How To Install New Porch Columns

Replacing a porch column is actually a very straightforward chore (with the right tools). This short article and video evidence you how to remove your old column. And then, they show y'all how to cutting a new i. Finally, they evidence how to install the new porch column safely.

Recall, replacing structural components in your dwelling house can be very dangerous! Therefore, ever consult a professional carpenter or contractor, and a structural engineer, before attempting to tackle the projection on your own.

(The following content contains chapter links.)

Tool List:

Record Measure

20v Drill/Driver Combo Set

Circular Saw

Speed Square

All-time Picks:

Mail JACKS make projects like this possible! This +eight′ is very like to what I utilise:

A large Adjustable WRENCH makes raising the jacks much, much easier:

12″ MITER SAWS are even better than circular saws for making clean cuts on large posts!

Cloth List:

New Porch Column

Galvanized Trim Nails or Exterior-Grade Screws

Siliconized Caulk

Porch Cavalcade Installation Overview:

The key to making your porch column replacement go smoothly is using a tool known equally a "postal service jack"–or a "jack post." These adjustable tubular poles are capable of lifting extraordinary amounts of weight. Amazingly, up to eighteen,000 lbs in some cases!

You utilize the carefully positioned mail service jack to temporarily lift the weight of the roof. And then ehe old porch column tin exist safely pulled out and a new i installed. Once more, be careful!

Post jacks come up in a variety of sizes. You demand i that extends at least the distance from the porch floor to the porch beam.

Step ane: Install Post Jack

Fully extended post jack positioned beneath the porch roof axle.

Initially, to install the post jack, I needed to ensure that the jack had a clear place to sit down.

The porch beam is the structural element that rests on the columns and carries some of the roof weight. The area direct beneath the porch beam must exist complimentary of obstructions. Unfortunately, this area often includes railings, which are often directly in the manner.

Fortunately, the porch where I replaced columns in this commodity did non have any railings. (I later installed railings when the new columns were in place.)

Everything is articulate below

With the area free of obstructions, I placed a wooden block on the porch floor directly beneath the beam. The cake distributed the weight on the post jack. As well, the wooden block helped prevent the jack from scarring the bricks.

Position protective wooden blocks above and below post jack.

Side by side, I placed i of the steel jack plates on the heart of the block. The steel plate gives the metal jack something extremely hard to sit down on. You lot need to use two plates in combination. I at each stop of the jack. Apply a wood cake for the porch beam, too.

You want to position the jack as closely every bit possible to the column being replaced. Just not and so close that yous accept a hard fourth dimension handling the jack. Generally, within one foot is probably shut enough.

Assemble the jack mail

I fit the ii jack poles together so that they were at an extended length that brought them within 5 inches of the porch beam. Then, I pinned the two together by passing thick wagon bolts through the aligned holes in the walls of the pole. (The bolts are included with the jacks).

Thick railroad vehicle bolts keep the jack extended.

Side by side, I fit the "screw" into the upper stop of the postal service. I wound it up so that it fit between the axle and the wooden cake. I hand-tightened the screw so that it lightly clamped itself into place. (The screw is the simply moving part in the mail service jack). A knob on the top of the screw fits into a round hole on the steel plate.

Prepare for cranking

At this point, the jack was generally installed, but was non conveying whatsoever real weight. That way, I could plumb the mail with a upwardly with a four-foot level. It's very important that the jack mail is plumb.

Importantly, make certain the steel plates can't shift. Exercise this by locking them in place with iv screw or nails. This prevents the jack from slipping, or "kick out."

Utilise screws to secure the mail service plate to a protective wooden block.

Step ii: Elevator Roof Weight Off Column

Turn the post jack screw with a large adjustable wrench.

With the jack in identify, I used a large adaptable wrench to turn the screw. The jaws of the wrench gripped the apartment, narrow department on the threadless neck of the screw shaft.

