What timber posts does Tar River offer?
Tar River Timber Works offers 47+ solid and half timber posts crafted from Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, and plantation-grown Tar River Teak. Our posts ship pre-cut, pre-drilled, and labeled for installation, and our collection supports both structural loads and decorative finish work on porches, pergolas, pavilions, and interior timber-frame builds.
Which timber species should you choose for your posts?
Your timber species depends on exposure, budget, and finish goals. Our three options each solve a different problem:
- Western Red Cedar — Our cedar posts resist moisture, decay, and insects through naturally occurring oils and tannins, and our cedar grain accepts stain or weathers to a silver patina outdoors.
- Plantation Tar River Teak — Our teak posts deliver the highest natural durability for direct weather exposure, and our plantation-grown teak supplies a tight, even grain ideal for premium architectural projects.
- Douglas Fir — Our Douglas Fir posts give you the most economical option for covered or interior applications, and our fir grain produces a uniform, light-colored finish that suits modern and craftsman styles.
Our team recommends cedar or teak for any post directly exposed to the elements, and our team reserves Douglas Fir for protected and interior locations.
Where can you use Tar River timber posts?
You can use our timber posts anywhere a structural column or finished post is required. Our customers install our posts in the following applications:
- Front porches and wrap-around porches that need load-bearing columns with architectural character.
- Pergolas and shade structures that demand exterior-grade species and clean joinery.
- Pavilions and outdoor living rooms that combine structural posts with matching beams and brackets.
- Interior timber frames, great rooms, and entryways that showcase visible posts as a design feature.
- Covered patios, carports, and porte-cochères that require posts sized for span and roof load.
How do you select the right post size and style?
You can select the right post in four steps:
- Your span and roof load determine the minimum post cross-section, and our team confirms structural sizing during quoting.
- Your post height accounts for ceiling, beam pocket, and base hardware allowances.
- Your post style — solid post, half post, or wrap kit — matches whether the post stands alone or sheathes an existing structural column.
- Your texture and edge profile — smooth S4S, rough-sawn, chamfered, or hand-hewn — finalizes the visual character of the post.
What craftsmanship goes into every Tar River post?
Our shop re-saws every post square and true from premium kiln-dried stock, and our team completes pre-drilling, joinery, marking, and layout to your project drawings. Our finishing line applies optional pre-staining and hardware so your crew lifts the posts into place rather than fabricating on-site.
Why do architects and builders choose Tar River posts?
Tar River Timber Works supplies hundreds of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners across the United States with timber accents that arrive ready to install. Our process gives every project four advantages:
- Our production team delivers tight tolerances on every post so site fitment matches the shop drawings.
- Our 3-D CAD package previews the post layout in your browser before fabrication begins.
- Our installation drawings label every piece, so your installer skips guesswork on the job site.
- Our custom program adapts standard posts to your exact dimensions, joinery, or species mix.
How are Tar River posts installed on site?
Your crew installs our posts using the printed instructions and stamped piece-labels included with the order. Our pre-drilled connections accept standard timber-frame hardware, and our pre-stained finish skips the on-site coating step in most climates.
How does Tar River ship your timber posts?
Tar River Timber Works ships your posts nationwide on labeled pallets with every piece keyed to your installation drawings. Our logistics team coordinates lift-gate, curbside, or job-site delivery so your timbers arrive intact and in install order.
How do you maintain your timber posts over time?
You maintain cedar and teak posts by rinsing surface dirt and reapplying a UV-stable exterior finish on the manufacturer's recommended cycle. You maintain Douglas Fir posts by keeping them in protected, covered locations and refreshing the topcoat as needed.
How do you order Tar River posts for your project?
You can order any post in this collection directly from this page, and our team handles custom sizes, species swaps, and matching beams or brackets by quote. Our specialists answer sizing and species questions at 1-800-635-1100 or sales@tarriver.com, and our quoting team returns project estimates within one business day.
What do buyers ask before they order timber posts?
Which Tar River post is best for direct weather exposure?
Our Western Red Cedar and Plantation Teak posts handle direct rain, sun, and humidity, and our team does not recommend Douglas Fir for unprotected exterior posts.
What lead time should you expect on a posts order?
Our standard posts ship within standard fulfillment windows, and our custom orders enter the production queue once drawings are approved.
Can you order matching beams and brackets with your posts?
Our timber-accent program pairs every post species with matching beams, braces, brackets, headers, and corbels so your project keeps a single material story end to end.
Do Tar River posts arrive structural or decorative?
Our posts perform as structural columns when sized to load, and our posts perform as decorative wraps when ordered as half-post or wrap kits over an existing column.
