be used for children's play areas, tree houses, inside houses etc.. where creosote treated poles cannot be used, due to recent creosote legislation. AC500 treated poles do not emit anything in the heat of the summer, whereas creosote treated poles may bleed or leak sticky creosote when it's hot. There's not much you can do about it! AC500 treated poles are sometimes used by local authorities who have a policy against

Creosote Treatment gives your timber pole the longest life span possible and protection from harsh conditions. Pressure treated creosoted poles provide a minimum desired service life of thirty years, but may last considerably longer. Indeed there are numerous examples of poles in service which are over 100 years old!

Creosote has been used for over 150 years to preserve and increase the life-span of timber. Recent findings have indicated that creosote can be harmful in certain situations. So, in order to be careful: Handle with gloves. Wear a dust mask when sawing or machining. Dispose of off-cuts, sawdust etc.. safely. Waste wood may be disposed of by burning, subject to any local rules on burning creosoted material in the open, or via your local waste disposal facility.

Creosoted timber should not be used where there is risk of frequent (i.e. often-occurring or constant) skin contact, nor where it may come into contact with or contaminate animal or human foodstuffs. In particular it should not be used inside buildings, in playgrounds, or for garden furniture and picnic tables.

FIXING IN GROUND
Timber poles can be placed directly into the ground, and generally do not require concrete foundations or collars to prevent deterioration.

SIZE, WEIGHT, DIAMETER etc..
They vary in length, weight, diameter and taper. Not only is every pole different in dimensions from each other (like each tree) but also they are tapered along the length. So the diameter of a new telegraph pole will vary from top to bottom. In addition the very end of the pole (the original base of the tree) can broaden out even more. So, if you are looking for absolute regularity and identical poles forget it ! We classify new telegraph poles into broadly 3 diameter ranges - 'Light' , 'medium' and 'stout'.

SEE New Pole SPECIFICATIONS for all diameter, weight and strength details.

CUTTING
We can cut new poles to size if you don't have the facilities, or if it speeds up your project. We can 'cross-cut', e.g. cut a 9m pole down to 5m. We charge £5 + Vat per cross cut. Alternatively you can cut them yourself with a chainsaw or circular saw.

PROJECT IDEAS
Please ring us if you want to discuss an idea or project. 0115 9890445

Information about used telegraph poles
Telegraph poles have been used for decades to carry overhead telephone cables. Nowadays their popularity with gardeners lies in the possibility of creating something that looks natural, is quick to build, and appears as though it's been in your garden for years.

8 things you need to know about our used telegraph poles:

~They are generally ex-BT poles that are normally removed by BT when they've reached a certain age, or judged to be not fit for service. They may be old, bowed, damaged, or have rot etc.. Alternatively they may be taken out due to a change of route, or cables being sited underground. The telegraph poles that we supply are unsorted, and come direct from site. They will be a mixture of sizes, diameter, and conditions.

~ They are NOT stripped of all the main telephone bits and pieces, including climbing irons, cables etc.. You may find even find small ID numbers and occasionally even a village fete or lost dog advertisement !

~ They are creosote treated. As of June 2003 they cannot be used in situations where there may be risk of frequent skin contact or food contamination. Hence they CANNOT be used for children's play areas, tree houses, picnic benches, inside houses etc.. For those uses you will need to use our new landscaping poles or new telegraph poles (non-creosote treated) SEE Creosote treatment for further details. HANDLE WITH GLOVES.

~ They can bleed or leak creosote or tar in the height of summer - There's unfortunately nothing you can do about it. It is also very hard to predict which poles will do it and which ones won't. If this may be a problem use new landscaping poles, or new telegraph poles.

~ They are tapered and will vary in diameter. Telegraph poles are simply tree trunks that are de-barked & mildly planed. Not only is every pole different in dimensions from each other (like each tree) but also they are tapered along the length. So the diameter of a used telegraph pole can vary by several inches, or 50mm or more from top to bottom. In addition the very end of the pole (the original base of the tree) can broaden out even more. So, if you are looking for regularity and identical poles forget it ! For calculating projects using multiple lengths of pole positioned vertically, allow a very rough average diameter of about 7- 8"" or 175mm.

~ They vary in length. Reclaimed poles vary between approx 22ft - 29ft (approx 7m - 9m) although sometimes there can be both shorter and longer ones, depending on where they've come from.

~ You can cut them with a chainsaw, circular saw, or even bow saw . They are straightforward to cut, contrary to popular belief.

~ The weight of a 29' telegraph pole can vary between 100kg and 200kg depending on diameter and density. An exceptionally thick telegraph pole can weigh a quarter of a ton.

Ideas:
It would be impossible here to list all the things that people have created with used telegraph poles.
Raised beds (poles stacked horizontally, or cut & placed vertically side by side) Stepping stones and steps,, Supports (to sit sheds on, or fasten decking to) Borders & dividers (beside drives, grass) Pathways (e.g. 6" slices recessed into ground) Outdoor lintels, Roof supports, Agricultural and equestrian buildings, Pole barns, Pillars for arbours and walkways, Jetties, Pond edging, Gate & Fence posts, Horse jumps etc..

