Posts are basic mechanical elements when constructing a pergola, a shed or a carport. A common question we are asked is how many anchors are required to attach a post to asphalt.
The conservative answer is to use as many anchors as the structure's manufacturer provided holes in the mounting plate. If you feel that, in the case of your application this is an overkill, consider a couple of suggestions.
As a rule, the anchors that do most of the work are in the side of the post that faces the incoming forces. In the sketch, the force comes from the left, the key anchors are 1 and 2. Even so, you should also install an anchor in hole 3 because there may be forces during installation, or changing wind conditions, when the force could come from the opposite side for a short while. Installing only on one side of the post is a bad idea.
As a minimum, install 2 anchors diagonally, such as 1,3 or 2,4 (not shown).
You can always consult our online calculators for suggestion specifica to your application. These calculators can be accessed HERE.