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I'd appreciate a sanity check for this plan to create a swing set:

My porch has a 6x6 vertical support. I'd like to attach a 6x6 crossbeam facemounted on the porch's vertical support, going out horizontally about 20 feet to a separate A-frame support.

I'm planning to attach the crossbeam to the porch vertical support with an HH6 simpson strong-tie bracket and 10d 1 1/2 nails.

Does this seem like it would produce a stable swing set without damaging the porch vertical column? I checked the Simpson strong tie loads, and it looks like it's strong enough to support the beam and my whole family with more than a 2x safety factor.

Here's a diagram:

diagram

Thank you!

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  • I don’t think Simpson ties are designed for the side to side forces if you add bracing for that it will probably be fine.
    – Ed Beal
    May 23, 2020 at 15:36
  • @EdBeal Thanks! I can probably add a horizontal diagonal brace. Although the strong tie site has a nice force diagram that indicates, if I'm reading it correctly, that it can take around 1000 lbs of horizontal force.
    – Brionius
    May 23, 2020 at 15:57
  • I have used strong ties my concern will be with repeated back and forth the fasteners on the short axis may pull loose or wear through.
    – Ed Beal
    May 23, 2020 at 17:34
  • The 6"x6" post is probably there for aesthetics, not because of load (bigger posts are considered more pleasing to the eye than tall skinny posts). If that is the case, what about (this is to the experts here) notching the post by about 1", so that the beam bears directly on the wood of the post? Then the brackets just have to keep the beam located side to side and to keep the beam from pulling away fro the post.
    – SteveSh
    May 23, 2020 at 20:14
  • @EdBeal Thanks for the explanation - I see what you mean.
    – Brionius
    May 23, 2020 at 23:42

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