Getting onto higher ground is an important step in catching them easy – that’s why salute anyone who decides to put up a blind elevator.
But in addition to all your wood, there’s an essential piece of kit you need before you start – and that’s an elevation bracket.
Using a bracket takes a lot of stress and hassle out of angling a blind. You don’t have to mess about, making sure you’re cutting the perfect angles in your wood. Elevation brackets are really simple to use and have the perfect angle in place ready for you.
They may not look like much, but a lot of clever engineering goes into the making of elevation brackets, so you can rely on them to be structurally sound and safe.
We’ve looked at the best deer stand blind elevator brackets on the market today, and below are our Top 5 models, all reviewed for you.
In a hurry? This is our winner!
- Heavy Duty Construction: The original elevation brackets use powerful 12-gauge, premium steel with robotically welded joints, making them extremely strong and secure. They are also capable of withstanding high winds and bitterly cold temperatures.
- Multipurpose Design: With pre-drilled holes for lag screws or carriage bolts, these brackets are perfect for building playhouses, treehouses, deer stands, hunting platforms, deer blinds, swing set platforms, free-standing decks, pergolas, and more.
- Better Building Capabilities: Elevator brackets feature double eight-degree angles that are known to be the best angles for vertical loads and preventing side-to-side swaying for stability.
Best Deer Stand Blind Elevator Bracket – Comparison Table
Best Deer Stand Blind Elevator Bracket – Reviews
Elevators 4x4 Elevator Brackets, Double Angled Construction-Grade Steel, Ideal for Hunting Stands, Tree Houses, Decks, and More, 4-Pack
Now these are some real heavy duty elevator brackets. Made from 12 gauge high strength steel, and with welded joints and gusseted corners, they are solid and reliable. They can take weights of up to 500 pounds, and support structures up to 8 feet tall, using 4 by 4 wooden beams.
They even have double preset angles which are designed to maximize side to side stability. This 8 degree angle has been scientifically proven to be the best for vertical load and preventing side-to-side sway.
They’re easy to install, and there’s handy step by step installation instructions on the Amazon page.
They can withstand any weather conditions that nature sends their way.
You can purchase them to fit 4×4 wooden beams, which is what we would personally recommend, or alternatively, you can buy them to fit 2×4 bits. Just make sure you click on the one you want.
On the downside of this product, some customers have found them a little too tight for 4×4’s, which make them hard to fit, which can then in turn can cause the structure to wobble.
Other customers have complained that, since the bracket is open on top, it allows the rain to get through, which could lead to rotting wood, and consequently unstable hunting stands. There are two ways to easily solve this problem however.
You could either buy your wooden beams already treated for rain, or alternatively you can treat the wooden beams before you attach them to the brackets.
However the large majority of reviews are full of praise, and customers find the elevator products to be sturdy and of good quality for what they want to use them for. Our view is that they’re pretty perfect for deer blind stands. A quick glance will show there are way more pros to this product than cons.
- Heavy-duty, 14-gauge steel
- Sturdy build
- Joints are welded
- Holds up to 500 pounds of weight
- Angles are compounded, to prevent wobble or sway
- Easy to install
- Can withstand bad weather
- Made in the USA
- Can let the rain in, but there are ways around this
- A little bit tight on 4×4 beams
Elevators 4 Pk. 4X4 Double 8 degree Brackets (this is a package of 4 brackets only)
If you spend a bit more cash, you can invest in these brackets from Elevators. Made with 12-gauge steel, you can rely on them to be durable. They can hold platforms of up to 12 feet in height, and they can take weights of up to 1000 pounds – that’s double the capacity of our Number 1 elevator brackets!
And like our Number 1, they’re designed to be used with 4×4 wooden beams and can be used for building treehouses or large platforms etcetera.
Much of their strength and stability for such large and heavy platforms is derived from their built in compound angle, hence their ability to hold a weight capacity of half a ton. T
hey’re built for extra resistance to varying weather conditions too, since they’re covered with a coated, plated finish that gives them extra resistance to water and corrosion.
Customers don’t seem to find much to complain about with these brackets. And in our view, being so solid, such high quality, and with such a big support capacity, we have to agree they’re worth the money.
- Solid and strong
- Made with 12 Gauge steel
- Support half a ton of weight
- Water and corrosion resistant
- Premium product at a premium price
Summit Outdoor E1000 4 x 4 Straight Angle Elevator Brackets, Set of 4
Here’s another set of elevator brackets, very similar to the Number 1 elevator brackets on our list. They’re made from the same 14-gauge steel, and have all the pre-drilled holes you need. They’re also designed to be used with 4×4 wooden beams, and feature a corrosion resistant finish.
Like our Number 1, they’re built to hold structures up to 8 feet tall and weights of up to 500 pounds. Rather than have a compound angle like our Number 1 however, this model uses straight angles.
The trouble with straight angles though, is that they don’t tend to be as sturdy as their compound angle counterparts, so aren’t as well suited for taller platforms, of say above 5 or 6 feet.
Any structure taller than that will wobble, which is not what you want when you’re ready to shoot.
If you only intend to build a shorter platform though, we feel they’re definitely worth the asking price.
