How to Install Deck Posts at Right Angles

Part of the installation of a new deck includes putting posts in at each corner. While this might seem like a simple part of the job, it can be very difficult to get the deck posts to stay put without wobbling. When the posts wobble, they become askew. This means that they will no longer be positioned at a right angle with the rest of the deck. However, with the right installation technique, your deck posts will stay perfectly aligned for many years.

4-inch by 4-inch steel tubing
Metal primer
Rounded gravel
Temporary bracing
Concrete
Waterproof urethane
Pieces of treated lumber

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a 2-foot-long piece of 4-inch by 4-inch steel tubing.
- 2
  Paint the steel tubing with metal primer on all sides. This is to inhibit rust formation.
- 3
  Create a hole in the ground where the deck post will be installed. This hole needs to be 10 inches around and about 28 inches deep.
- 4
  Fill the hole with a few inches of rounded gravel. Three inches works well.
- 5
  Place the steel tubing inside the hole. Then, insert the 4-inch by 4-inch deck post into the tubing. Lock the post in place with temporary bracing.
- 6
  Fill the area between the metal tube and the sidewall of the hole with concrete. Once the concrete is dry, the steel tubing will be locked in place.
- 7
  Wait a full 24 hours. Take out the deck post, and use waterproof urethane to add small pieces of treated lumber to the part of the post that will be within the steel tubing. These pieces should be large enough that the post fits securely within the tubing, creating a right angle with the ground. However, this method will also allow you to remove the deck post should it ever need to be replaced.

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