A post is a main vertical or leaning support in a structure similar to a column or pillar but the term post generally refers to a timber but may be metal or stone. A stud in wooden or metal building construction is similar but lighter duty than a post and a strut may be similar to a stud or act as a brace. In the U.K. a strut may be very similar to a post but not carry a beam. In wood construction posts normally land on a sill, but in rare types of buildings the post may continue through to the foundation called an interrupted sill or into the ground called earthfast, post in ground, or posthole construction. A post is also a fundamental element in a fence. The terms "jack" and "cripple" are used with shortened studs and rafters but not posts, except in the specialized vocabulary of shoring.
Timber framing
is a general term for building with wooden posts and beams. The term post is the namesake of other general names for timber framing such as post-and-beam, post-and-girt construction and more specific types of timber framing such as Post and lintel, post-frame, post in ground, and ridge-post construction. In roof construction such as king post, queen post, crown post framing. A round post is often called a pole or mast depending on its diameter thus pole building framing, or a mast church.
Post and strut names in traditional timber framing
Wall – A general term for a post in a wall.
Principal – A primary support. Principal is a general term meaning a "major" member often distinguished from "common" or "minor" members.
Angle – A historical name for a corner post.
Intermediate – A post in an exterior wall not at a corner.
Chimney – An intermediate post receiving its name from being near a chimney.
Interior – A general term for posts not in an exterior wall.
Arcade – A post located between an aisle and nave.
Aisle – same as arcade post.
Corner – Any post at the corner of a building.
Story – A post only one story tall as in "storeyed construction" also known as platform framing.
Prick – 1) Same as story post, a one-story post for extra support at a particular location; 2) In a roof trussa side post.
Ridge – A post extending from the ground or foundation to the ridge beam.
Puncheon: 1) A short, stout post may be identical to a prick post; 2) Puncheon may also mean a split log or heavy slab of timber with the face smoothed, used for flooring or construction.
Dragon – A corner post supporting a dragon beam in jetty framing.
Gunstock, jowled, flared, teasel – A flared post, larger at the top than the bottom, most commonly found in the side walls but could be any location. Rarely a post may have an "integral bracket" which is a mid-post flair to carry a lower timber. The portion of a flared post extending upward at the top is called the upstand and one of the top tenons is called a teazle tenon.
King – 1) A single, central post in a roof truss in tension between the rafters and a tie beam A king post specifically carries a ridge beam otherwise is called a king strut. "King post" was formerly used to describe a crown post in the U. K., but no longer.
King pendant: A central, upright timber in a truss projecting below the lowest beam, "normally used with scissor beams".
Queen – 1) A pair of vertical posts in a roof system that are part of a truss, with a straining beam between and in tension holding up a tie beam or; 2) Two posts in a roof system not acting as a truss in the engineering sense and here in compression. Also called a queen strut.
Queen strut: 1) A queen post not part of a truss in the engineering sense and in compression.
Lateral Queen – a pair of braced posts between a tie beam and collar beam.
Ridge – A historic type of post and lintel framing, the ridge post carrying a supporting ridge beam. See Ständerhaus#Firstständerhaus
Gallery
File:Église Saint-André-d'Hébertot - charpente pieds de chevrons.jpg|Ashlar pieces are the short, vertical posts. Saint-André-d'Hébertot, France File:Chesnois-Auboncourt Halle.JPG|Ridge posts extend to the ridge beams. Ridge post framing is a type of post and lintel framing from ancient times. A market hall in Chesnois-Auboncourt, Ardennes, France. File:Poteau scupté Soultz-les-Bains.JPG|This corner post in a half-timbered building is decoratively carved. Soultz-les-Bains, France. File:Assemblages pans de bois.jpg|B is an intermediate post, C is a window post G are studs which are interrupted by a brace in a timber framed wall.