- Made with 14 gauge steel
- Straight angles easy to work with
- Corrosion-Resistant
- Can take 500 pounds of weight
- Platforms above 5 or 6 feet may wobble
Summit Outdoor E2488 2 x 4 Compound Angle Elevator Brackets, Set of 4
If you’ve been following closely, you may see a pattern emerging here. Again with these elevator brackets you’ve got the same 14-gauge steel body, pre-drilled holes and corrosion resistant finish.
Where these particular brackets differ however is that they’re designed to be used with 2×4 wooden beams, and not those 4x4s that the others use.
And thanks to their preset compound angle, they can take a weight of up to 1000 pounds, which certainly isn’t bad, and is more than sufficient for a deer blind. These double compound angles really help augment side-to-side stability, so you don’t have to worry about any wobbling.
It will feel much more stable at height, even under heavier loads.
The only real customer complaint with these so far is that the brackets are little tight around the wooden 2x4s, but that’s easily solved, a little smacking and hammering, or maybe a little sanding can sort that out.
There’s no question about their build quality however. They’re really built to last – tough, stable and secure, with an impressive weight capacity.
- Half a ton weight capacity
- 14-gauge steel
- Corrosion resistant finish
- Double compound angle for additional stability
- A little tight for some beams
HME High-Strength Welded Construction Durable Multi-Use Platform Brackets 4 Pack - For Use with Hunting Blinds, Play Sets, Tree Houses
These are some great brackets from HME. They have a high strength 12 gauge steel construction, they’re welded, and they feature a black powder coated finish which will withstand any and all weather conditions.
What really makes them different from the others however, is that their multi-angle design means they can accommodate almost any lumber size, not just 2×4’s or 4×4’s, but also
2×6’s and 2×8’s.
But that’s not the only bonus derived from the multi angle design. It also means it can handle taller structures than their straight angle counterparts, and can take more weight. In this instance the brackets have a weight capacity of 600 pounds.
The lumber size does not represent the end of the bracket’s versatility, the pre-drilled holes can accommodate both carriage bolts and lag screws.
There is a drawback with these however, and that’s that the sleeve part of the build is a little shorter than those of other elevator beams. This means that you get less metal to wood contact, and this can be seen as compromising some of the structure’s strength and support.
In conclusion these are pretty good brackets overall. Tough, solid, built to last, and above all will support significant weight on tall structures.
- Strong 12-gauge steel build
- Corrosion resistant thanks to black powder finish
- Accommodates multiple size beams, like 2×4, 2×6, 2×8
- Designed for carriage bolts and lag screws alike
- Would be better if they were a little taller
Best Deer Stand Blind Elevator Bracket – Buyers Guide
What to look for in elevator brackets
Elevator brackets are a central component for building wooden platforms and structures, be they treehouses or so forth, or in our case deer blind stands. They’re a great convenience, saving you all the work of measuring and cutting angles.
Instead you get the perfect angle every time, and all you have to do is fasten the wooden beams in place using the pre drilled holes.
Having the strength of welded steel in your structures, and reinforced joints really boosts not only the overall stability of the structure but also the weight capacity, since the brackets take some of the weight of the wooden beams.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you should look out for in your elevator brackets.
Material
Your first consideration should be what the elevator brackets are made of. The large majority of elevator brackets will be made of solid, heavy gauge steel, usually 12 or 14 gauge. This is what gives them their strength and enables them to withstand heavy loads.
The steel will also usually have some form of coating to protect them against rain and rust. This may be a corrosion resistant finish, or a powder coating.
Angle
Another important consideration is the bracket’s angle. Double preset angles, also known as compound angles, usually have an 8 degree angle. It is these angles that are the strongest. They’re the ones best suited for taller heavier structures such as treehouses, since they give the best protection against side-to-side swaying and rocking.
In contrast, brackets with single angles have just the one preset angle, so they aren’t as sturdy as those compound angles, and are more prone to sway and have a lower weight capacity. For this reason, they should not be used for larger structures.
However there’s no harm in using them for shorter platforms, such as porch swings, or for deer stand blinds.
Straight angled brackets, while may be easier to work with are however the least sturdy, and they can’t take as much weight. For this reason better suited for shorter platform projects, such as bunk beds for example, which don’t need to hold as much weight.
Compatible beam size
There’s nothing worse than buying elevator brackets only to find they’re not compatible with your wooden beams. Please ensure that you look at what size beams the bracket is compatible with before buying.
Most elevator brackets are designed for 4×4’s, but there are also a lot that will work with 2×4’s. If you are tempted by the 2×4 variety, please be aware that they have the half the weight capacity of their 4×4 holding counterparts.
Some elevator brackets, commonly the compound angle ones, like our Number 5, will work with multiple sizes of beams, such 2×4’s and 2×6’s.
Final Word
By this point you should have all the information you need to help you decide what will best suit your needs. Once you’ve established what height you want the blind to be at and how much weight it needs to hold, all you need to decide is what size wooden beams you want to use, and then it just becomes a process of elimination.
Our Top Pick is the Compound Angle Elevator Brackets from Summit Outdoor.
They take 4×4 wooden beams, which is the optimum size and shape for a hunting blind stand, and they have the capacity for structures as tall as 6 feet, and have a weight capacity of 500 pounds, which is more than sufficient for your needs. Furthermore, their use of compound angles, means you get that unsurpassed sturdiness and stability.