Please contact us if you want to discuss an idea. 0115 9890445

Information about new landscaping poles
The popularity of landscaping poles is due to the possibility of creating something that looks natural, is quick to use, light to handle and soon weathers as though it's been in your garden for years. They can be used for retaining walls, structural supports, shade sails, children's climbing and play areas, tree houses, play houses, picnic benches, inside houses etc..

~ There is a wide range of diameter from 50mm - 200mm -see price and dimension chart below. Unlike telegraph poles there is no taper, and the top and bottom of the pole is always identical. So, if you are looking for regularity and identical poles, look no further.

~ There is a wide range of lengths from 0.6m - 6m (See price and dimension chart above)

~ We can cut poles to size if you don't have the facilities, or if it speeds up your project. We can 'cross-cut', e.g. cut a 3.6m pole down to 3.1m. We charge £3 + Vat per cross cut. Alternatively you can cut them yourself with a chainsaw or circular saw. They are very straightforward to cut.

~ The weight of a new landscaping pole will vary enormously between 5kg and 100kg depending on diameter and length.

~ We can supply 'half diameter' or 'D' shape new landscaping poles - see price and dimension chart below.

~ Project ideas: It would be impossible here to list all the things that you can create with used telegraph poles.
Raised beds (poles stacked horizontally, or cut & placed vertically side by side)
Stepping stones and steps,
Vertical supports (to sit sheds on, or fasten decking to)
Borders & dividers (beside drives, grass)
Pathways (e.g. 6" slices recessed into ground)
Lintels & Roof supports,
Agricultural and equestrian buildings, Pole barns
Pillars for arbours and walkways,
Jetties, Pond edging,
Gate & Fence posts etc..
SEE CUSTOMER PHOTOS and PROJECTS ........
Please contact us if you want to discuss an idea. 0115 9890445

~ Nothing leaks out of them in the height of summer

~ They are Tanalith E treated and so can be used in landscaping situations where there may be skin contact, e.g. in schools and play areas. They are a safe alternative to creosote treated timbers. SEE BELOW for Specifications

TANALITH E Treatment & Specifications
TANALITH® E pressure treated timber is timber which has been impregnated with TANALITH® E* wood preservative under controlled conditions in a vacuum pressure impregnation plant.

TANALITH® E pressure treated timber is protected against fungal (rot) and insect attack to ensure a long service life.
Following impregnation a series of reactions take place between the wood preservative and the wood structure so that the wood preservative becomes ‘fixed’ and cannot easily be removed from the timber.

Typical uses for TANALITH® E pressure treated timber include general construction, cladding, garden and leisure wood structures, fencing and playground equipment.

* TANALITH® E wood preservative is cleared for use under the UK Control of Pesticides Regulations. The preservative contains copper and triazole biocides.

HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
You should have received the timber in a dry condition with no sign of preservative fluid on the surface. If this
is not the case leave it to dry under cover, but ventilated, before using it.

When working with timber, wear gloves to protect the skin against abrasions and splinters. Any cuts and abrasions should be
protected by a waterproof dressing. When power-sawing and machining, wear goggles to protect the eyes from flying particles. Wear a dust mask and, whenever possible, perform these operations outdoors to avoid accumulations of airborne sawdust.
Avoid frequent or prolonged inhalation of sawdust. Consult HSE Guide EH40, 2002 for further information on exposure controls to wood dust.

In order to prevent injury care should be taken when lifting or moving timber. The same precautions apply to
untreated timber.

PERSONAL HYGIENE
After handling or working with treated timber all exposed skin should be washed before commencing other
activities, especially eating, drinking, smoking or going to the toilet. If sawdust accumulates on clothes,
clean them before reuse. Launder heavily soiled clothes separately from other household wash items.

END USE CONSIDERATIONS
TANALITH® E treated timber can be used in internal and external building application and outdoors, in ground
contact or above the ground, without any need for further protection. It should not be used where it may come into contact with drinking water or for food preparation surfaces/structures or containers for storage, or in circumstances where the preservative may become a component of food or animal feed. When considering using TANALITH® E treated timber around
fishponds, please contact www.tanalith-e.com for advice. It is best practice to prepare the timber as fully as possible prior to treatment to ensure best results.

If any cutting, notching or drilling is made to the timber following treatment then any exposed surfaces should be
liberally swabbed with ENSELE® end grain preservative to maintain the integrity of the treatment.

ON-SITE PRECAUTIONS
All sawdust and construction debris should be cleaned up and disposed of after construction.

WASTE DISPOSAL
Post treatment processing wastes, such as sawdust and off-cuts, must not be used for animal litter or bedding.
TANALITH® E treated wood should not be used for fuel in barbecues, cooking stoves or grates. Small quantities (less
than 0.5 tonnes) can be burnt in the open with due care and attention to your neighbours. Householders should preferably dispose of the timber, sawdust or ash through the ordinary waste collection service or at a local authority amenity/disposal site.
Any waste timber, sawdust or redundant timber from commercial or industrial use (e.g. construction sites) should preferably be recycled by reuse, or disposed of to an authorised landfill or to a correctly controlled and approved waste incinerator.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Should you require further information on the use of TANALITH® E treated timber, please contact www.tanalith-e.com