Why We Don’t Put Wood in the Ground Anymore

I was honestly surprised the other day to hear that there are still builders in BC putting wood posts straight into the ground. I guess not everyone has been called back to replace them like we have.

We’ve worked on a ton of these older post frame buildings where the bottom of the posts are totally rotted out. It’s wild how common it is. That’s why we just won’t do it anymore—no matter how “treated” the posts are or what kind of ground contact rating they have. It’s just not worth the risk.

Truth is, we used to do it too. Back when buildings were cheaper and we didn’t know any better. But we’ve learned. The soil in BC is rough on wood, and time isn’t kind to buried posts.

If you're going to spend a serious chunk of money on a building, you might as well spend a little more to make sure it actually lasts.

Whether it's a shop, a barn, or a hangar, building it on screw piles or a proper concrete foundation just makes sense.

Not only will your building last longer—it’ll hold its value better, too. That matters if you ever plan to sell the property or repurpose the space later on.

Bottom line: No more wood in the ground. There’s a better way to build.