Installing a porch column

Venting size is also important. A few little holes will not do it. To vent correctly, measure your column's diameter, divide that number by two.

That's the number of square inches of ventilation you need at the both the top and bottom of the wood column. For example: if your column diameter is 15 inches you will need at least 7. Hack Saw or Reciprocating Saw with metal blade : You will need to cut through the nails or screws which are holding the porch railing to the column if applicable.

Jack : Use the jack to raise and lower the 4x4 and porch roof. Make sure your jack is rated sufficiently to support the roof. Circular Saw : Use to cut the new column to length.

Bottom Plate Optional : Protects the bottom of the column from rot. Ladder unless you are really tall : Self-explanatory. To do so, use a hack saw or reciprocating saw to cut the screws or nails holding the balustrade to column. Take care not to damage the top and bottom rails. Detach porch railings balustrade and gutter, if applicable Support the "hanging end" of the balustrade by placing wood blocks underneath. In our case, we had to separate two separate balustrades as we were replacing a corner column.

Now is also the time to detach gutters, etc. Step 2 - Prepare the New Column Measure the distance from the top of the column to the porch floor.

Use that measurement to cut if necessary the new porch column. Replace a porch column by measuring and marking new column for cutting Make sure you mimic your existing porch columns in design. You may have to cut from both ends of the column to match the design of the other porch columns. You may also have to carefully remove an column trim which can then be transferred to the new column. In our case, we also had to allow for a plinth, so be sure to mimic your existing column.

Now is the time to ensure your porch column is ventilated properly. We drilled holes in both the top and bottom of the column. Ventilated porch column Step 3 - Raise the Roof Measure the distance between the floor and the top of your jack. Add 1 inch for clearance purposes. Subtract that measurement from the column height measurement you took in Step 1. Use this new measurement and cut the 4x4 post to length. Position the jack in close proximity to the column you are removing.

Place the 4x4 on the jack. The column shown in the video slips over a piece of dimensional lumber, looks like a 4 X 4 in this case. The walls are simply too thin to bear the load alone. As you shop around, look for composite materials where the packaging for the column will be marked as to whether or not it is load-bearing usually small print. It should also include the weight limit. Unfortunately, you may not necessarily have the knowledge to apply this to your own application.

Also, the sleeves would still be subject to warping, twisting, bending, and pests. Imagine, if you will, termites eat out the inside post and you are never able to discover it. The ONLY indication would be sawdust or an insect trail at the base of the column. We live south of Oklahoma City; where in that area can we find the fiberglass porch columns?

Carolyn, We found fiberglass round columns at Home Depot in Lawton. We are getting ready to install ours! Hope you find them! We have a concrete porch with 7 large columns. We want to install a railing but have no idea about the installation process. With the jack in place, I used a large adjustable wrench to turn the screw.

The jaws of the wrench gripped the flat, narrow section on the threadless neck of the screw shaft. Carefully, I rotated the screw in quarter- or half-turns, but not too quickly. I was barely taking the load off the porch column. Pro tip: Listen for creaks and pops that let you know that weight is being transferred.

If the column has a decorative cap or collar, pull it down to get a clear view of the top of the column. Pull down existing caps to see column top more clearly. Sometimes, the cap will be sitting on the column. In that case, you can consider the cap to be the true top of the column itself. Either way, you want to begin looking for separation between the column and the underside of the beam. Jiggle the column with your hand in between half-turns of the jack screw. As the roof weight is lifted, the top of the column will begin to move easily.

The column has been temporarily replaced by the post jack. If the column was toenailed into place, you need to pull the bottom out first and gently pry the column free. Likewise, if the column was heavily caulked at the top, you may have to cut and chisel some caulk loose. Either way, you should be able to now fully remove the old column and set it aside.

Often, there is nothing more than gravity and roof weight holding the porch columns in place! Measure from the porch to the underside of the beam. Stand on a stool or stepladder. Then, drop the tab of your measuring tape onto the surface of the porch where the new column will sit.

Carefully extend your tape up past the point where the top of the porch column will be. Find the beam height by sighting the tape where it crosses the bottom edge of the beam. It will give the new porch column a little room to get settled. Cut the new column with a circular saw and speed square. These posts have square walls at the top and bottom.

There is a turned section in the middle. A circular saw or miter saw will work to cut wood porch columns. Metal or fiberglass columns may require other cutting techniques. Before you cut the column to your measured length, stop! You need to consider other factors that may affect the total height. This is a metal or plastic foot that keeps the column off of the porch surface. That way, the wood column never comes in contact with standing water. You may have to take some material off the top of the post, and the bottom of the post to account for this.

I did in this project. Draw a cut line all the way around the column at the measurement. Set the depth of your saw to cut all the way through the wall of column pictured below. Set the circular saw blade depth to cut through the wall of the new column.

Make the cut by using the speed square as a guide for the saw sole plate. Cut each wall in turn, rolling the post after each pass to eventually cut through the full perimeter. For a better depiction of this process, check out the video at the top of the page.

Use siliconized caulk to seal the bottom of the new column before installation. Wood columns are prone to soaking up water and rotting at the bottom.

Therefore, you always want to seal the end grain before installing the column. I like to go a step farther by caulking the end grain with a siliconized caulk. I smear appropriate exterior-grade siliconized caulk on the bottom end.

Then I rub it into the pores of the wood. Also, I spread some up into the cavity of the porch column.