Appreciation post: A client's old oak in Charleston had a weird cavity that kept filling with water.

I tried the usual drain holes, but it kept coming back. On a whim, I packed the cavity with coarse sand and capped it with a small piece of copper flashing, and it's been dry for over six months now. Has anyone else tried something like this for persistent trunk cavities?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesleyburns3mo ago

My uncle used to fill hollow fence posts with gravel and tar, same idea I guess.

brown.reese3mo ago

Wait, gravel AND tar? Inside a fence post? That sounds like the heaviest fence in history. How did he even get the mix down into the hollow part without making a huge mess. I can't imagine trying to set those posts, they must have weighed a ton. Your uncle was built different for real.

faithb782mo ago

The mess was epic, but my back still hasn't forgiven me for helping.