Thread: Joining posts

I don't know how good they are but this might do the trick.

Metpost Post Extender

Could try some fancy japenese joinery

JAANUS / shippasamitsugi �K‹²Œp

Remove the hand-rails.

Join the posts with half-lap M&Ts at least 200mm long, (ie better than twice their width) and use a pair of coach bolts to pull it together.

Ideally, this M&T will be below currently existing railing height, so that you can M&T the ends of the existing hand-rails into the added-on length of post, which'd supply further rigidity.

The coach-bolts & nuts can be countersunk, to allow for timber plugs to hide 'em.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Remove the hand-rails.

Join the posts with half-lap M&Ts at least 200mm long, (ie better than twice their width) and use a pair of coach bolts to pull it together.

Ideally, this M&T will be below currently existing railing height, so that you can M&T the ends of the existing hand-rails into the added-on length of post, which'd supply further rigidity.

The coach-bolts & nuts can be countersunk, to allow for timber plugs to hide 'em.

Exactly what I was going to say, you could use 'timber connectors' in between to help prevent any movement, they are kind of like 'ninja stars' but with the points bent in and out to grab timber, as it's compressed by bolt.

Hope that makes sense?

That Metpost post extender is just what I needed for my deck, but I didn't know about them, so I used a splint - bolt an extra piece of post along one side of the existing post and bolt the new post to it - not sure it'd be good enough to hold a roof up though?

If it was me I would just go for all new posts in one length as a roof will put a lot of windage stress on the uprights. It will also look better and be more secure. The cost of any fancy joining thingos will most like offset any cost saved in timber. Replace one post at a time and the existing structure will keep its shape. Prop from under if required as you change out posts.
Regards
John

I agree with the last post, replace with new posts the correct length,.

The stress on a joined post a joint would be a major weak point.

Jeff

Yep, me too. New posts are a bit I of a pain but the best option.

This used to be a very, very common request from clients.
I'd build a deck and then get called back to put a roof on, or, they already had a deck and now wanted a roof.

I can tell you now, no building inspector will pass a joined post of any kind no matter how it is joined.

Replacing the post entirely is the most common solution but not the only one.

A very strong alternative is, if you have 100x100 posts, put a 100x50 timber on either side of it and join with bolts through all 3. Where the two 100x50's extend above the existing handrail post put one block of 100x100x200 in the void at the halfway mark and attach with 3 x 4" nails each side staggered.

It can be quite attractive and is hellishly strong. Stronger in fact than a 100x100.

I do have photos of several old jobs of mine that illustrate this but I'd have to A) Find them, and B) scan them as this was way before the days of digital cameras.
I'm happy to do so if you wish but I'd need a day or so to dig them out.
Cheers
Jim

ETA: Actually there is one other solution I used once. Its human nature to automatically assume the roof must equal the deck exactly in both area and shape. I was asked once to add a pergola over an existing deck that wrapped around the back of the house. I replaced a couple of existing handrail posts to go all the way up, but then the others were added outside of the deck area.
There was no similarity between the shape of the pergola and the deck underneath it.
It looked quite smart and the client was thrilled but its a bugger to describe. I'll have to dig those photos out to explain this one.

Ok, here ya go.
First pic is the split post.
This particular job had a height issue.
Client wanted a roof over his existing deck, but the deck had been built without this in mind so by the time we took a line from his fascia, factored in a 5 deg pitch, there was not enough height at the handrail. Ideally, the deck should have been built lower with a step down out of the house. However, it wasn't so c'est la vie. We work with what we have. Getting a permit was out of the question in this case so I fudged it a bit. The blocking piece is considerably smaller than usual because visually it would have been too imposing. I did rebate it into the uprights and added the 45 deg braces at the top to try to compensate for this. Many years later I was called back to this site for more work and it was standing up well. So, alls well that ends well.
Attachment 185808

The next one is an example of thinking outside the square. This particular example was built all as one unit. It would appear I don't have a photos of the job I was thinking of earlier, but this one was the inspiration for it.
As you can see, two posts are shared with the handrail, but all the others are outside of the line of the deck.
It would have been just as easy to extend that part out a further 450mm and no posts would be shared.
I have another shot of this job when once again I was called back to do something else and it shows it all landscaped. But I can't find it right now.
It looked 200% better than this, I can assure you.
Attachment 185809

I hope this helps.
Cheers
Jim

Found it.
Attachment 185820