Attaching lean-to posts to the ground - how?
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:01 pm
Hello All,
I'm going to build a small lean-to, attached to the back of the house, as a log store.
From reading previous Topics, I've picked up the excellent idea of ensuring there are three compartments for "ready", "1 yr old" and "new" logs. But I was searching for advice on how best to attach the vertical supports (garden posts) to the ground - which in this case is c. 40 yr old tarmac drive, with lots of chippings coming loose every winter.
Just to clarify, I will bolt the two "rear" posts to the wall of the house; I'm not worried about how they connect with the ground, as the load will be taken by the bolts securing them to the wall. In fact they won't touch the ground, to reduce wet rot. It's the "other" two posts - the ones at the "front" of the lean-to, that I'm puzzling over. The load that they will need to bear is only the load of the lean-to roof (intended to be small rafters, ply or blockboard sheeting and felting)
Can I attach a base plate by drilling through it into the tarmac / ground? If so, what type of screws / bolts should I use?
Should I act as if I'm erecting a fence and drive post-spikes into the ground? I'm reluctant to do this as on the one time I've tried that, the spike twisted a little when being driven in. Not much, but enough to make attaching battens, sheeting etc problematic.
Are there other ways? I've considered trying to construct strongly framed sides so that the front posts are supported by the structure itself in a way that is enough to carry the (not particularly heavy) roof load. But I'm not happy with this, as I think the front posts would then feel loose - a bit flappy, if that makes sense. I'd like the lean-to to be reasonably "solid", so I think those front posts need securing to the ground
Anyway, all ideas very welcome.
Thanks,
Andrew
I'm going to build a small lean-to, attached to the back of the house, as a log store.
From reading previous Topics, I've picked up the excellent idea of ensuring there are three compartments for "ready", "1 yr old" and "new" logs. But I was searching for advice on how best to attach the vertical supports (garden posts) to the ground - which in this case is c. 40 yr old tarmac drive, with lots of chippings coming loose every winter.
Just to clarify, I will bolt the two "rear" posts to the wall of the house; I'm not worried about how they connect with the ground, as the load will be taken by the bolts securing them to the wall. In fact they won't touch the ground, to reduce wet rot. It's the "other" two posts - the ones at the "front" of the lean-to, that I'm puzzling over. The load that they will need to bear is only the load of the lean-to roof (intended to be small rafters, ply or blockboard sheeting and felting)
Can I attach a base plate by drilling through it into the tarmac / ground? If so, what type of screws / bolts should I use?
Should I act as if I'm erecting a fence and drive post-spikes into the ground? I'm reluctant to do this as on the one time I've tried that, the spike twisted a little when being driven in. Not much, but enough to make attaching battens, sheeting etc problematic.
Are there other ways? I've considered trying to construct strongly framed sides so that the front posts are supported by the structure itself in a way that is enough to carry the (not particularly heavy) roof load. But I'm not happy with this, as I think the front posts would then feel loose - a bit flappy, if that makes sense. I'd like the lean-to to be reasonably "solid", so I think those front posts need securing to the ground
Anyway, all ideas very welcome.
Thanks,
Andrew