post supports

[John K Jordan]

I am, with the help of a few friends and family. Could get interesting.

Mark, nothing more satisfying than building a shop yourself! I've built two, my first was a little 20x20 building and the one I hope to use till the grave is 24x62. Saves a LOT of money too and provides excellent lessons in patience. I do everything from clearing the land to wiring the lights, with only help on this shop from a friend and crane for the roof trusses and some concrete guys to pour and finish the slab. Maybe you can use this line - I tell people I built it with my bare hands but I lie, I used tools.

Jeff, Keith makes an excellent point about using steel posts. We used round 4" posts at my last house to support a 10x24' extension for my music/piano room and bath on the second floor. Each post had a flat plate welded on the top and bottom, the bottom set down in the concrete and the top with holes to fasten it to the underside of the support beams. Extremely sturdy. To the right in this picture - I'd forgotten but it looks like it only took 4 posts. (Instead of sonotube pillars a long "grade beam" supported this load.) BTW, for the decks I put 4x6 PT directly on concrete pillars - still in good shape after almost 40 years.

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I also used a steel but square post to replace a cedar pole in my old barn which had rotted and caused the roof to sag - it had probably been in use for 80 years or more. For that one I used some heavy-wall rectangular steel pipe I had on hand and also welded plates top and bottom. I think 4x4 or 4x6 square steel posts would look fantastic for carport/shed use. (square steel has nicely radiused corners) They could be anchored to the surface with bolts sunk into the concrete.

JKJ

[Ronald Blue]

Here is a shot showing the Permacolumn posts in my new shed.
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