help with arbor posts

I am building an arbor or pergola over my existing patio and in new concrete patio. I sunk the first two 6x6 cedar posts into the ground and filled with concrete. then poured concrete around the posts to make a concrete patio. These are very sturdy. I then connected two more 6x6 posts to Simpson StrongTie post base brackets which are connected to the existing concrete patio with concrete anchor bolts 4 inches down. These two posts are upright, but wobble a little bit for my comfort. What should I do. The arbor is almost completely built. How can I reinforce the two bracketed posts? Form concrete up the post and somehow disguise it with some veneer like stone or wood. Any help would be appreciated.

 

When you used the brackets, you used a method that does not provide continuity from the concrete to the prgola. This is typical of bolted and nailed connections. You connection is good for up and down loads and for horizontal loads tha want to move the concrete sideways. It does not let you post act like a continuous vertical pole fron below ground to th top. The comparison between the correct way to anchor a pergola and brackets is obvious to you. What if trees did not have roots?

The bracket you used was probably great to support a deck, but not stabilize a pergola.

The wobble will only increase unless you do something. One solution, which most people do not like is to put diagonal braces (knee braces) in two directions between the post and the top of the pergola at the posts with brackets. The more braces or the more they come down along the post, the more stability. Perhaps you could encorporate them into you design as a functional element.

Forming concrete and covering the posts would not be very effective unless it was quite wide.

Right now the two good posts are resisting the horizontal loads and providing stability. Brackets are very good, but they can only be effective when used for the purpose designed.

Dick

 

have you given any thought to constructing tiers or base columns to the bottom of your posts? A few paver manufacturers have wall block that can be used as bases that stand 24"-32" tall that can be built around your existing posts. This won't actually anchor them to the ground any better but they can add stability to the posts in a fashionable way without the added corner braces. And these wall blocks come in many different styles, colors and sizes, some as heavy as 94lbs a pc. They can be dried laid as well, as long as the tops are covered properly (allowing for the posts to be set in the centers) and caulked. good luck