Seismic Retrofitting The Post to Beam Connections 

Now you know why

Wow, thanks for this video. We recently saw a house where the owners spent a lot of money on those T-straps for the post and beams. The foundation contractor also applied carbon fiber to the perimeter concrete stem wall foundations. In a report, the contractor wrote that the stem wall concrete surface material was ground down and cleaned before the carbon fiber was applied. However, because the retrofit was done without a permit, it's not clear what kinds of inspections this foundation retrofit passed. Is carbon fiber an approved code compliant method to strengthen an old deteriorated concrete stem foundation wall of a one-story single family home? What kinds of inspections, if any, are required prior to and/or subsequent to application?

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Glad I could help. Please be sure and subscribe.

That is right, if I had a quarter for every unnecessary piece of hardware I have seen under houses I could spend all day making videos. Please do me a favor and subscribe.

Thanks for letting me know. Helping people like you is the reason I put the website together

Can you send me a photo of what you are talking about? The code says only one nail is required at the bottom. Type in "Post to Beam" in the search bar and you will see the code citation on the webpage. I thought this was included in the video.

@@bayarearetrofit5814 Great video and I also hoped that you'd provide an image of the right nail connection that you are referring to.

Toe Nails

@@bayarearetrofit5814 Thanks

Happy to help. If you could subscribe I would appreciate it.

I am going to need to leave that video to you. Good idea!

I was confused also because he gave all the examples about how not to do it and waste money, but he never stated the correct way to do it and engineers just don’t design to design. Please advise.

I agree! I have a 16' beam through the center of the house sitting on two posts, each post made of 3 - 2x6"s nailed together. I'm worried that lateral movement and shaking could knock the beam off the posts and was hoping to see if there was a way to shore the posts up to the floor joists. If the beam falls off the posts in a quake, the house and roof will cave in.

Thank you, I will look at that.

The EBB requires that you use either FEMA P-1100 or Standard Plan A to qualify for the grant. You can find a comparison between the two systems on this webpage. bayarearetrofit.com/fema-p-1100-icc-1300-and-standard-plan-a/ Please study this webpage so that you know which system you want to use. This is an important decision and will make a big difference in terms of cost.

I would say it does not matter in terms of resisting lateral earthquake forces but does matter as far as gravity goes.

You should have 4 x 6 beams on the entire perimeter. Connect those to the sill with Simpson L90s, add URFP, make sure and engineer it with the info on the website, and call it a day. If you could post a YELP review that says some good things about the website and your experience with me it would be appreciated

@@howardcook35 many thanks Howard! I will do!

Please go to bayarearetrofit.com and search for "post to beam" and read the code requirement.

I have the same type of deck but less lumber. 6x6 with one 2x10 rim. I think if you add a Deck Joist Tie you'll sleep better at night. That basically will make your connection the same as beam on post

There is no reason to learn how to properly do something that does not need to be done. Watch the video and read the code citation one more time.

Fighting with an engineer is a waste of breath. You can cite the code which you find on the webpage but they won't listen. Your idea is a good one.

Yes, this video has saved a lot of people a lot of money.

It is important to remember that Simpson is in the business of selling hardware, not public safety or spending people's money wisely. Their plan set and guide has other recommendations that are not logical, but they do increase hardware consumption. Impartial agencies such as the ICC are not trying to sell anything. In the end one must listen to both sides, see which is the most logical, and act from there.

This is like the oil companies saying that you need to replace the oil every 5k. Or the umbrella company saying to replace your umbrella every 5 raining seasons.

You’re joking. Right?

The only thing I know is to level the floor. To do it right you need to use a laser. Maybe there is something on RU-vid. I have never done it myself. If you discover anything let me know.

You can use a water level to level the floor. Get 100' of 3/8" or 1/2" vinyl tube and fill it with water. Attach it to two sticks, stakes, or rods. Place one of these against a door frame solidly with the bottom resting on the floor. Do not let it move. Then go around the house and measure the level of water from the floor to the level point. You can then build a map of where your floor is out of level. I will be doing this in my south bay area home built on expansive clay soil in the coming year.

On the homepage there is a video on old foundations. Your house has the equivalent of a crappy brick foundation.

Sorry I am so late in my reply. I do not know RU-vid did not notify me about your comment. Look at my webpage on brick foundations.

There are too many unknown factors to give you an answer.

No, not at all. Sometimes contractors put the concrete pier block in the wrong place such that it is not directly under the beam. When this happens they need to put the post in at an angle so that the beam is supported. I used to do a lot of structural work not related to retrofitting and know from experience that if you remove a few posts you won't even notice it except the floor might have a little more bounce in that area.

Yes

Why show a correct way to do it when there is no reason to do it. It is hard to imagine a correct way to do something that does not need to be done.

Plenty of engineers design things just to design. If not, half of them would be out of work…

What is the failure point and how to properly address the failure point?

@@tmaila there isn't a failure point

International Residential Code

Yes you would. You are following the code.

Also, if strapped wouldn’t it add support against cripple wall failure? Not trying to be a contrarian, genuinely trying to understand. I’m a DIY’er with an old home.

