# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Carport / Pergola Posts

## Paul Anderson

Hi All, 
I have a carport that is 6m x 5.4m with a concrete tile roof with oregon beams, joists and posts. 
The carport sways due to the weight of the roof and poor bracing.
I am going to replace the tiles with Colourbond sheets and wood also like to raise the roof from 2.4m to 3.5metres. 
The carport is currently supported by 6 90x90mm oregon posts that are in steripes to the concrete slab. 
Could someone please let me know what (3.5 metre high) posts size and type would be required to support the carport roof. 
Thanks, 
Paul :Sneaktongue:

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## BRADFORD

I would think the same size would be ok but you would have to brace them well.
I did something like that for my son and we put decorative wrought iron panels (got them from a demolishion yard) between the posts, looked really good and rock solid. 
Regards Bradford

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## CelticCarpentry

hi paul, you are saving a lot of structural weight load going from tiles to colourbond,  90x90 oregon is fine for your application.
you may want to replace with treated pine or hardwood posts depending on the condition of the original oregon. 
i recommend diagonal bracing to each post, so you end up with "X" between posts. you could also brace horizontally which will help a lot, but the "X" bracing would be stronger.  
you could do this cheaply with hoop iron or make a nice feature out of the carport using tassie oak for example (50mmx20mm) which would give you more privacy too.  
i am sure you can get even more ideas looking around you local area or just google "feature carports" for example.  
regards, justin.

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## chris_stam

I am just in the process of building a standalone carport roof cover with terracotta tiles and the norm for posts is Cypress pine F7 115 x 115.  Anything smaller and there is not much left when you check them out for the beams. 
If you actually put the posts in the ground 800 deep with concrete you don't need bracing. 
Chris

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## Paul Anderson

Hi All, 
Thanks for the great feed back. 
Just to calarify the carport is free standing and I will put diagonal bracing from post to beam (not crossed for visual effects). 
The posts need to be replaced as they are only 2.4m high, and I want the carport to be 3.5m high.
I see that Oregon is going out of favour these days, is this due to it structral rating? It is almost $10m cheaper than the 90x90 laminated pine. 
The post will be placed in steripes (sorry for spelling) which then will be anchor to the carport slab. 
As I not putting the posts in the ground, it is safe to go with Oregon or should I spend the extra money and go for the 90x90 pine or 115 x 115 pine? 
I have checked span tables etc, but there seems to be no rating for how much load a post can take? 
Thanks again, 
Paul :Biggrin:

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## Dufus

Thing about posts that many fail to consider is that thye not only hold the roof up but they hold it down also. How much more lift will you get from the additional height and the reduced roof load ? 
I would go for steel or Duragal SHS and if unsure of the quality of the slab, casting them into footings also

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## Cooky

The oregon posts will work ok for the downward load. 
To resist the uplift by the wind, it's not the timber itself that will fail but the connection to the slab. So if it's securely bolted down (dynabolts are cheaper but not as strong, trubolts or chemsets stronger but dearer) then the weight of the slab will hold it all down. I.e. your slab 6 x 5.4m x 100mm thick weighs over 7.5 tonnes. Your wind won't be that strong!! 
The main reason against oregon to my understanding, is the rot. It's not all that great exposed. I would go treated pine F7, dunno the price difference. You mentioned laminated before, why laminated? You can just get normal stuff I thought - it's a lot cheaper. 
Cheerio

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