Dear Peter,

Check out Joiners Quarterly no 35 where Craig Hanson and his dad built a great double rafter hammer beam roof barn incorporating two large Norwegian spruce trees from their tree plantation as end storey posts. He also mentioned that these trees were affected by a fungus - cytospora kunzei which maybe is what is affecting your trees ?

Look up Craigs email in the directory and ask him how these posts are performing after 4 years or so. The wood from all spruces is not a durable wood but has got a very good strength to weight ratio. Smells nice too !

Ken Hume