Carefully, I rotated the screw in quarter- or half-turns, but not likewise quickly. Ideally, we're only going to lift the roof i/4″ or less. I was barely taking the load off the porch cavalcade. Pro tip: Listen for creaks and pops that let you know that weight is being transferred.

Is in that location a cap and/or base on the cavalcade?

If the column has a decorative cap or collar, pull it down to get a clear view of the height of the cavalcade.

Pull down existing caps to see column top more than clearly.

Sometimes, the cap will besitting on the column. If and then, it's acting equally a layer between the cavalcade and the beam. In that case, you can consider the cap to be the truthful top of the column itself.

Either style, you lot want to begin looking for separation between the cavalcade and the underside of the axle. Jiggle the column with your mitt in betwixt half-turns of the jack screw. Every bit the roof weight is lifted, the pinnacle of the cavalcade will begin to move hands.

When you tin can see about an 1/8″ gap betwixt the column and beam, total separation has most likely occurred. You should be able to "walk" the column out by rotating it back and along.

The cavalcade has been temporarily replaced by the post jack.

Is the column fastened to the beam?

If the column was toenailed into place, y'all need to pull the lesser out offset and gently pry the column free. Likewise, if the column was heavily caulked at the top, you may accept to cut and chisel some caulk loose.

Either way, y'all should be able to now fully remove the old column and set it aside. Often, there is nothing more gravity and roof weight belongings the porch columns in place!

Step 3: Measure For the New Column

Measure from the porch to the underside of the beam.

Stand on a stool or stepladder. Then, drop the tab of your measuring record onto the surface of the porch where the new column will sit down. Carefully extend your tape upwardly past the point where the peak of the porch column will be. Notice the beam tiptop past sighting the tape where information technology crosses the bottom edge of the beam.

Currently, the beam is liftedabove its normal resting place So the measurement volition actually exist nearly 3/16″ longer than what yous need.

Subtract about 1/viii″ for the final measurement. A difference of 1/xvi″ won't matter. It will give the new porch column a little room to go settled.

Pace 4: Cut the New Porch Column to Length

Cut the new column with a round saw and speed square.

In this projection I was installing a forest "colonial" style post. 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 woods porch columns. Metal or fiberglass columns may require other cut techniques.

Before you cut the column to your measured length, finish! You need to consider other factors that may affect the total meridian.

Considerations

For one, nearly all wooden porch columns should be installed on a "mail service base". This is a metal or plastic foot that keeps the column off of the porch surface. That fashion, the wood column never comes in contact with continuing water.

New five″ wood porch column with plastic base.

Decrease the height of the base from your total height measurement.

Also, are going to attach railings that are the standard 36″-42″ inches tall? If so, brand certain that you lot're leaving plenty square department on the lower stop of the postal service. That's where the railings will attach to the column. You may have to take some material off the top of the post,andthe lesser of the post to account for this. I did in this projection.

What are you making your cuts with?

When you've fabricated these considerations, measure and marker for your cut(s). If you're using a miter saw to cut the column, but cut the column precisely at this mark.

If you're using a circular saw, apply a speed square. Draw a cut line all the fashion around the column at the measurement. Set the depth of your saw to cut all the way through the wall of cavalcade (pictured below).

Ready the circular saw bract depth to cut through the wall of the new column.

Make the cut by using the speed foursquare as a guide for the saw sole plate. Cut each wall in turn, rolling the post later each pass to eventually cutting through the full perimeter. (For a better depiction of this procedure, check out the video at the elevation of the page.)

Footstep 5: Caulk the Finish Grain, Attach the Post Base of operations

Apply siliconized caulk to seal the bottom of the new column before installation.

Wood columns are prone to soaking upwards water and rotting at the bottom. Therefore, you always want to seal the end grain earlier installing the cavalcade.

My cavalcade actually had printed instructions on information technology that said "paint before installation". I like to go a step farther by caulking the terminate grain with a siliconized caulk.

