Wooden or Concrete Poles? The Differences That Matter on Site

Wooden or concrete poles? Every line crew asks it at some point, and the answer depends on the site. Concrete, steel and wooden poles are all used on power and communication lines. Each has its place, but on rural lines, on land with narrow roads and on jobs that must be built quickly, impregnated wooden poles stand out. Here are the points that make the difference on site.

Transport and erection

A wooden pole is much lighter than a concrete pole of the same length. It reaches the site along narrow village roads on a single vehicle and is set in place by a small crew without a heavy crane, which saves time and cost where vehicles cannot get close, such as fields and forests.

Flexibility and strength

Wood flexes under wind and conductor pull and spreads the load; under sudden impact it bends rather than breaks. Its symmetric shape takes the load in a similar way from every direction.

Maintenance and insulation

In a pole impregnated under vacuum and pressure the protection is inside, so there is no painting or maintenance schedule. The insulating nature of wood gives the crew extra safety against leakage current, and line workers can climb the pole and make connections easily.

Reuse

When a line changes, a wooden pole can be taken down and reused at another point with a new foundation, so the material's life is not limited to a single project.

When concrete or steel?

Very high voltage lines, tight urban sites or projects that specify concrete or steel use those materials. The line's design and specification decide; where wooden poles fit, the advantages above show throughout installation and operation.

See the range on our wooden poles page and the classes and sizes in the technical table of the impregnated electricity pole.