How to Replace a Porch Column | Ask This Old House

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In this video, general contractor Tom Silva shows a homeowner how to remove and repair the rot eating away at his porch’s support post.

Tom Silva lends some support to a homeowner suffering under a rotted porch post. Tom and the homeowner dig into the rotten post base to find the issue, and then get to work removing the affected wood. Next, Tom shows the homeowner how to mill new components from a recycled, water-resistant material before putting everything back together for caulk and paint.

Skill: ⅗
Cost: Around $200
Time: 4 hours

Materials:

Tools:

How To Repair Rotted Porch Post
1. Place the 4x4 post and bottle jack underneath a header on the porch and lift the porch roof slightly until the post is free from the ground. Remove any of the rotted material by hand, but do not reach under the post for safety’s sake.
2. Use a reciprocating saw fitted with a 10-inch wood cutting blade to remove the rot. Be sure to make this cut as level and evenly as possible.
3. Cut a piece of the rice hull board or wood to the correct square dimensions. Often, this is 2 or 3 inches wider than the post’s diameter. It might be necessary to double this block with an additional layer of wood to match the other posts. If that’s the case, glue the two blocks together with a fast-setting adhesive.
4. Place the block under the post and level it side to side and front to back with shims. Once level, place small strips of wood along the perimeter on top of the block. Use the scribes to mark the pitch of the surface on these strips. Be sure to mark each strip and its location as you go. Cut the strips along the scribe lines on a bandsaw or table saw before gluing them to the block with the adhesive.
5. Use the scribes to draw a circle of the appropriate size on a piece of the rice hull board or wood. For thicker profiles, screw two layers of the wood together before cutting along the circle with the jigsaw. Sand both layers smooth and evenly, and add a detail with a router, if desired.
6. Repeat the last step, but with a smaller circle to create a cascading profile. Drill a ¾-inch hole in the middle of each of these circles to allow for airflow and prevent future rot.
7. Assemble the pieces under the post. Before lowering the post, squeeze a bead of construction adhesive between the post and the new base.
8. Lower the jack slowly, allowing the post to settle on the base and squeeze the excess construction adhesive out. Smooth the excess adhesive before allowing it to dry.
9. At each corner, drive a screw from the top-most layer of the base into the bottom base. Fill the screw holes and paint.

About Ask This Old House TV:
From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How to Replace a Porch Column | Ask This Old House
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Man I wish I could sit down with Tom Silva and just pick his mind. Guy is an Encyclopedia of woodworking.

michaelcarroll
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A true professional vacuum cleaner operator here! 5:15

WannaBeHocker
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The guy raking leaves in the background was the real star.

amoni
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I've been a fan for 38 years..I never get tired watching ..

bearg
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Tommy is such a wealth of knowledge. The handyman business is growing due to guys like Sam and there’s lots of them out there.

davem
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Love it when I get a video from this old house featuring Tommy or Nathan

stevendavanna
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Love watching Tommy. Such an unbelievable craftsman

tylerdurden
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Tommy is the man, he can fix anything!

JEK
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Love the show the magazine and the YouTube videos. I have learned a great deal watching for decade’s. Thanks

resxua
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That's why TOH has been favorite home improvement tv show since great projects like this porch column base repair & other helpful tips from the pros. Tom, Richard, Norm, Nathan & new member Jenn

malikdigger
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I hope they did the other side as well. Eventually the other side will go, why not cut identical pieces and just do both since it's so easy!

tj_gsomething_
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Always pleasure watching Tom work...:)

dede
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I need to replace the 4 2x4 posts inside my front porch column and seeing this video made it look easy

yazeed
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Excelente trabajo. Me fascinó.
Gracias 🙏🙏💯

olgainesmedina
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Sammy Pockets did a great job supervising.

RobertLeBlancPhoto
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I love this program I grew up watching it

mypassion
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Tommy always makes it look so simple.

How did he cut the bottom boards that he scribed though?

the_realJP_
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Dude just has his hands in his pockets the whole time....thanks for helping bro

beakerk
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Great work... But I fear that a considerable wind will rip the porch roof off because the column is not secured to the foundation!

CU
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I think this technique is going to work to repair 4-5 column bases at my brother and sister-in-law’s.

devinbraun