Building and Construction - Attaching gate post to side of porch

Author

Attaching gate post to side of porch

Wayne Whitney

2006-07-17, 5:25 pm

Hello,

I am about to reside my front porch (cedar shingles over drainage
matrix over plywood sheathing). The driveway gate is currently hinged
off a post that is attached to the porch on top of the existing
shingle siding. What is the proper construction and flashing detail
here?

My first instinct is to make two or three spacer blocks with the
proper bevel so that each one will sit against the angled face of a
shingle and provide a plumb face for attaching the post. Then lag
screws would go through these into the framing of the porch. The
spacer blocks would hold the post away from the siding slightly to
provide an air gap. Would any flashing be required?

Another option would be to put the gate post against the sheathing and
bring the shingle siding to it, like a corner board. I think of the
gate as being less permanent than the siding job, so I'd prefer to
have siding underneath the gate post. But if this attachment method
would work better in the long run, I'll go with it.

Of course, I could move the gate post 6 inches away from the porch and
set it in its own concrete footing. But I have to think the post
would be less stable than if it were attached to the house. The gate
is roughly 6 feet tall and 9 feet wide.

Thanks, Wayne

Bob Morrison

2006-07-17, 8:25 pm

In a previous post Wayne Whitney wrote...
> My first instinct is to make two or three spacer blocks with the
> proper bevel so that each one will sit against the angled face of a
> shingle and provide a plumb face for attaching the post. Then lag
> screws would go through these into the framing of the porch. The
> spacer blocks would hold the post away from the siding slightly to
> provide an air gap. Would any flashing be required?
>

Wayne:

I like this idea beast. No flashing required. Here's a link to a
polypropylene spacer used for ledgers that might give you an idea or two.

http://www.deck2wallspacer.com/

--
Bob Morrison, PE, SE
R L Morrison Engineering Co
Structural & Civil Engineering
Poulsbo WA
bob at rlmorrisonengr dot com

Bob Morrison

2006-07-17, 8:25 pm

In a previous post Bob Morrison wrote...
> I like this idea beast.
>

OOPS! That should be "best" of course. Guess I'm spending too much time
reading "Where the Wild Things Are" to my grandchildren. <grin>

--
Bob Morrison, PE, SE
R L Morrison Engineering Co
Structural & Civil Engineering
Poulsbo WA
bob at rlmorrisonengr dot com

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