Joist hanger help please

sangerwaker

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I'm struggling to find what I need for a cabin project, but I'm a little out of my realm on the technical terms. Please bear with me and thanks for any of you that can and are willing to help.

I'm hanging a porch swing under the deck at the cabin. I want this to be "bulletproof". I need to hang an 8' 4X4 under the 2X10 deck joists, perpendicular to the joists. I'm struggling to find an appropriate joist hanger. I don't want to put sections of 4x4's in-between the deck joists, flush with the bottom. I'd like to just hang the 4x4 under the joists if possible. I need to be able to bolt the hanger through the joist horizontally and bolt through the 4x4 either vertically or horizontally. I do not want to lag screw anything, and prefer not to nail if possible. The hanger will be the weak point, so I'm looking for something I'm comfortable supporting 600-700 lbs (weight of joist, swing, and people).

I have swing hangers I will mount to the bottom of the 4x4 bolted vertically through the 4x4. All will be 3/8" hardware.

I need to span and anchor to 3 joists. The swing brackets will mount just outside of each of the outermost joists.

The "experts" at the local home stores were of little help. Everything's in aisle XX is about all I could get out of them. :rolleyes:

I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas.

Thanks for any help any of you can offer.
 

alldodge

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May not fully understand the reason to use a 4x4 and not just use steel bracket thru bolted to the 2x10, and then use a eye bolt under the bracket. This is a thought and use bolt between two brackets

post and beam.jpg
 

sangerwaker

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Thanks AD. The swing maker recommends the spacing of the mounts @ 65" to the eye, so mounting the swing brackets to the joists directly is not an option as they are on 24" centers. I need to use a 4X4 because the swing mounts are over 2" deep. The 4X4 won't swing, it willb be mounted rigidly to the bottom of the 2X10's. I may end up just using a beefy L bracket on each side of the joist, bolted to each other through the joist, and then bolted vertically through the 4x4 on the other leg of the L bracket.

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sangerwaker

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Foodfisher...Thank you! I believe those will work. No issue drilling my own holes. I spent a fair amouint of time on Simpsons site trying to find what I needed. Less bolts and drilling is good, as long as it will support a small elephant. :)
 

gm280

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If I am understanding you correctly, you are going to use the vertical 4 x 4's to mount the swinging hardware on the top to allow the swing to swing. And therefore want to know what is the better way to attach them to the floor joices. If that is correct, I would cut the 4 x 4's so they set both on top and along side of the floor joices. So you notch the lower portion of the 4 x 4's so that they are supporting weight on top of the joices, but also allowing bolts through the joices for superior support. Don't use lag bolts, use carriage bolts with washers and nuts.
Sample drawing.gif
 

sangerwaker

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GM, no, the 4x4 will be horizontal, perpendicular to the joists. The 4X4 will have the swing brackets bolted to the bottom of the 4X4 to accept the chains from the swing. alldodge's diagram is accurate. Sorry...I'm not artistic...more like autistic. :)

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foodfisher

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You are wel
Foodfisher...Thank you! I believe those will work. No issue drilling my own holes. I spent a fair amouint of time on Simpsons site trying to find what I needed. Less bolts and drilling is good, as long as it will support a small elephant. :)
You are welcome. Personally, I would still back up the bolts with joist hanger nails.
 

alldodge

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Thanks AD. The swing maker recommends the spacing of the mounts @ 65" to the eye, so mounting the swing brackets to the joists directly is not an option as they are on 24" centers. I need to use a 4X4 because the swing mounts are over 2" deep. The 4X4 won't swing, it willb be mounted rigidly to the bottom of the 2X10's. I may end up just using a beefy L bracket on each side of the joist, bolted to each other through the joist, and then bolted vertically through the 4x4 on the other leg of the L bracket.

View attachment 336056

View attachment 336057

My pic was used to show 2 U-brackets bolted together, and 90* opposite to placement. I showed spacing to components could be identified.

Your swing hinges could be thru bolted into the 4x4
 

jbcurt00

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I'm not aware of anything that will do what you intend, esp not the way you discribe.

Find a copy of the Simpson joist hanger catalog online and dig in.

If you lag bolt THRU the joist, you are only hanging your 4X4 and swing from whatever thickness of joist you measure up. On a 2X10 joist, lag bolting thru the center line of the joist, you are only hanging the 4X4 from a 2X5, basically.

Ideally I'd suggest a structural beam hanger, but those would be intended to be HUNG over the top of the joist, not lagged to it. That would require lifting the deck boards up high enought to slip the Beam hanger over the joist and fasten it.

Pretty sure you could modify your plan a little and find something in the catalog. Take a look. Not all stores stock all the hardware shown.
 

tpenfield

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Google . . .

Simpson Strong-Tie HS24 18-Gauge Galvanized Saddle Rafter Tie​

That should do the trick. As an added measure of safety I'd also loop some long 'straps' around the the ends of the 4x4, tieing them up to the 2x joists.
 

alldodge

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On a 2X10 joist, lag bolting thru the center line of the joist, you are only hanging the 4X4 from a 2X5, basically.

Don't agree with the statement, but do agree its not as good as a over the joist hanger.

bolt.jpg
 

sangerwaker

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I wound up going a slightly different direction on this due to nor finding the appropriate hangers to support the 4x4 below the deck joists.

I found these guys:

And used a 4x4 between the deck joists. Came out very nice and is absolutely silent. Makes for a great place to enjoy a beverage or cigar.

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