# How to fix oak beams to exterior walls



## mpooley (25 Mar 2008)

I am building an oak conservatory in post and beam style oak frame.
I know Im supposed to not use any steel fixings as they go black but two posts need to be bolted into walls how can i do that ? ive never seen stainless bolts 10inches long!

will zinc coated be ok ?

Mike


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## Jake (25 Mar 2008)

I did something similar, with resin fixed M12 stainless threaded rod (easily available, at a bit of a price).


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## milkman (25 Mar 2008)

hi mikey can you not mortar them in? [with lime mortar]

Depending on what you need you can also use fletch plates such as are used in gluelam framing.


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## mpooley (25 Mar 2008)

Jake":3o0lnqsx said:


> I did something similar, with resin fixed M12 stainless threaded rod (easily available, at a bit of a price).



yes not a bad idea  ta


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## mpooley (25 Mar 2008)

milkman":1rif8fti said:


> hi mikey can you not mortar them in? [with lime mortar]
> 
> Depending on what you need you can also use fletch plates such as are used in gluelam framing.



yes i will use lime mortar but feel i need to fix them with a bolt or something

whats a fletch plate?


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## christoph clark (25 Mar 2008)

what about these


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## Paul Chapman (25 Mar 2008)

mikepooley":2aqh4hlm said:


> i need to fix them with a bolt or something



How about Rawlbolts - and you could replace the threaded bit with stainless steel rod or bolt.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Racers (25 Mar 2008)

Hi,

I have some lengths of stainless steel studding about 10 inches long, I have used it to fix a gate post to a wall using a rawbolt substituting the studding for the bolt. If you get stuck give me a shout I have some lengths left.


Pete


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## PowerTool (25 Mar 2008)

I think stainless studding is probably the best way to go - but as an alternative,you could drill a hole right through the oak,and line it (I've done it before with offcuts of chromed pipe) then you can use any fixings,as they will not be in contact with the tannin in the wood.

Andrew


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## Digit (25 Mar 2008)

Oversize holes and plastic tubing with stainless or lead washers.
This will allow for movement as well.

Roy.


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## mpooley (26 Mar 2008)

Thanks!  loads of great idea's 
I'm fixing into a flint and brick rubble wall which complicates it a bit but i'm sure one of those ideas will work :lol: 

thanks again all of you


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## Digit (26 Mar 2008)

Oh Lord! You do find 'em don't you. Apart from Cob there can't be anything much more difficult to fix heavy beams to.
The old way was to pass right through the wall using Iron bolts. As the Iron will expand with corrosion large holes were used and then packed with lime mortar to protect the wall. Plates were fitted on the inside to spread the load then plastered over.

Roy.


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## mpooley (26 Mar 2008)

Digit":2ztj65i5 said:


> Oh Lord! You do find 'em don't you. Apart from Cob there can't be anything much more difficult to fix heavy beams to.
> The old way was to pass right through the wall using Iron bolts. As the Iron will expand with corrosion large holes were used and then packed with lime mortar to protect the wall. Plates were fitted on the inside to spread the load then plastered over.
> 
> Roy.



trouble is the wall is 500mm thick at least  

mike


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## milkman (26 Mar 2008)

Fletch plates are used with glue-lam beams as connectors, they work like an inverted mortice and tenon, the mortice being an open slot cut into the end of the beam. Plate sits in this and a bolt goes through them both.
You can have the plate welded to a base which then can bolt to something else.

Anyhoo it sounds like the wall would not be apporopriate for this. 
I'm not sure why you feel the need to bolt it anyway. The beam should be sufficiently heavy just to sit in the wall and stay there especially with a 600mm overlap. If for some reason the frame starts to move its best left to do so rather than take the wall with it. It shouldn't move much anyway as you'll be bracing it and with the glazing it'll weigh tons!

[pause] we are talking about the wall plates and sills aren't we?] [another pause] Oh you said posts.
There shouldn't be any need to fix the posts to the wall, they should just sit in the frame and any gap between them and the wall can be mortared/filled.


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## bob_c (26 Mar 2008)

You could glue the stainless studding into the wall using builders anchoring adhesive
.


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## mpooley (27 Mar 2008)

milkman":2xjvypjn said:


> Fletch plates are used with glue-lam beams as connectors, they work like an inverted mortice and tenon, the mortice being an open slot cut into the end of the beam. Plate sits in this and a bolt goes through them both.
> You can have the plate welded to a base which then can bolt to something else.
> 
> Anyhoo it sounds like the wall would not be apporopriate for this.
> ...



Oh! not sure now what to do

one reason was to hold the frames up when im actually building it as if they fall over when not supported ! Blam!"!

do other peeps think i shouldnt bother using any fixings??

i am confused now lol

i had another thought today!
fix a four by 2 treated softwood to the walls
and then peg into that.

what do you think?

thanks for all your advice i do really appreciate your time


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## Digit (27 Mar 2008)

The main problem with that type of wall is they don't hold any fixings well, and Flint can be a sod to drill of course.
Fix it long enough to do the assembly then remove the fixings and seal it to the wall. Jut trying to fix some flashing is likely to be a nightmare as well.

Roy.


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## milkman (27 Mar 2008)

I have the advantage of seeing the design for this mikey [you should bung up some views of it or with your permission I can post a view of the relevant area]

The primary posts supporting the wall plates are fixed into sill plates so don't need to be fixed to the wall, just filled & sealed.

The secondary posts/studs encasing your windows and door to the main building should be wedged/fixed/located into the floor. Again don't worry about the wall just fill it.

This second item is really just a very heavy door frame so you should have a look at how similar items are located in other flint buildings in your area if not in the rest of your house.

If you are really really hung up on securing your primary posts to the wall why not follow Digit's suggestion about through bolts? You could use a second pair of posts on the other side of the wall instead of a plate, it might look better. You can get steel bars made to length, 500mm is chickenfeed as these things go.


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## milkman (27 Mar 2008)

re: the raising you just nail softwood battens diagonally to hold stuff up while you locate other timbers


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