Wood Post Capacity Calculator
Axial capacity of a rectangular timber post with slenderness reduction.
A 90×90 post at 2.4 m carries ~3–4 tonnes allowable — but halve the effective length with mid-height blocking and capacity nearly doubles. Watch end-grain bearing on the plate below.
Formula
Wood Post Capacity Calculator is a free wood post capacity for structural engineers, fabricators and site engineers — instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Wood Post Capacity Calculator
Axial capacity of a rectangular timber post with slenderness reduction. The calculation implements NDS column: C_p from F_cE = 0.822E/(L/d)²; P = F_c·C_p·A (NDS 3.7 — wood column stability factor). A 90×90 post at 2.4 m carries ~3–4 tonnes allowable — but halve the effective length with mid-height blocking and capacity nearly doubles. Watch end-grain bearing on the plate below.
How to use Wood Post Capacity Calculator
- 1Enter Post breadth in mm.
- 2Enter Post depth in mm.
- 3Enter Unbraced height in m.
- 4Enter Allowable compression in MPa.
- 5Read Allowable load, Slenderness L/d instantly — no submit button needed.
- 6Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Wood Post Capacity Calculator?
- ✓Implements the standard formula — NDS column: C_p from F_cE = 0.822E/(L/d)²; P = F_c·C_p·A
- ✓Reference cited on-page: NDS 3.7 — wood column stability factor
- ✓One-click SI ⇄ Imperial toggle — values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- ✓Built-in engineering verdict flags out-of-range results instantly
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser — nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Wood Post Capacity Calculator use?+
It computes NDS column: C_p from F_cE = 0.822E/(L/d)²; P = F_c·C_p·A, per NDS 3.7 — wood column stability factor. The formula is displayed under the result.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
A 90×90 post at 2.4 m carries ~3–4 tonnes allowable — but halve the effective length with mid-height blocking and capacity nearly doubles. Watch end-grain bearing on the plate below.
Can I use this for real structural design?+
It implements the exact textbook/code formula cited below the result and is ideal for sizing, checking and learning. Final designs should be verified by a qualified engineer against the full code with all load cases.
Is the Wood Post Capacity Calculator free to use?+
Yes — completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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