Cracks in Coppers log post for Balinese Huts Brisbane South East Queensland

Cracks in Coppers Log Post

To put it simply

"Round Post that does not crack does not exist in Australia"

Bali Huts are a very Natural product made from all natural materials; timber, bamboo, grass and sisal ropes.

There is always a balance between price and quality.

Brisbane Thatch and Decks strive to give our clients the best possible quality for the best possible price.

Unfortunately due to high demand and scarcity plus the fact that there is basically just one supplier in South East Queensland for coppers log post there is no affordable alternative. Due to the high demand the post are not left to dry out properly by the suppliers before it is sold and distributed. The same is true for Bunnings timber sleepers, fencing rails, fencing post and palings.

Brisbane Thatch and Decks always try keep post in stock for minimum six months to dry out before we install or sell it. Unfortunately some times even with our best intentions the post will crack.

To be really honest there is not a Bali hut in Queensland or New South Whales that was build with coppers log post that does not have any cracks in it. Even if another company install the Balinese huts we all use exactly the same Coppers log post. If you buy your coppers log post from Bunnings or any landscaper you still get exactly the same coppers log round or square post. It will also show some cracks after a few years.

We at Brisbane Thatch and Decks also notice that cracks appear more frequent in summer than in winter simply because the coppers logs dry out much faster in summer than in the cooler months.

We have had several engineers assessing the cracks in the past from as early as 2002 and they all confirmed that it is only cosmetic and the post is still structurally sound.

Since 2002 we have not had one post that failed structurally.

It is only cosmetic.

On the positive side. It is only cosmetic and can be easily fix with some acrylic sealer and a fresh coat of paint. Plus Coppers Logs save our clients a bucket load of cash as a affordable alternative to Merbau and Hardwood post, that can also crack.

Alternative to Coppers Log Post

For our clients that would want a premium quality post. We do provide a alternative.

Merbau (Kwila) laminated post is very expensive but super well cured and dressed. Merbau post have to be installed on metal brackets and can not be concreted in ground like coppers log post that is H5 treated and will survive for 50 years plus in ground.

Please see photo's for sizes and 2019 prices of Laminated Merbau Post.

If you want Merbau post we can most certainly give you a quote on them.

Expo 88 Nepalese Peace Pergola

Unfortunately timber is a natural product and even with the best intentions in the world timber could still crack. A classic example is the Expo 88 Nepalese Peace Pergola at South Bank. It is a amazing hand-crafted structure but you will find cracks in the timber,. Just because its is a natural product and timber cracks. But due to the love and care nobody complain or insist that it is replaced plus it does not bring the value of the Nepalese Pergola Down. People still love and enjoy it.

How To fix Cracks in the Post, If needed...

First of all, Please note the cracks is only cosmetic and fairly normal.

Timber is after all a Natural carbon capturing product and can not be compared to steel post that is super smooth and probably powder coated as well. The beauty of timber is in its flaws.

But if you just can not stand the cracks it is easy to fix.

Fist of all it is very important to wait till e post is hundred percent dry else its just going to look worse if you fill the cracks and its opens up again and then gets repaired again. Trust me will just look worse if you overdo the crack filling procedure... So fist step is wait two years so the post get time to dry out completely! We let our post dry out but some times even with our best intentions the post does not dry properly so just to be on the safe side, wait two years and make sure post are super dry...

The cracks could be filled by using a acrylic sealer. The method is simple. Pick a sealer with the same approximate color as your post. Over fill the cracks with the sealer because when it dries the sealer will shrink a little. Give the sealer a week or two set properly. Trim the excess sealer off with a very sharp Stanley knife or belt sander to safe time.

Re-stain the post and it will look better than ever. The sealer in the cracks will actually ad to the character of the post.

Using coppers log post that mite crack at a stage is by far still a much better and more affordable option than using hardwood post that is ridiculously expensive and after its stained looks exactly the same as Pine coppers log post. Plus there is still a change that even hardwood posts will have some cracks in it plus can develop some cracks in the future.

Please note, any timber post can crack as we have seen on the above example of the Expo 88 Nepalese Peace Pergola at South Bank.

At the end of the day, even if there is a crack or two giving your all natural material Balinese Hut a little more character its not going to effect how much you going to enjoy your Bali Hut on a hot summers day next to the pool.

We at Brisbane Thatch and Decks just want to make sure our clients are educated about the products we stock before they buy from us so you as the client can make the right decision.

Thanks again and please feel free to contact us directly for more information.