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Outdoor Timber Hardware
Outdoor timber hardware is the black metalwork that supports and joins posts on pergolas, carports and fences: post holders, concrete post bases, post connectors and pergola post brackets, plus concrete screws to fix them down. Choose your post supports by the size of the post and by whether it stands in soil or on a slab. Every fitting is finished in black to resist rust, stocked in our warehouse and delivered across Ireland.
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Post Supports, Post Bases and Post Holders
Our outdoor timber hardware is the heavy duty metalwork that holds posts, pergolas, carports and fences together. Whether you know them as post holders, post bases or post supports, they all do the same job: keep the foot of a timber post out of the wet and hold it plumb. Every fitting is finished in black to resist rust in Irish weather, stocked in our warehouse and delivered across Ireland.
Concrete Post Bases
Concrete post bases are precast black plinths with an M20 threaded insert. You set the base in the ground, then fix the post plate to the thread, so the timber never touches the soil.
- Low base: 100 mm tall, in 150×150 mm or 180×180 mm, for fixing onto an existing concrete floor or slab.
- Tall base: 500 mm tall, in 180×180 mm or 200×200 mm, set into the ground for new pergolas on soft ground.
- Extra tall base: 600 mm tall, in 150×150 mm, a concrete pillar for heavier structures such as roofed canopies.
Pole Holders
Iron post holders, also called pole holders, are cast cups on a flat footrest that you bolt onto a concrete pad or slab. The post drops into the cup and is fixed through the sides. Each cup is 140 mm deep, in six sizes to fit the post:
- 71×71 mm and 91×91 mm: for 70 mm and 90 mm posts in fencing, trellis and garden frames.
- 101×101 mm and 121×121 mm: for 100 mm and 120 mm posts on pergolas and carports.
- 151×151 mm and 201×201 mm: for 150 mm and 200 mm beams used as posts on larger structures.
Post Connectors and Pergola Post Brackets
Corner post connectors join 150 mm posts and beams without cutting joints, for pergolas, carports and raised structures. They are the pergola post brackets most builds need, one on top of each post:
- 2-way: a corner, joining two beams to a post
- 3-way corner: three timbers meeting at one post
- 3-way T-bracket: an upright post joined to two beams running straight through, for the middle posts of a single or multi-bay pergola
- 4-way: a cross joint in the middle of a frame
For fixing a beam to the side of a post, or bracing any 90 degree timber joint, fit heavy duty L-shaped brackets in pairs on opposite faces, using exterior structural screws long enough to bite deep into the timber.
Concrete Screws
Our concrete screws are 7.5 mm, countersunk, TX drive and rated for exterior use. Use them to fix pole holders and brackets to concrete without plugs.
Choosing the Right Post Support
- Measure the post first: choose the base or holder that matches its section.
- Going into soil? Use a concrete post base.
- Going onto a slab, patio or footing? Use a pole holder with concrete screws.
- Never bury timber in concrete: the end grain wicks up water and rots from the inside. A base or holder keeps it dry and lets you replace a post later.
For the timber to go with them, see our timber posts and beams, including oak beams and Douglas Fir beams.
Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Timber Hardware
Should I set timber posts in concrete or on a post base?
On a base. A post buried in concrete wicks moisture up its end grain and rots from the inside. A concrete post base or pole holder keeps the end grain above ground and dry, and lets you replace a post later without breaking concrete.
What is the difference between a concrete post base and a pole holder?
A concrete post base is a precast black plinth set into the ground with an M20 threaded insert for the post plate. A pole holder is a cast iron cup on a flat footrest that you bolt onto a concrete pad or set into wet concrete.
Does the black metal hardware need maintenance?
Very little. The black protective coating does the work and most people leave it alone. After several seasons you can refresh it with an exterior metal paint or cold galvanising spray.
What size post base or post holder do I need?
Match it to your post. Concrete post bases come in 150, 180 and 200 mm square sections, and post holders in 71, 91, 101, 121, 151 and 201 mm cups. Each product name gives its size.
Which post supports do I need for a pergola?
At the foot of each post, use a concrete post base if it stands in soil, or a post holder fixed with concrete screws if it stands on a slab. At the top, pergola post brackets join the beams: a 2-way connector on the corners, a 3-way T-bracket on middle posts and a 4-way where frames cross. The connectors fit 150 mm posts.