There are two types of earthquake faults, thrust faults and lateral-slip faults. The Hayward Fault is a thrust fault. Thrust faults have a vertical component. The building code does not recognize this force as being something you need to resist, though Simpson StrongTie likes for people to believe otherwise so they can sell more hardware. Houses move up with the ground and down with the ground. They do do not become separated because of upward acceleration. That is why building codes do not address vertical acceleration. Hope that helped. If you haven't done so, please subscribe.

Bay Area Seismic Retrofit So you are saying that houses do not bounce and there is no need to add vertical connection from the beams to the post to the pier? A single nail from 100 years ago placed at the bottom is adequate? Genuine question, I wasn’t aware vertical acceleration is not of concern.

Many faults, such as the Hayward Fault, are thrust faults which means there is a vertical component. However, the building code a observed evidence do not see this as a source of damage. The building code only requires exactly what you describe. I personally would add a few nails to the top and the bottom "well, .....just because" as the structural engineer who helped me put that video together expressed it.

A post provides zero lateral resistance. Imagine the floor sitting on top of the post and the floor happens to move a foot, the post will tip over. If the house remains secured to the foundation the floor will not move on top of the posts at all and the posts will not tip over. In other words, if you secure the house to the foundation on the perimeter the floor will not move on top of the the posts don't need to resist anything. The metal post connectors you are referring to have ZERO lateral resistance according to the manufacturer. Why put in hardware that is labor intensive, is not required by the code, and offers zero lateral resistance? If the post is required to resist lateral force because the house has become disconnected from the foundation you are screwed anyway. Best to spend your money where it counts.

@@bayarearetrofit5814 got it. Okay that helps-visualizing that everything will move together as long as the walls in the foundation are strong and properly done. Thanks, great videos.

Ask anything, anytime.

I was confused also because he gave all the examples about how not to do it and waste money, but he never stated the correct way to do it and engineers just don’t design to design. Please advise.

@@tyrice24earl check out his many other vids. He covers the important stuff about proper installations and recommendations there.

It says at the bottom of the post. Read it again.

I had the same question. A nail into the bottom of a wood post into what, the cement pier? Those L shape straps seem simple enough, my posts are half hanging off the piers.

Anything that will keep the post up when you kick it, which is just about anything. Please read the information on the webpage at bayarearetrofit.com/post-beam-connection/

Thanks! @@bayarearetrofit5814

This subject is very technical for most people and speaking slowly is helpful.

The same principles apply, though in my opinion the posts could be dislodged from the shaking itself regardless of whether or not the floor moved. It is so cheap to strengthen this connection, even a few nails ought to do it, why take the chance? Especially when you have a limited number of posts.

@@bayarearetrofit5814 Sure makes sense regarding nails, why not? How about other recommendations such as far as adding hardware connectors / improving concrete footing?

Leave the concrete alone. Search for SEAOSC and as far as the rest of it, it is all important.

I see your point as it is related directly to seismic or 'lateral' loading incidents. However, you are leaving out two additional VERY important types of loading conditions...The first is due to soil movement (shrink/swell) and the second is wind uplift anchorage. These connections are instrumental in aiding in structural stability of the home during those two types of loading conditions. I live in an area that is almost entirely unconsolidated soil that shrinks and swells as you describe and have never seen a post connection come apart even the least bit. To tell people that the engineers are simply "not educated" enough and just spec these connections because they are uninformed is a bit dangerous on your part. Especially given the fact that you didn't even mention these additional loading conditions. How are a few nails or even steel straps going to prevent a house from lifting up off its foundation? We do not see this kind of damage in earthquake county, at least I am not aware of any. From my point of view building codes inform engineers and contractors which connections are important, and this isn't one. ..It is the engineer's job to think through and design for ALL possible future loading conditions. IF you are going to make a video spreading misinformation, maybe you should be able to disprove the need for those connections ( after applying all loading conditions) mathematically. I do not look at theoretical/mathematical conjecture. I look at empirical evidence and also hope that the authors of the building code did the same. If you can find ONE photo of failure to a post beam connection due to soil displacement I will point that out because I have some empirical evidence to back it up. If you can find another photo with wind damage that would also be helpful. IF you cannot, you are not qualified and you should simply not speak on these matters. Also, I will remind you that the IRC code is the MINIMUM spec allowable. It should not be looked at as the end all/be all for construction. It was created to give the contractor and homeowner information on the absolute MINIMUM safe design conditions. And it should be based on a MINIMUM amount of empirical evidence and I don't see any. Also, in seismic retrofits one must also look at the math in terms of spending their money wisely and cost-effectively. Really, please send me photos, not math formulas, of the two types of failure modes you mentioned, that occurred in earthquake country. I am always eager to update my site and provide accurate, evidence based, information.

You missed the point. THERE IS NOTHING TO DO.

Contractors too!

Great! Let me know what you disagree with on each video you disagree with and we can have a conversation.

What do you mean by failing?

The right way is to follow the code which is illustrated in the video. Watch it again.

I quoted the code. It is up to the reader to decide if I am shitting on other people's work.