# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  Do my 75 x 75 supa galv post require termite protection caps?

## L O

I have an appt to meet with a termite company re: termite protection to my underhouse retaining wall-for the garage slab.  The rest of the house extention will be on supa galv posts.  Viaphone he suggested I will require ant caps. Is this right? Do my 75 x 75 supa galv post require termite protection caps?  :Unsure:

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## Poirot

Not when the posts can be visually inspected I would have thought.

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## ringtail

> Not when the posts can be visually inspected I would have thought.

  Correct

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## intertd6

The visual barrier has to be  min' of 75mm, with hollow posts the little critters mustn't be able to come up the centre of it.
regards inter

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## Ken-67

> The visual barrier has to be  min' of 75mm, with hollow posts the little critters mustn't be able to come up the centre of it.
> regards inter

  If they can get through the base plate and top plate of a steel post, a thin  ant cap is not going to be a barrier anyway.  :Biggrin:   Not impossible, I know, but they are more likely to seek an easier mark. :Biggrin:

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## intertd6

> If they can get through the base plate and top plate of a steel post, a thin ant cap is not going to be a barrier anyway.  Not impossible, I know, but they are more likely to seek an easier mark.

  The visible barrier isn't going to stop them, it just gives an inspection point to see if they are bridging the barrier in any way, there are numerous ways for steel posts to be attached to the footings & if they are embedded in concrete properly then the outside of the post is a visible barrier, but if they are on base plates with HD bolts then usually there will be a drainage hole for the galv' process, even when the baseplate is grouted that is not regarded as termite proof, if that post is backfilled then termites could have the possibility of travelling up the center of the post, so at the top of the post there should have some sort of a visible barrier before untreated timber
regards inter

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## Ken-67

> The visible barrier isn't going to stop them, it just gives an inspection point to see if they are bridging the barrier in any way, there are numerous ways for steel posts to be attached to the footings & if they are embedded in concrete properly then the outside of the post is a visible barrier, but if they are on base plates with HD bolts then usually there will be a drainage hole for the galv' process, even when the baseplate is grouted that is not regarded as termite proof, if that post is backfilled then termites could have the possibility of travelling up the center of the post, so at the top of the post there should have some sort of a visible barrier before untreated timber
> regards inter

  They would still have to get through the top plate, usually at least 8mm steel.

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## intertd6

> They would still have to get through the top plate, usually at least 8mm steel.

  There are certain criteria that have to be met for termite protection, if there is any gaps, cracks, joins, holes etc in a 8mm steel top plate then termite protection is needed in some form.
regards inter

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