红帽LG的回答.

re foundation: The posts are not touching the ground or burried. Even though they are redwood-heartwood, the local building code would not let me set the posts in concrete. Instead, they are connected to the footings by 8" screws which are set in the concrete. Each footing is 100 pounds (of the dry mix before adding water) of concrete, 2 feet below grade and 10 inches in diameter.

The rails are joined to the posts using precision and sound wood jointing. Because the two pieces of wood fit together in three dimensions and is glued on all planes and has no voids, there is no cut-out in the post. It is as solid as an uncut post, because the two pieces of wood are now one. The rules are different with furnature-making techniques as compared with framing techniques!

In general, there are no mechanical fasteners. That is, no nails or screws. Everything is fit and glued.

re disasters: We don't have earthquakes here. Perhaps you heard of the "superconductive supercollider" project from a decade ago? The site was near Dallas because it is one of the most stable pieces of ground in the country.

We do have tornados here in Dallas. I would not expect any open structure to withstand a direct hit from a funnel (although our new greenhouse will withstand an F-3 ), the wind load rating is quite sufficient for our 70 mph gusts and other storms. Ina 1560 mph wind, the shingles will blow off before the posts fail, and this controlled failure will remove the wind load. The shingles are traditional wood, nailed to an open lath.