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Stesso

Precisely Layout Post and Beam Positions

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15:02
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Why patio roofs fail - and how to build them right!

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What happens here

To accurately position your support posts, first plumb down from the outside edge of your ledger board using a level and attach a straight 2x4 (a 'mark-up' board) to establish a baseline. Measure the desired projection from the ledger (e.g., 7 feet) along this temporary board. To ensure squareness at the corner, use the 3-4-5 triangle method: measure 3 feet along the wall from the corner, 4 feet along the temporary board from the corner, and then adjust the temporary board until the diagonal distance between the 3-foot and 4-foot marks is exactly 5 feet. Mark the ground for your footing at this precisely squared location.

Goal: Accurately mark the ground for post footings and ensure the structure is square.

Tools and materials

  • 2x4 lumber — Used as a temporary mark-up board for layout
  • Level — Plumbing down from the ledger to establish a vertical line
  • Nail gun Milwaukee — Temporarily attaching the 2x4 mark-up board
  • Pencil/Marker — Marking measurements
  • Tape measure — Measuring distances for layout and the 3-4-5 method

What they say

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rafters, these rafters can snap. To figure out where your post is going to land on a footing, put your level down from the outside of your ledger, tack up a straight 2x4, and this will line up with your outside edge. Now I'll just measure to the outside of my beam, then I'll make a mark, and now we'll square this corner up with a 3-4-5. So I'll just hook the outside and make a mark at three. I'll mark this side at four. Now I'll measure between both my marks and make sure that I'm on the same side of the tape measure, and then I'll just move this here until I line it up on five. Now this 7-ft mark is where the outside of the beam lands. I can use this measurement here to plumb down here and make a mark and then measure over that 10 and 1/2. Remember that the longer your rafters are, the further

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