The Specialty Timber Posts on this poolside patio by McDonald Jones Homes stand out strikingly against the white of the rest of the design.  But how you install timber posts can make or break the whole look!

All posts need to be secured at the base, and whilst it’s sometimes ok to embed them directly into concrete, the best option for longevity of the posts is to have them raised up off any surrounding area where water can pool around or absorb up into the timber.

A traditional U Shaped Post Anchor will do the trick, but this takes away from the beauty and look of a specialty timber post, leaving an exposed galvanised steel bracket at the bottom of the post.

The posts in the above image have been installed using a T Blade Post Support.  These brackets are bolted down to concrete. Then a slit is cut up into the base of the post to fit over the blade of the post support.  Holes and bolts are inserted right through the thickness of the post giving the neat, unobtrusive finish you can see here.  You can also go the next step and router out the slit, leaving the timber intact right around the post and just the bolts exposed. You can see what this looks like installed on this job by Jamie Shaw Building

VUETRADE have a large range of engineered post supports to suit the full range of post sizes, in both Galvanised and Stainless Steel 316 & 304.

Another thing to remember in pool and coastal environments is the usage of Stainless Steel to prevent premature rusting of your post support brackets.  You can see more information on this post regarding pool areas.

Always check with your local building authorities for local requirements and mandatory usage of Stainless Steel.