Question vinyl post & panel frame with wooden post re-enforcement ?

[petepaz]

have a job with 4x4 vinyl post and panel sign frames.
customer wants to put 4x4 wood posts in the vinyl post for re-enforcement.
i have always installed them just with the vinyl post and never had an issue (that i am aware of)
anyway questions...
do i get a 3x3 wooden post because of the ends of the panel rails installed in the post?
or do you just have the wooden post go up to the bottom of the rail?

 

[petepaz]

like one of these kits

 

[Dan360]

We would leave about a foot between the top of the post and the bottom of the rail as recommended by the manufacturer. But I never thought the post was needed.

 

[unclebun]

When you put a 4x4 only a foot or two up the vinyl post, it actually can hasten failure of the vinyl post. That's what the manufacturer of the post kits we use says. The wood post keeps the vinyl from being able to flex, and causes a pressure point where the wood ends.

 

[petepaz]

When you put a 4x4 only a foot or two up the vinyl post, it actually can hasten failure of the vinyl post. That's what the manufacturer of the post kits we use says. The wood post keeps the vinyl from being able to flex, and causes a pressure point where the wood ends.

so you are also recommending no wood post?

 

[petepaz]

and the customer is installing this themselves so anything can happen here

 

[Gino]

We always use a 4x4 post all the way to the top.

 

[petepaz]

We always use a 4x4 post all the way to the top.

so how do you mount the rails? do you drill or cut out space in the wood post?
the rail has to insert in to the post

 

[fresh]

For a sign like the one you posted, we'd use a pressure treated 2x4 (i think, we haven't done one like that in a while.) But yeah, we prefer to treat what you're using as a post as a post sleeve. They are bigger than a 4x4 anyway.

 

[petepaz]

thanks for all the input

 

[stoliker]

We notched out the top half the post with a band saw so the full post was in the ground and half the post was left on top. I've only used this system once because of it. Its still up after ten years but a pain.

 

[petepaz]

just opening the boxes with the kit in it and the posts are new and improved (i think) see pics
used to just have a cut out that you slid the rail in and now its a constructed pocket so i guess either no wooden post inside the sleeve or only half up
hhmmmm...

 

[Jeff grossman]

Kind of sucks - old ones had a bracket that slides in the posts to accommodate different size signs and insert for different thickness of signboard- I still have 2 of the old type in “stock” ( needed 4 cheaper to buy 6 - still have 2 )

 

[petepaz]

turns out the sleeve opening is only 3.5" so stuck 3x3 will probably leave too much play and 4x4 probably won't fit. ...good times...haha