I smear appropriate outside-grade siliconized caulk on the bottom stop. Then I rub it into the pores of the wood. Also, I spread some upward into the cavity of the porch cavalcade.

When the caulk is no longer moisture, I screw the mail service base directly onto the underside of the cavalcade. (Information technology helps to pre-drill holes for you fasteners.)

Step 6: Install the New Porch Column

Position the new porch cavalcade below the axle.

Stand the new porch column in place and make sure that it fits the opening the way you lot expected. Effort to get information technology as near plumb every bit possible with a level.

This can be tricky. Framers try to line up roof beams directly above the perimeter of a masonry porch like this. However, that tin can be very hard to do then perfectly. The corner of the porch will often be slightly out of plumb with the beam above it.

More considerations

When inconsistencies like this occur, I effort to discover a balance among all of the factors. Merely I focus on structural value.

I want my column to sit squarely in the corner of the porch, merelynot overhang the border of the porch. That would be dangerous. And I alwayswant it to be centered under the axle above for total back up. I also want information technology it be as foursquare equally possible to the porch corner, the axle corner, and the business firm

Information technology takes a lot of tweaking to get these factors right. I often walk effectually and expect at the porch column from multiple angles to be sure it looks right. But nigh importantly, I make sure information technology is centered directly beneath the beam and sitting fully on the porch.

Step 7: Remove The Mail service Jack

Release the post jack slowly to bring roof weight down onto the new column.

Transfer the roof weight onto the new porch column by slowly lowering the post jack.Do this by but reversing the procedure y'all used to install the jack.

Use an adjustable wrench to turn the spiral in the contrary direction. While you're doing this, watch the gap shrink above of the new cavalcade. When contact betwixt the beam and column is fabricated, jiggle the column to experience that information technology is existence pinned down.

Watch the cavalcade for whatsoever signs of stress or movement as the total weight is transferred. When the weight is entirely on the column, the jack will get wobbly. Advisedly, pull the screws or nails from the post plates. Remove post jack information technology and gear up information technology aside.

(I like to catch the screw, plate and upper cake and carry them down every bit I gently continue the jack tilted. Just don't let the jack fall back and hitting the house!)

Step 8: Toenail The Porch Column

Toenail the top of the column into the axle with galvanized trim nails.

Gravity should now be pinning the column downward so heavily that information technology doesn't want to budge. Nevertheless, I drive some galvanized trim nails through the top of the porch column into the beam. That manner, it won't twist.

In this project, newly installed railings also ensured that the column couldn't "kicking out" at the base.

Anchoring the mail service base of operations

Many post bases come with some sort of mounting anchor. Sometimes, it's a screw that fastens the base into the porch to continue it from slipping sideways. But, setting these anchors can often damage the masonry at the porch corner.

If the cavalcade might slip, consider instead running some high-yield masonry adhesive between the base and the porch. Information technology will provide as much fastening ability equally the single screw ballast, and won't damage the masonry.

If yous're installing your porch column on a wooden porch, y'all can too toenail through the base of operations of the column with a very long spiral. Overall, though, porch columns are not decumbent to moving.

Porch Column Installation Wrap-Upwards:

New railings attach directly to the new porch column.

If y'all're doing a series of porch cavalcade replacements (every bit I did in this project), you get one at a time through them, carrying out this verbal same process.

Just remember: always consult a professional person carpenter or contractor, and mayhap a structural engineer, earlier tackling the projection! Removing structural porch columns, though quite piece of cake, tin also be extremely unsafe. Prophylactic is always the top priority in every structure project.

Thanks for reading!

(For a strictly scientific accept on cavalcade strength, check out this link on mathematician Leonhard Euler's formula for column load–his work in the mid-18th century made the construction world safer for everybody.)

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Source: https://thehonestcarpenter.com/home-improvement/how-to-replace-porch-columns/

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