If the actual post is 7 3/4" where the brace comes in, in order to get a larger bearing area I would need to note and map a unique brace length and housing depth, then label it and cut it and find it in the pile on raising day. Or change all the braces to a different length and / or housing depth. Am I correct in that? Or are you doing something else to get more bearing?
If the tie beam was undersized as much as that, then there would be less bearing area on the ends of the brace touching the bearing area in the tie beam, for sure.
I don't know if it would mean that we have to go to the extremes of laying out one special brace or housing depth.
Hopefully your timbers are undersized by that much.
If I was buying a 6x8 and it came in as a 5 3/4" x 7 3/4" timber, I'd start looking for another mill. Or at lease let the mill know that these types of undersized beams are not acceptable.
Jim Rogers
