If you need 4x4s or other large posts, inspect them first — a few extra minutes at the lumber rack can save you months of dealing with warped, twisted posts in your deck or project.

Buying the Best 4×4 Lumber

When shopping for 4×4 pressure-treated posts, look at the ends first. You want to buy posts without a “bulls-eye” and with growth rings that run from edge to edge rather than circling tightly around the center.

If growth rings start near the center of the post and expand outward, it’s almost certainly made from a peeler core. If the rings are off-center, it’s not the log’s center and is less likely to twist badly.

One more tip: consider buying 10-ft. posts instead of peeler-core 8-footers and trimming them to fit. Longer posts are often cut from different parts of the log and may give you better options.

Perfect lumber is rare, so it’s worth taking a little extra time while shopping to find the best you can for your DIY projects. That small investment up front can mean a straighter, stronger, and longer-lasting deck, fence, or structure later.