There are several methods for securing a timber post to a solid poured concrete pier, slab or foundation. With a welded steel knife plate to timber post, a flat piece of plate steel with rebar fingers is embedded in to the concrete. Then the elevated post base is attached to the timber post through a knife plate which is held together with a steel pin and a couple of pegs to hide everything. After the frame is installed you simply weld the steel plate to the bottom of the knife plate post base joining everything together.
After you position the post on this cement footing, can you then place stone around the footing? How would you recommend capping off the stone? Would this be done just at the start of the wood post or above it?
Thanks!
It is best to start the stone cap as close to the bottom or right below the post to prevent the post from rotting. You can increase/decrease the depth of the spacer on the base to dial in the exact height that you need.
Do you have recommended sizes for the steel plate components for a 10×10 post? Do you have any CAD details you could email?
You can download a pdf of the detail at https://timberframehq.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/bolted-steel-knife-plate-b.pdf , we do not have the CAD file available for download. I would go with 3/16 or 1/4″ for the steel components depending on the other loads that maybe put it.
I am interested in the purchase of this product, Could you forward me information on procurement for a project I have in the works.
Thanks for your time
We do not provide this product, we instead recommend that you contact a local welding shop to fabricate them for you.
Brice, how do you make a cut that thin like this in the base of a post?
Josh
There are special slot mortisers, but I have always used a chainsaw. There are some jigs online that I have see to help with using a chainsaw.
For anything that you install inside the wood that is made out of steel I’d highly recommend giving it several coats of “Zinc it” or something similar that gives it a zinc coating to provide it with a durable rust inhibitor.
Tom, that is a great idea and one Brice also strongly recommends. Getting them hot-dipped galvanized is the way to go.
Awesome tip thanx. What material is the spacer made of?
A lexan product cut down to fit works the best.