# Forum Home Renovation Sub Flooring  Cypress posts in ground or on stirrups?

## rscho

Hi forum, 
We're planning to add a pergola fixed to the house on one side with cypress posts on the other. The cypress posts would be sitting in a moist garden bed. We also want to plant wysteria which would eventually climb up the posts. 
My question is, how durable is cypress? Is using stirrups in a concrete footing and then fixing cypress posts going overboard, or is the cypress durable enough to be concreted into the footing without stirrups?

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## raff

Cyress looks better than treated pine if your planning on keeping the timber exposed and not stained, although my termite inspector guy hates it, their words to me said use treated pine over cypress, lasts longer and more termite resistant. I cant say how much truth is in this but im sure there will be varied views.  
My own personal opinion is anything that is used for structural purposes, such as decks, pergolas etc, use stirrups with the posts. No matter what type of wood you use it will ultimately rot, different times for difference timbers, using stirrups and keeping the timber off the ground will prolong the life of the timber over burying in the ground, especially in a moist garden bed.

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## SilentButDeadly

cypress is a very durable timber but yep better on stirrups and even better when oiled or some such just to slow down any degradation. 
WARNING.....Wisteria is very hard on any timber posts.  It'll work OK but *under no circumstances* allow the wisteria to twine up the posts. As it twines and grows, the wisteria tightens its grip and will twist the timber.  I have seen a pair of tall 200mm square hardwood posts about half as thick as a telegraph pole used as verandah/roof posts that were twisted and bent by their accompannying wisteria - twist was so bad that the roof connection began to fail. 
If you want wistera then grow it up a wire beside the post (at least 100mm away) or better still between the posts until it thickens and becomes substantial...

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## president_ltd

if onto stirrups, cypress posts are fine.
but if burying it, treated pine is the only way to go. 
for cypress, adding something to protect the wood should be done too, either oil based or painted.  but if painted, why not go TP? 
second the comments above about wisteria.

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