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  • Wood will rot if not maintain. Well maintain/protected wood will last for years. A post/pin in the centre of piece of will reduce the shear strength quite a bit compared to the full section of the wood. Most safety concerns are not what you will do, but what a drunken idiot will do on your land. Commented Jul 18, 2022 at 10:37
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    Your tradesman is confused. Pushing and pulling on the top of a railing does not impose significant sheer force on the at the bottom end of the post. It's a bending force you see there. Sheer is what you would see if you sat down on the deck and push directly against the bottom of the post where it meets the deck - and you'll never apply much force that way. Commented Jul 18, 2022 at 14:41
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    @brhans The terminology [/confusion?] is mine not the contractor. He described the forces but did not use the term "shear". Apparently "bending" is correct - glad to be corrected here. Commented Jul 18, 2022 at 14:43
  • How is the lifespan due to rot not dependant on how much (gloop) the wood was soaked in? Commented Jul 19, 2022 at 17:50
  • @RobbieGoodwin Noone said it is not. Do you have specific info/recommendations about the preservatives? I've seen "mixed reviews" on supplementing pressure treated external ground exposure rated posts with additional protectants: some say to do so in the ground/concrete portions. Commented Jul 19, 2022 at 17:57