Post base
Post base: metal connector that fixes a timber post to a concrete footing or slab, with a standoff to prevent end-grain moisture contact. Deck and pergola use.
Ask Chalkline about this →A post base (also called a post base bracket or post stand-off) is a metal connector that fixes the bottom of a timber post to a concrete footing or slab. A typical post base has a base plate that bolts to the concrete (via cast-in anchor bolts or post-installed anchors) and a socket or saddle that accepts the post end, with a 25-50 mm standoff between the concrete surface and the timber. The standoff prevents direct timber-to-concrete contact, reducing moisture uptake and end-grain decay, especially in H3 or H4 treated pine posts used for decks and pergolas.
Post bases are loaded in compression (the post load), uplift (wind uplift on deck and pergola roofs), and lateral shear. The connector specification governs the fixing pattern into the post (coach screws or purpose-designed structural screws) and the anchor bolt size into the concrete. Simpson Strong-Tie ABU, Pryda, and MiTek are common brands in Australian residential construction.
Also known as: post stand-off, post bracket, post shoe, base plate connector.
Category: Structural connectors / fixings.
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Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.