A Look Inside Our Long-Time Supplier, Julian Lumber
At Feeders Grain & Farm Supply Inc., we’re often asked why we continue to stock and recommend creosote fence posts—the classic “black posts” many farmers swear by. To answer that question properly, I recently visited one of our long-time suppliers, Julian Lumber, to see firsthand how their posts are made and treated.
What I saw confirmed exactly why we’ve trusted them for decades.
A Family-Owned Operation with Deep Roots
Julian Lumber has been producing agricultural fence posts since the mid-1970s. Like us, they’re a family-owned business that believes quality matters—especially when their products are going into the ground for decades.
We’ve sourced posts from Julian Lumber since well before I purchased Feeders Grain, and they were already a trusted supplier when I stepped into the business. That kind of long-standing relationship only exists when a company consistently stands behind its product.
From Tree to Finished Post: The Process Matters
Fence posts don’t start as finished products—they start as raw timber. At Julian Lumber, the process looks like this:
- Raw timber arrives and is cut to length
- Posts are peeled and debarked
- They are bundled and air-dried for an extended period
- Moisture levels are tested using moisture meters
- Only properly dried posts move on to treatment
That drying step is critical. If a post isn’t dry enough, it won’t treat properly—and that directly affects longevity in the ground.
How Creosote Posts Are Treated
Creosote posts are pressure-treated using a large sealed cylinder:
- Posts are loaded into the cylinder
- The chamber is vacuum-sealed and pressurized
- Heated creosote oil is forced deep into the outer wood layers
- Each treatment cycle takes several hours
The goal isn’t to saturate the core (which isn’t possible with wood), but to fully surround and protect the outer layers—the part of the post exposed to soil, moisture, and decay.
This oil-based treatment is one of the key reasons creosote posts perform so well in northern climates.
Creosote vs. CCA: What’s the Difference?
Both treatments serve a purpose, but they behave differently—especially in Iowa conditions.
Creosote Posts
- Oil-based treatment
- Excellent resistance to freeze-thaw cycles
- Pushes moisture out of the wood
- Known for exceptional longevity
- Often preferred by experienced farmers
CCA Posts
- Water-based treatment
- Must be extremely dry to treat properly
- Rated .40 ground-contact
- Carry a 25-year warranty
- Popular in warmer, southern climates
In colder regions like ours, creosote’s oil-based treatment tends to outperform water-based treatments over time.
Sizes & Agricultural Applications
Julian Lumber produces a wide range of agricultural posts, including:
- 6½-foot posts: 2″–5″ diameter
- 8-foot posts: 4″–8″ diameter
- Barn poles:
- Lengths from 10′ to 25′
- 5″ or 6″ tops
Some sizes—like 3½″ posts—can be harder to source consistently, but common working sizes such as 4″, 5″, and 6″ remain readily available.
Why Feeders Grain Continues to Stock Creosote
At Feeders Grain, we don’t choose products based on trends—we choose them based on performance and trust.
Julian Lumber:
- Maintains strict quality standards
- Sets aside anything that doesn’t meet spec
- Stands behind their product if there’s ever an issue
- Shares our commitment to the end customer
That matters to us—and it should matter to you.
Have Questions About Fence Posts?
Whether you’re fencing pasture, building corrals, or planning a barn project, we’re happy to help you choose the right post for your application.
Stop by Feeders Grain & Farm Supply Inc. or reach out with questions—we’ll make sure you get a product that’s built to last.
