Boot for Protecting Fence Posts, Fence-Post Assembly, and Method for Protecting Fence Posts

Abstract

A boot of waterproof material is placed around a fence post at the soil line to prevent the fence post from weakening from becoming wet. By reducing moisture in the fence post along the soil line, the fence post is not become weakened by the moisture and susceptible to failure in windstorms. Extending the boot above and below the soil line prevents water from being absorbed in the part of the fence post that is most susceptible to failure. A seal of waterproof material can be adhered to the top of the boot and to the fence post to prevent moisture from entering any space between the boot and the fence post.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boot for protecting a wooden fence post having a lateral external surface, comprising:
 a wall of material being configured to encircle and abut the lateral external surface of the wooden fence post, said material being impermeable to water.   
     
     
         2 . The boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said boot has a height of at least forty-five centimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said material is rubber. 
     
     
         4 . The boot according to  claim 1 , wherein said boot has a boot cross section, said boot cross section having an inner shape, said inner shape complementing an outer shape of a cross-section of the fence post. 
     
     
         5 . The boot according to  claim 4 , wherein said inner shape is rectangular. 
     
     
         6 . A fence post assembly to be supported by being partially inserted in ground and extending above a soil line of the ground, comprising:
 a fence post having a lateral external surface, said fence post being made of wood, said lateral external surface including a section, said section including a height where said lateral external surface is to be even with the soil line; and   a boot encircling at least said portion of said lateral external surface, said boot being impermeable to water.   
     
     
         7 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said boot is at least fifteen centimeters tall and is configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be located to fifteen centimeters above said soil line. 
     
     
         8 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said boot is at least thirty centimeters tall and is configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be located to thirty centimeters above said soil line. 
     
     
         9 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said boot is at least forty-five centimeters tall, said boot being configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be located to fifteen centimeters above said soil line, and said boot further being configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be located to thirty centimeters below said soil line. 
     
     
         10 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said boot is configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be to a height above said soil line. 
     
     
         11 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein said boot is configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be to a depth below said soil line. 
     
     
         12 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said boot is configured to cover said lateral external surface of said fence post from where said soil line is to be to a depth below said soil line. 
     
     
         13 . The fence post assembly according to  claim 6 , further comprising concrete surrounding said boot, said concrete being below said height on said fence post to be aligned with the soil line. 
     
     
         14 . A method for strengthening a fence post to be placed in ground, which comprises:
 wrapping at least a portion of an outer surface of a fence post with a boot made of material impermeable to water;   placing said fence post into a hole in the ground at a depth where said boot covers said outer surface of said fence post at the soil line.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises wrapping said fence post with said boot at least from the soil line to a height at least fifteen centimeters above the soil line. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , which further comprises wrapping said fence post with said boot at least from the soil line to a height at least thirty centimeters below the soil line. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises wrapping said fence post with said boot from at least thirty centimeters below the soil line to fifteen centimeters above the soil line. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises placing said boot directly against said outer surface of said post. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises back filling the hole with concrete outside of boot. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , which further comprises:
 pouring concrete into the hole before placing said fence post; and   placing said fence post in said hole while said concrete is wet.