The Forestry Forum

I am in the begging phase of building a small oak timber frame lumber shed. Right now I am getting all my materials and logs sawed into beams/post.

I will be fastening the oak post to a concrete pad via a metal fastener that will be attached to the concrete.

This white oak is green and I know will react with dis coloring where the metal is in contact with the timber.

Other than just the color appearance is there any other worries?

Thanks for any advice.

You want to use a hot dipped galvanized fastener, or a good epoxy coated fasterner(like the heavy coated deck screws).  Plated galvanized is not good enough corrosion protection.  A regular steel nail, screw, or iron nail exposed to the oak will rust from the acidity of the oak, but the wood will also turn black and start to break down.  It takes years, but will happen.  It's worse if exposed to moisture and humidity.  More water is introduced from condensation if not a temp controlled space.  Don't forget to separate your timber from your concrete.  Timbers will wick moisture from concrete.  Many will use a plexiglass 1/4" thick plate about 1/2 inch smaller than each edge of the timber.  Drill chamfer'ed holes in the plexi and screw the plate to the bottom of the post(preferably with hot dip galvanized screws or screws that are epoxy coated very well, like the deck screws that are coated very well.).