Brackets For Wood Beam

[rich_ncal]

I am interested in where to find brackets for wood beams, such as in the enclosed photo, any medium and heavy duty brackets for wood beam construction.

I went to the local big box hardware store last weekend looking for some of these for a future project. I did see anything close to this.

Please let me know any good sites on the web for this or other sources.

Rich

 

[Zinno87]

Simpson may not have that exact bracket, but they will probably have something that will suit your needs. The link below will take you to their architectural collections. They have some pretty nice products.


Architectural Products Group - Specialty Collection

 

[rich_ncal]

Thank for the reply.

I would think the brackets with a 45 degree angle would be common, but I only see those as custom from the source in the link. I also don't see some other types.

I would think anyone with a plasma cutter and welder I could build brackets to support wood beams. I am surprised I don't find many sources on the web.

Any others sources for these?

 

[daTeacha]

That's a heavy construction item. Get away from the big box / home improvement stores and check for places serious contractors get their stuff. In other words, go to a real lumber yard, not Lowes or Home Despot.

Here in Amish country, the usual way to accomplish the job of that piece is to cut a section of wood from a post like the vertical one in your pic, leaving an angle at the top. The piece is usually about 18" long and lag srewed or through bolted to the post. You can put similar sections of wood on either side of your angle brace if you're worried about lateral movement.

If you want to get fancy, you can cut a mortise in the post with a tenon on the brace, but I wouldn't do it with pine since you effectively reduce the size of (and weaken) the brace somewhat.

 

[moeh1]

Some of the log home suppliers have hardware like this. I used to have a brochure from one in Ohio, but its history. I ended up with all mine custom built myself and a friend. If you are going that route and need many, construct and use jigs to make sure they all come out the same - don't ask how I know.

 

[DAP]

I've been looking for these also. I perhaps mistakenly have it in my mind that these plates can be fashioned and used in stead of the costly mortising and tenoning joinery used for post and beam construction.

If so, has anyone found them? The cost of hand chiseled joinery in P&B is prohibitive, but so beautiful.

 

[BTDT]

Could you build them yourself? Doesn't look that complicated. If you need a bunch, check with a steel supplier, they probably know of someone who can mass produce some for you.

 

[tkappeler]

I had a local steel fabricator make mine. I was able to use Google Sketchup to design the plates I needed and emailed the cad drawings to some places. Artisan recommends Monrovia Waterjet and they had good prices and small lead times. I did not use them only because the shipping to NJ was outrageous. Not their fault, just a reality. I would check them out since you are in CA.

 

[sdkubota]

Hate to always sound like an engineer (I R One) but brackets such as you posted need to be disigned and built according to the loads they are transfering. The size and number of lag bolts on the vertical post would be determined by the anticipated load coming down the rafter or sloped beam. If it is extremely overbuilt you can get by but how do you decide what is severely overbuilt or what is the bare minimum required? Sorry, but that is how I think and how I was trained.

Carry on!

 

[CurlyDave]

When I needed special brackets, I had them made up by a local welder. The price was reasonable and the turn-arround was fast.