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Stabilizing porch posts

10K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
I am planning to build a gable porch on the back of my home and am looking for the best way to make sure the posts are stable. My thought was that I would cement the posts into the footers, and then attach them to the joists using StrongTie post caps. However, some are telling me that I shouldn't cement them into the footers, and should just use the post bases which fasten to the concrete. My concern is that the posts, which will be nine feet long, and will have no other stabilizing support, might fall over under the weight of the roof.

The roof will be attached to the house, but it will extend out 18ft from the house. I guess another option might be to use the post bases, but then bolt the posts to the joists. That should help stabilize the posts a bit more.

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
That is a long porch. What is the other dimension, how wide? What size beams? How tall from the ground? Trusses or rafters? Are you in a high-wind or seismic zone? What is the rise per foot of the roof? What material of roofing? Any walls? Any foundation? A picture would be nice> Be safe, G
 
#3 ·
It will be 16' X 17' 4". Posts 9' high. Gable roof with rafters. Double 2x10s for the main beams. Not in a seismic or high wind area. I am in Pittsburgh, PA. The slope of the roof is 27 degrees. I am not building this on a deck, and there will be no railing as shown in the picture below. The posts will be either on or in 3ft cement footers. I will have 7 posts total.

 
#5 ·
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