To remove decorative columns from your home, first calculate the number of columns in your room and what you want to remove. Determine the expenses to cut them, even if they are not a support column. Carefully cut the columns and decide whether to keep or remove the lower part.
Inspect the columns by counting the number of decorative columns in your interior and which ones you want to remove. Measure the distance between the columns using exterior construction and use a chisel to determine which columns you want to remove.
Add spacers around the posts by cutting six 5-inch-long pieces of 1″ x 4″ lumber for each post and attaching one piece to either side of the post using exterior construction. Remove all trim from the base of the column and trim the spacers and outer wood using the Dremel Multi-Max oscillating tool.
Exterior wood columns are often subject to water damage due to exposure to the elements, but replacing them can be a simple chore. Tackle a piece of two-by-six onto one end of a four-by-four to raise the beam that’s attached to the porch.
If the columns are deteriorating, check your porch roofing and gutters to ensure they don’t allow rainwater to collect around the column capitals or bases. If you want to get rid of the columns, put up temporary support for the porch roof and cut into the alum skin and demo them.
Remove and replace the four columns on your front porch with a new pressure treated one. Detach any balustrades or gutters attached to the columns and measure the distance from the porch to the top of the old column. Cut the new column to fit the space and make it easier to move around.
📹 How to Replace a Porch Column | Ask This Old House
In this video, general contractor Tom Silva shows a homeowner how to remove and repair the rot eating away at his porch’s …
📹 Replace Porch Columns (Porch Posts / Porch Columns / Use Post Jack DIY / How To Remove And Replace)
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Great article Ethan, liked the use of the post jack and the end sealing with Alex plus. Drilling into old brick can be sketchy. What I enjoy most about your articles is that you are clear, concise and show us “your way” Doing a good job for your customers/followers resonates throughout all of your articles. Keep them coming.
Would a 6 by 6 pressure treated solid post, primed and painted on a galvanized anchor age better, with less deterioration from water and weather over the years. I’ve seen many home depot reviews of that posts where the seams split. I expect, however, that perhaps they didnt use anhors to elevate the posts away from water, and didnt seal it with alex caulk. But, is a pressure treated post more long lasting?
Once again, awesome suggestions and article. I am about to replace 14 – 25yr old 4×4 porch posts with the same turned 6x6s you have. A lot of negatives about these types of posts, but doing it with heavy caulk is a great idea. The newer ones come specially sealed at the bottom now to help repel water, so you can’t trim from the bottom. I will still add caulk to bottom and inside like you suggested and will do the top also because I have OCD with caulk. I am also installing a top and bottom round vent, even though I will have a bottom plate. Again OCD. Keep up the great vids.
I have a question on which circular saw blade to use with Fypon porch post. (PVC, foam, with steel rod). I’m stuck on which blade will cut all 3 and give a nice finish. I’m thinking of the carbide Diablo 40T blade. (It’s either the 40 or 48). What are your thoughts/recommendations for which blade? ( I know people say use a reciprocating saw, but I want to make sure the cuts are straight. Posts are load bearing.)
That post jack is $196 at my home depot. I have 2 of 2 by 6 by 8ft in my shed, might use my heavy duty rolling car jack to support the roof til a home repIr guy can get to it. I have 1 post at the corner of an about 8 ft by 8ft front porch. Water damage completely rotted out the bottom 12 inches on the post, it hangs 12 inches fell off today, hanging in mid air..scarry
Hi, I have an octagonal gazebo with 8 wooden posts (poles) 4×4 that are either bent or unleveled to one side (some of them are not bent but straight but no more leveled), I need to replace all of them with stronger and thicker poles, but before replacing poles, I need to pull the hole thing to its original position because the roof has moved about 3 to 5 inches from its original position. How can I pull/push the whole thing so the new poles will find the roof in its original position? Thanks in advance.
Perhaps I missed just how to prevent the bottom of the Post from simply being “Kicked” out? If the 1/2″ Plastic Base is anchored first to the Brick surface, just how does one attach/secure the bottom of the wood post to the top of the plastic base?? OR, if the Plastic Base get attached to the bottom of the Post first, then how does one anchor the Plastic to the Brick, etc??? I’m missing something and hope that someone can clear this up. I have some post rot at the bottom of some 6″x6″ which sit on a metal post base (1″ off the ground) BUT, the home builders wrapped the bottom with wood to his the unsightly metal post base, and with the wood to wood contact, obviously, the post wood at the bottom rotted over time. Need a solution which doesn’t cause post base rot. Water finds a way unless it can ‘Run Off” of the vertical surface at bottom, exactly what I like about your configuration, in other words……..Less Is More!! thx Paul
DO NOT TAKE THIS GUY’S ADVICE if you’re wanting to do this the correct way. NEVER NEVER install load bearing columns without anchoring them to the decking and NEVER NEVER just “toenail” the tops of the columns and rely on gravity to hold the columns in place. Here’s why….. 1. Wood shrinks. Your shrinking columns will cause the awening to sag over time. I’ve replaced so many of these types of columns, installed as this guy has done here and have had to bring the awening back to level. Trust me….If you want to see me keep buying new cars, then do what this kid is doing. 2. Updraft. When you’re only toenailing the tops of the columns and NOT attaching the bases to the decking, you are leaving that awening at risk to be picked up and ripped off the house during a high wind storm, when otherwise It would have a chance. I have replaced several awenings after big storms. They’re usually bent sideways and folded down against the house, or flipped over next to the porch and the columns are laying on the ground with the little nails hanging out…..They probably would have survived the wind had they been anchored. That wind picks them up like sails and wiggles them around until they snap loose from the house. I don’t care if some codes allow what this kid has done, or if “that’s just how it’s done,” or “gravity will hold them in place.” No no. It’s wrong for just the few major reasons I’ve mentioned.