Pergola/Gazebo footings

[badgerade]

I have some 8ft 4x4 fence posts which I plan to use as part of a pergola/gazebo type thing to house a couple of bbqs on a gravelled area.

I need all the height of these (not keen to buy longer posts due to the costs) so was thinking of digging a hole, adding concrete and then using post feet for the posts. This kind of thing:



Firstly, does this sound like a reasonable plan?

Secondly - what sort of size hole do I need to be digging?

Thanks!

[sherman]

An 8ft post needs to go 2 ft into the ground for stability. You will only have 6ft out of the ground.
You dont need to have the footings. Just postcrete the posts in.

[How u doing]

I saw somewhere some sort of planter thing with a post in that may do the job,

[badgerade]

sherman said:

An 8ft post needs to go 2 ft into the ground for stability. You will only have 6ft out of the ground.
You dont need to have the footings. Just postcrete the posts in.

That's the issue - I already have posts and don't want them to be 6ft out the ground hence wanting to have them at ground leve (I am not tall, but a 6ft high roof would be pushing it a bit!)

[Simpo Two]

Use these - they're designed for it: https://tinyurl.com/ejfpn769

Just google 'Metposts'.

[aparna]

Simpo Two said:

Use these - they're designed for it: https://tinyurl.com/ejfpn769

Just google 'Metposts'.

Would these be suitable for a flat pack lean to pergola, without concrete? Been meaning to do this but concrete etc has been putting me off.

[Carlososos]

[ThunderSpook]

aparna said:

Simpo Two said:

Use these - they're designed for it: https://tinyurl.com/ejfpn769

Just google 'Metposts'.

Would these be suitable for a flat pack lean to pergola, without concrete? Been meaning to do this but concrete etc has been putting me off.

After a lot of research last year I decided to use metposts for my pergola because I wanted the height the same as you. Once you get the top all bolted on they’re actually pretty firm and it works brilliantly. I recommend them.

[Simpo Two]

aparna said:

Simpo Two said:

Use these - they're designed for it: https://tinyurl.com/ejfpn769

Just google 'Metposts'.

Would these be suitable for a flat pack lean to pergola, without concrete? Been meaning to do this but concrete etc has been putting me off.

You hammer them straight into the ground. Just be careful to keep them vertical because once in they're pretty immoveable!

[LeadFarmer]

If this kind of thing is suitable, search the tinter web fo post feet or post base, they stop the bottom of the post from sitting in water

[Rampant Golf]

LeadFarmer said:

If this kind of thing is suitable, search the tinter web fo post feet or post base, they stop the bottom of the post from sitting in water

This is exactly what I did for this reason. Sitting the wood inside a bracket will cause the wood to rot eventually as the water will just sit there.

[Notreallymeeither]

You mentioned you are putting down some concrete.

If you are putting concrete in then maybe consider these

https://www.buildbase.co.uk/metpost-concretein-met...

However, if you are paying for those then you might be nearing the price of longer posts....

Edited by Notreallymeeither on Thursday 13th May 22:50

[Mave]

I used something like that as part of a fencing project recently. Seemed to work pretty well. IIRC you need a hole approx. 0.5x0.5x0.5m. I used postcrete to hold them into postion then backfilled with regular concrete - but you could use 100% postcrete, it's just a bit more expensive.

[How u doing]

https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/102295...


The added bonus it can be dismantled and moved.

[ARHarh]

I used these https://www.toolstation.com/concrete-in-sleeper-ba... to fix this to the ground.



400 mm cubed hole full of concrete with these imbedded in the concrete

Been there for 3 winters, and its on an exposed hillside.

[Baldchap]

Don't be worried about using postcrete. It's literally a case of make hole, put fixing or whatever in hole, pour postcrete in, add water, wobble it about with a stick or trowel for a minute to mix in the water and then come back in half an hour. It's mega easy and far more effective than any interference fit support.

The hardest bit is digging the holes. We hired a 'one man auger' like the one shown below for installing some outbuilding supports on uneven ground. The one man that can use that by himself isn't one I'd want to upset!!!

[snowandrocks]

I've recently completed something similar using these brackets bolted onto threaded bar set into concrete pads using Fischer resin.

https://www.adnacomponents.co.uk/product/4355/

It worked perfectly and allowed for near mm accurate placing and levelling. I used stainless washers under each bracket to get everything accurate.

However, the brackets provide very little resistance to sideways forces when you consider the 2m+ lever acting on them. It means you really need to be sure that your structure is well braced and rigid in itself.

Alternatively, setting sturdy posts in concrete or postfix gives much more lateral strength to the posts so the bracing isn't as critical.

[Prawo Jazdy]

Rather than start a thread I thought I'd resurrect this one. If using a post anchor as above, is it sensible to drill through existing patio slabs (~25mm thick) and into the sub base, and then set threaded bar into that using a chemical/resin anchor to bolt the post anchors to? The idea would be to anchor a pergola made from 150x150mm posts.

[Snow and Rocks]

Nah, unless it's a pretty small structure attaching to a slab/subbase is going to be pretty useless, think how easily you can lift a slab?

Is the pergola going to be just an open timber frame or will it have walls or a roof on it?

[Mr Magooagain]

Take the slabs up where you want to put the posts.
Then excavate a foundation hole and concrete it.
Then lay slabs back down on mortar.
Now you can drill through and fix adjustable post feet with confidence.