Our products & services

Wooden Products

WOODEN PRODUCTS

Northern Poles is suited to cater for all your wooden needs ie poles, planks, laths etc

Hardware

HARDWARE

From threaded rods to anti splitplates, we have everything you will need for your project.

Timber treatment

TIMBER TREATMENT

We understand the importance of timber treatment and stock a variety of products.

Wooden Products

FIBREGLASS RIDGING

We manufacture our fibreglass ridging ourselves and therefore you can be assured of quality.

Alternatives to thatch roofs

THATCHING ALTERNATIVES

Come and visit us for expert advice on everything from dura-tiles to IBR sheeting!

Thatching grass and Cape reed

THATCHING GRASS AND CAPE REED

The bundles of grass and cape reed we sell are a reasonable size at a reasonable price.

Jungle Gym Accessories

JUNGLE GYM ACCESSORIES

We stock and supply an exciting range on all jungle gym accessories.

Services

SERVICES

We do offer certain services like cutting, drilling and planing of poles and planks.

Northern Poles and Thatching is a pole yard and supplier of H4 Treated Poles and Thatching material in the north of Pretoria. We supply Treated Timber and Wooden Poles, as well as Thatching Grass and Cape Reed, Fibreglass Ridging and all hardware necessary for building a thatched roof or lapas.

All our poles are CCA treated and SABS approved. CCA is an acronym for “Copper, Chrome and Arsenic”. The Copper and Chrome compounds in the mixture is the preservative Arsenic guarantees that no timber-eating insects damages the poles you purchased.

All our poles are treated with CCA to level H4. In accordance with SAWPA (South African Wood Preservers Association), H4 treated poles are suitable for ground contact and periodic wetting. These poles are ideal for agricultural posts, landscaping, structures, decking and bridges. All our poles are issued with an anti-split plate (gangnail) at each end stating the SABS mark. The CCA treatment penetrates a minimum of 13mm into each pole in accordance with SABS regulations and poles are inspected on a regular basis by SABS officials to ensure that you get the quality you pay for.

Look for the marker at the end of each timber pole – this is your quarantee of quality H4 treated poles:

Our Wooden Poles come in several ranges:

• H4 level CCA treated gum poles that are used as lapa poles and in general construction due to its weather resistance and durability
• Machined poles which are treated or untreated pine poles that are machined to more uniform dimensions
• Transmission poles which are treated wooden poles with dimensions that are more tightly controlled and treated with creosote to a higher standard than normal CCA timber poles
• Wooden Laths that are normally used in Thatched roof lapa construction

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As with most commercially grown timber, South African plantation grown pine and eucalyptus are not durable and are therefore subject to attack from fungus and termite. This is why it is necessary to ‘treat’ timber with wood preserving chemicals if you require confidence in its performance. Taking this a step further, SAWPA together with the SABS and representatives from the timber industry established the Hazard Classifications.

The purpose for which the timber is being purchased defines the treatment required. A piece of timber to be used in the roof need not be treated with the same amount of chemical as a piece of timber being used for a jetty. The treatment changes with different applications. The chemicals need not penetrate to the same depth, nor need the solution be the same. These two factors are called penetration and retention levels respectively.

The main chemicals used in this country are CCA (Copper Chrome Arsenate) and Creosote. CCA gives the timber a greenish look whilst Creosote leaves the timber pole dark brown to black. Other chemicals available are Boron and TBTNP (Tributyltin naphthenate – permethrin). TBTOL (Tributyltinoxide Lindane) and PCP has been removed from the market place because of its proven damaging environmental properties.

Chemicals should not be brushed on. The timber is put into a treatment vessel and through various processes, the chemicals are deeply impregnated into the timber, thus obtaining the correct penetration depth and chemical retention for the predetermined hazard class. Boron may, under specific conditions, also be applied by means of a dip-diffusion process.

In South Africa we have 6 hazard class levels of treatment for wooden poles and timber.

H0 INTERIOR
This is for interior uses only. Protection is only offered for prevention of certain commonly occurring insects and is a mild treatment process. All other hazard classes given below offer protection against insect and fungi attack. The products in this category are specifically for mouldings, ceilings, flooring boards and joinery.

H1
International trends set a H1 level. Because South Africa followed the international example when setting up its own Hazard classification, it was felt that H1 in the South African context would not be required, as this caters only for countries in which there are no termites.

H2 INTERNAL (Low Hazard)
This is also for interior use only and timber treated under this classification should be roof trusses, laminated beams, internally used structural timber, ceiling boards, flooring, paneling, doors, cupboards, skirting, window frames and plywood. Chemicals used here would be mainly CCA, TBTNP and Boron.

H3 EXTERIOR ABOVE GROUND (Moderate Hazard)
CCA and Creosote are mostly used for this and higher H class treatments. H3 covers balustrades, wood fencing bearers and slats, outdoor decking and beams, garden furniture, laminated beams, weather board, steps, cladding, stairs, log homes, gates, fascia boards and plywood. Spacers and cross arms used with electrical, distribution, telephone and light poles are treated to H3.

H4 GROUND CONTACT (High Hazard)
This level of treatment helps prevent agricultural posts and landscaping structures from rotting and termite attack. Also recommended for treatment in this hazard class are playground structures, wooden fencing, pergolas, carports, flower boxes, decking, bridges and stakes, as well as electrical, distribution, telephone and lighting poles.

H5 FRESHWATER (High Hazard)
Timber poles which fall into this category, is timber exposed to continual wetting or where the timber is planted in wet soil. Timber which will fall into this category could be jetties, drains, walkways, retaining walls and slipways.

H6 MARINE (High Hazard)
Only the use of the CCA chemical with Creosote is recommended for this application. Only timber poles treated with both these chemicals will offer complete protection against marine borers. Jetties, slipways, retaining walls and walkways will fall under this section.

In South Africa all treatment plants producing treated timber are monitored through a compulsory third party product certification scheme. All treated timber is required to show not only the product certification mark of one of the approved certification bodies, but also to which H class the timber poles have been treated.

Your treated timber will be marked with one of the symbols listed below:

 

Hazard Class Symbol H0-1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6
End Use Application Internal Internal External Above Ground In Ground Contact In Fresh Water/Wet Soil In Sea Water
  Moldings

 

Ceilings

Joinery

Flooring Boards

Laminated Beams

 

Roof Trusses

Structural Timber

Ceiling Boards

Flooring

Paneling

Doors

Cupboards

Skirting’s

Window Frames

Plywood

Balustrades

 

Fencing

Bearings & Slats

Outdoor Decking & Beams

Garden Furniture

Laminated Beams

Weather Boards

Steps

Cladding

Stairs

Log Homes

Gates

Fascia Boards

Plywood

Agricultural Posts

 

Landscaping Structures

Playground Structures

Fencing

Pergolas

Carports

Flower Boxes

Decking

Bridges

Stakes

Garden Edging

Transmission Poles

Piling

 

Retaining Walls

Slipways

Culverts

Groynes

Floodgates

Jetties

Drains

Walkways

Piling

 

Retaining Walls

Slipways

Groynes

Jetties

Walkways