{"id":793,"date":"2017-11-10T16:13:46","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T16:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/?p=793"},"modified":"2017-11-20T15:24:33","modified_gmt":"2017-11-20T15:24:33","slug":"structural-porch-posts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/10\/structural-porch-posts\/","title":{"rendered":"Structural Porch Posts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three Common Questions (and Their Answers)<\/h2>\n

In porch projects, getting the posts right can mean the difference between a structurally sound porch and one that puts people in harm\u2019s way. In serving contractors, the three most common questions we hear from our customers are:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Structural <\/p>\n

What are the load tolerances of Superior Plastic Products porch posts?<\/h2>\n

Superior has done extensive testing to determine their posts\u2019 \u201cpoint of failure\u201d (i.e., the absolute maximum amount of weight their posts can hold). To ensure safety, the typical rule of thumb is to not attempt supporting any more than half of that maximum load. For example, Superior\u2019s max load rating on 4\u201d posts is 7,800 pounds, so you would not want to support more than 3,900 pounds with them.<\/p>\n

The max load ratings for other-sized Superior Plastic\u2019s porch posts are below:* \u2022 4.5\u201d posts = 11,800 pounds (appropriate for supporting up to 5,900 pounds in your projects)<\/p>\n

5\u201d posts = 10,500 pounds (appropriate for supporting up to 5,250 pounds in your projects) \u2022 6\u201d posts = 18,000 pounds (appropriate for supporting up to 9,000 pounds in your projects)
\nWith Superior Plastic Products load testing results, we\u2019ve found them to be more than adequate in serving most porch projects\u2019 requirements.<\/p>\n

\"Structural <\/p>\n

What are the load tolerances of pressure-treated wood posts?<\/h2>\n

Quite often, we\u2019re asked how much weight a 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 pressure-treated wood post can hold. The answer to that question isn\u2019t always straightforward. Many different factors affect the load tolerances of wood posts, including the length of the unbraced height, the type and grade of wood, the service conditions, and other variables. According to calculations using an online \u201cCapacity of Wood Column Calculator\u201d by Jonathan Ochshorn via Cornell University, a southern SPF wet-service 4 x 4 9-foot-long post can hold about 3,500 pounds and a 6 x 6 9-footlong post can support about 10,000 pounds.**<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/h2>\n

What does code require?<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, no answer exists to this question. International Residential Code (IRC) offers guidance on platform and balloon frame construction, but not on the construction of posts and beams.<\/p>\n

With building codes not specifying the weight a post must bear, you\u2019re left on your own to figure it out, unless you\u2019re working off an architect- or engineer- The Good News Even though the future remains uncertain for Clubhouse decking, you can rest assured you will still have all your needs met by Homestead Outdoor Products. We have other high-quality decking material options available, including those from WOLF Home Products, Paldeck\u00ae, and Fiberon\u00ae. approved plan. To ensure posts are adequate, make sure you know the expected dead-load and snow-load capacities. And when in doubt, consult an engineer.<\/p>\n

* According to Superior Plastic Products\u2019 website\u2014\u00a0accessed 9\/29\/2017<\/span>
\n ** This information is not meant to replace the expert\u00a0advice of an engineer. While the online calculator\u2019s<\/span>
\n information appears to make sense, we cannot\u00a0guarantee its accuracy<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three Common Questions (and Their Answers) In porch projects, getting the posts right can mean the difference between a structurally sound porch and one that puts people in harm\u2019s way. In serving contractors, the three most common questions we hear from our customers are: What are the load tolerances of Superior Plastic Products porch posts?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=793"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":803,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793\/revisions\/803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadoutdoorproducts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}