Let’s imagine you have a backyard project and want to upgrade your fences and new decking. There is no better way to secure the outdoor structures than using a post shoe on your fences.

A post shoe is a steel base that wraps around the bottom of wooden posts. They are also known as shoes because they “fit like a shoe” on the bottom of it.

A post shoe is available to accommodate the most popular sizes of wooden posts, and they are as functional as they are beautiful decorative designs.

You can count on different sizes and designs of custom-made post shoes to attend your project with specific requirements. Post shoes also protect the wood post against water damage, and they make your structure studier and stronger. 

Depending on the type of project you have in mind, it can be quite easy to install a post-shoe.

Some of them are designed to bolt to the ground, while some models are designed to be fixed into the post or raised to the ground.

If you are looking for an elegant and cleaner aesthetic project, it’s recommended to go for elevated post bases. They are a perfect fit for wooden posts that are required to be raised from the ground. Like the ones, you see on wooden bridges.

Tips on Installing Post Shoes

Once you place your post shoe to your wood post, it’s time to install the post to your deck surface. It is recommended to install additional blocking underneath your deck for a more secure installation.

Then you can predrill the post shoe as a guide. The post will be secure when drive screws are into the pre-drilled holes.

If you are installing post shoes onto a concrete surface, it’s necessary to use tools such as a hammer drill, concrete fixing bolts, and an adjustable spanner, among others.

 In this case, it is also recommended to use heavy-duty post shoes to add extra stability and strength to the concrete.

After putting the post shoe onto the concrete where your post needs to be fixed, mark four drilling holes with a pencil. Then, remove the base to drill into the concrete using a hammer drill.

The next step is moving the post shoe back over the holes to fix it into the place with the concrete fixing bolts. Then, it is time to insert the post and tighten up the bolts to hold the post in place. Extra tip: use a spirit level to make sure your post will be vertical.