FAQs

• Corresponding sized black aluminum pins and wood screws are included in the cost of the connector

Custom tooling is optional. These tools have been invented to make the process more efficient and very precise.

All connectors and pins are e-coated black. E-coating provides a consistent finish that improves resistance to corrosion and chipping

Yes, the same connector can be attached directly to concrete, stone or wood. Concrete screws are provided for stone or concrete applications. Risers should be considered anytime moisture is present to prevent the moisture from wicking into the wood.

Yes, a 1” black HDPE riser. Frequently a building inspection may ask for additional inch above concrete. It’s always good to keep the wood away from moisture.

Anyone with building knowledge will quickly have their epiphany moment.

There are multiple instructional videos on the YouTube channel.

Pete and Laurie enjoy discussing the process and answering questions any time.

EZ Slotter - limited use, also needed for angled slots. Works with beams from 3.5 to 8 inches.

Beam Boss - self centers with the included spacers, clamps on chainsaw. Works with any size beam from 3.5 to 8 inches.

ProSlotter - both slots and end cuts any sized timber up to 14” x 14”. Heavy duty for use on multiple jobs.

Electric 14.5 amp Makita with a 16” bar is what we choose, but any saw can be used.

Instructions are included and also can be found in pdf form on the Design | Build page of website.

Not if you have a reliable method to make a slot, cut a beam, drill a hole or chamfer an edge.

Order everything or only what you need!

An extensive list is kept current, so check with Laurie about your region in the U.S. or Canada.

Absolutely! Call and make an appointment to watch Pete display the tooling and system.

Connectors - U.S. Patent No. 9,920,531

Tooling - US Patent No. 10,882,205

You can order them on our website using Shop function.

All orders can also be taken over the phone. Call Laurie at 727.415.6488 or Alex at 203.313-7238 any day between 7 am and 7 pm EST.

Any major credit card is accepted. Checks and ACH are accepted under special circumstances.

UPS delivery for 48 contiguous United States and Canada - USPS delivery for Alaska and Hawaii.

U.S./Canada East Coast (1-3 days)

U.S./Canada West Coast (5 days)

Anywhere in between (2-4 days)

All standard connectors and tooling typically can be shipped within 2-4 days.

Custom connectors require a 4-5 week lead time.

The average box size is 13”x13”x13”.

No box will be heavier than 50 pounds.

Yes. You will be responsible for the return shipping cost and a 10% re-stocking fee. If you return and replace no re-stocking fee is charged.

Of all the tools I have used in the past 40 years, the cordless 18-volt Impact Driver is one of my favorites.

It delivers a sudden rotational and downward force, similar to a jackhammer. You will be amazed at how quickly and easily you can drive the large GRK structural screws that we provide with your T-REX connectors. An Impact Driver is a much better choice than the conventional cordless drill driver.

Henry Ford said: " IF YOU NEED A TOOL AND YOU DON'T BUY IT, YOU PAY FOR IT ANYWAY."

- Pete

There many factors to consider:

If you are building a garage, you might want the doors facing South if possible. The snow melts faster, and you will be protected from the cold north winds.

Building design is also a consideration; a good example of this is the Salt Box style, with the long rear portion of the roof facing North. Perhaps in younger years, you had to wait outside for the schoolbus. On those cold, windy days, I'll bet you stood with your back to the North and your collar up.

Be sure to choose the high ground; proper drainage away from the foundation is very important. Don't try to fight Mother Nature...you will never win.

If you are replacing an existing building, step back and "wipe the slate clean." Pick the best location regardless of what was done in the past; your predecessor may not have made the best choice.

We're proud to announce that Connecticut Post and Beam is featured in Building Sheds, a brand-new DIY book written by veteran builder and author Joseph Truini. However, unlike most other shed-building books, which show lots of pretty pictures of sheds, but don't show how to actually build a shed, Building Sheds takes a much more hands-on approach. "This book was written and designed specifically for do-it-yourself builders," Truini explains, "and through step-by-step text and photos, readers learn how to build a shed from the ground up."

Published by The Taunton Press, the 217-page book gives detailed instructions for building five different sheds including The Wilton, our 14x20-ft. post and beam barn, built using our T-Rex™connectors.

The book is available through Lowe’s nationwide, or through Amazon.

The completed barns on our web site were all built with green timbers. In our area of northwestern Connecticut, eastern white pine and hemlock are readily available; mostly, we use white pine.

If you cut your timbers ahead of time, it is a good idea to stack your beams with stickers between so that they can air dry. Even a few weeks of drying will make a big difference in how much they weigh. Hemlock, by the way, is much heavier than pine!

We use a STIHL MS 250 electric chain saw. There are many choices; you don't have to have an electric chain saw. Any chain saw with a minimum 18" bar that will cut a quarter inch slot will work. To make the quarter inch slot , a .050 gauge, 3/8 8 inch pitch blade on the chain is needed.

For us, it just doesn't pay to use anything but electric -- no mixing gas and oil -- and no fumes created when working indoors. How many times do you have to pull on a cord to start the gasoline engine? If you have a choice and are in the market for a chainsaw, by all means buy electric.

If you can find a "skip tooth" chain, that is a better choice because it cuts better into end grain when cutting slots. STIHL stocks them in a bubble pack off the shelf at the local STIHL dealer.

Some of the smaller electric chainsaws, like Makita, are an excellent choice if you are using the Connext Rotary Table and the Chainsaw Guide, but they will not cut a quarter inch slot for the connectors. Makita is a very fast and well made saw; we use both saws and leave them set up. This is the most efficient way for us to work when we cut frames.

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment or question below!

-Pete