Can I find a deck-post base of size 3-inch width?
user-7750644
| Posted in General Discussion on
In above video at 4’50”, a post base is used to attach beam to concrete footing directly. This is a low deck so there is no enough space for a post. The question is a post base sold in Home Depot or Lowe’s is usually 4×4, which is 3.5 inch wide. Two 2×10 beam is 3 inch. There is half inch gap. Where can I find post base of 3 inch width? Thanks!
Replies
https://www.strongtie.com/search/?q=3”beam+connector
Online catalogue is humongous, enjoy your search.
https://www.strongtie.com/girderhangersbeamseats_concreteconnectorsandanchors/glb_seat/p/glb
This is the closest one I found.
https://embed.widencdn.net/img/ssttoolbox/uvrwzozmmv/284px@2x/HGLB_callout.jpeg?keep=c&crop=0&quality=80&u=cjmyin
3-1/4”, washer the difference?
Both of the big box stores (and many others) have folks who work at a desk who will be happy to find (and order) you the parts you need.
I will visit big box stores to get help there. Thanks!
Why not just shim it out with a half inch piece of pt plywood?
If you look at the video at 5:42 or so, the post brackets used are not a close fit for the two plies of 2x lumber.
http://embed.widencdn.net/pdf/plus/ssttoolbox/ehskwi0cit/C-C-2019-p068-069.pdf
see page 68.
Looks like they used the ABU46Z
Note 5 and the figure to the right that refers to note 5 applies.
for two thicknesses of 1.5 lumber, they call for a single shim of 1/2 inch structural lumber, 7 x 10 inches
Note 5: Shims are required for double 2x (1 shim) and triple 2x (2 shims) installations as shown in the illustration. Additional fastening of shim to beam is not required.
The question just said they wanted to buy a Home Depot post base, which would require approximately a 1/2” shim for a two ply beam. Not sure how this got so complicated....
The question was how to find the post base in the video, which he thought was 3 inches, which would match the beam width, but it seems in the end it does not, and the video seems to have left out the shim installation.
We were not as fast as you were to figure out the actual way forward
Since we’re going to be the detail police here the question wasn’t regarding the exact post base in the video. The poster asked what he should do bc the big box stores sell post bases that are 3.5” inches to fit a 4x4 not a double 2x:
“ The question is a post base sold in Home Depot or Lowe’s is usually 4×4, which is 3.5 inch wide. Two 2×10 beam is 3 inch. There is half inch gap. Where can I find post base of 3 inch width? Thanks!” And I was simply stating you don’t need a 3” base, you simply need the standard one at the store plus a shim.
Here’s another detail oriented not at the box store that comes 3-1/4 that can easily capture 2 treated 2x’s. And it looks damn nice.
This job should pay by the word.
And screw HD, go to a real yard and keep them in business!
"...Where can I find post base of 3 inch width?..."
(quote from first post, and your quote of it in Post 11.)
Not trying to pick a fight or anything. I tried to give you due credit for seeing and sharing that the 3.5 inch post base with a shim was the right answer.
Peace.
Happy Independence Day!
Good catch UncleMike42. I may use shims. Thanks all for replies!
Don't do what my neighbor's builder did (on her fancy modern house): put plywood shims that simply delaminated after 18 months.
Thanks, everyone, for calling this missing detail to our attention. I went into the article and added a note about a pressure-treated shim being an ideal solution for the difference in width.
And as a few people pointed out, there are tons of hardware options that your local building-supply store may not have on the shelf but that they can order for you. Also, Mike Guertin demonstrates and links to all sorts of deck connections—both common and unusual—in his deck-framing-connection video series: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/videoseries/2019/05/shop-class-critical-deck-framing-connections