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We have an 1880 country style Victorian in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are blessed with generally good weather however we do have a rainy period from November to April. The result has been the balusters on our exterior porch have rotted over a 5 to 7 year period.
The balusters rest on a 2 x 4 base plate that is raised above the porch 3 to 4 inches providing good drainage of rainwater. The top handrail is a 2 inch pipe with a 1 x 4 top plate immediately below which secures the balusters. The balusters are cedar and traditional in shape with square tops and bottoms about 2 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. The balusters and rails are primed with an oil based primer followed by two coats of a white exterior latex house paint. The balusters are secured to the top and bottom plates with hot dipped galvinized nails.
The problem seems to be that rain water seeps in the tops of the balusters through cracks or imperfections in the paint and for some reason cannot exit out the bottom despite the substantial clearnace above the porch deck.
We have considered placing small metal standoffs between the bottom of the baluster and the 2 x 4 bottom rail. These would esstentially be smaller versions of the standard base plate used for 4 x 4 posts. We are concerned that perhaps we are misunderstanding the problem and there is a better solution out there before we go to the trouble of making up 100 of these mini-standoffs.
Does anyone out there have suggestions on how to solve this problem???
Replies
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b WBA At Your Service
Next time, I'll try to scan it even larger....
*Good solution Tim!I'd just like to add that I would prime the end-grain of the new balusters before fixing.
*I would cut 1 1/2" off the bottom of all your balasters because that is the distance between the blade and table edge of a worm drive saw. this gives you a guide for your saw, by resting the table on your existing bottom rail.I would then cut a 2x3 rail that fit between the posts,bottom rail and ballasters. Metal spacers will do nothing to resove your rotting problem.
*Unless the balusters are hollow (?) I suspect that the end grain is wicking moisture off the flat bottom rail. Nails are generally inadequate for heavier railings.Baluster attachment to rails:- Prime end grain as noted- Use polyurethane glue (Pro-bond or similar)- moisten ends first- Use stainless steel square-drive screws, not nails- Slope bottom rail as noted (positive pitch)Polyurethane glue expands, so if you haven't used it, practice first. It also needs to be checked and wiped off during cure. It will also turn your hands black for days, beware.Note: A single coat of oil primer and 2 of latex is not usually adequate to prevent cedar bleeding with white finish, unless the oil primer is stain-killing type, and even then .... Water-based extractives can still exude.Jeff
*Two questions as I contemplate recreating my 1904 porch railing:Is cedar the material of choice or would redwood be equal or better?I have considered doweling the balusters at the bottom rail with a plastic dowel. (Of course original lasted nearly 100 years with plain steel finish nails.) Seemed simple with a jig, better appearing than screws, and easier to align balusters in skirt below deck with balusters in railing above deck. Will the doweling increase rot?
*Jeff,Will there be a problemwith the polyurethane glue bonding to a painted/primed surface?Pete
*I am a bit surprised at the cedar ballusters rotting so soon. I have seen cedar last a lot longer here in Ohio and we have quite a bit of wet weather.Tim,Could you enlarge that scan a bit. I am having trouble seeing some of the finer details, you know, like the actual pixels of the scan. lol.Pete
*Pete - No, the problem is usually getting polyurethane i notto stick to just about everything else, including your hands. Any paint in these circumstances should also have a mildewcide added.The point of screws is that they sock everything as tightly together as possible, and the glue fills the remaining voids. Another trick is to place props under the railing bottom rail at no more than say 4-5 feet o.c - this keeps it from deflecting and opening up bottom joints. Re: Cedar Grades - There is cedar, and then there is cedar. You can find really poor grades that perform poorly and suck up moisture like a sponge, and then you can get kiln-dried A and better Spanish Cedar. There is a i lotof difference in my opinion.Jeff
*Come on now Jeff, there's no trees in Spain. :-)
*Doesn't matter - it's from Latin America (careful working with it - it can make you sick).
*Cool web site Jeff. I think I'll stick with northwestern red cedar though.
*Russel,Is the rot only at the bottom inch or two of the baluster? You say you think it seeps in the top?Just curious about the design. Was is professionally rebuilt 5-7 years ago? Is the 1x4 top plate secured to the pipe above it? Otherwise that is not providing much support. I've never seen a victorian rail incorporate 2" metal pipe in the handrail...You might be able to trim the balusters shorter as suggested to get to solid wood. The big problem in any exterior trim application is always the end grain.#1 critical need: the b bestthing you can do to help the balusters last is soak them in a paintable water repellent. Stick a bunch of them upright in a bucket with a couple inches of this stuff in the bottom and most of it will be gone by morning, sucked up into the porous endgrain. Ask at a good paint store for the preservative/repellent they stock.#2 step. Let balusters dry and seal with oil based primer, b especially end grain. This step alone is a great improvement over normal practice, which is painting the whole thing only when its assembled and letting the end grain fend for itself, but combined with step 1 you wont have to mess with it again.#3 step. The tapered bottom rail is a nice touch if you can, since it helps drainage. But after 1 & 2 above you could get by without it.#4+ step. I use and love polyurethane caulk and glue. Usually in a situation like this, b after 1 & 2!,I smear the end of the baluster with poly caulk and then fasten from underneath with a stainless screw. But if you skip sealing the ends, any glue or caulk will only hold in the moisture that will somehow find a way into that joint.
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We have an 1880 country style Victorian in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are blessed with generally good weather however we do have a rainy period from November to April. The result has been the balusters on our exterior porch have rotted over a 5 to 7 year period.
The balusters rest on a 2 x 4 base plate that is raised above the porch 3 to 4 inches providing good drainage of rainwater. The top handrail is a 2 inch pipe with a 1 x 4 top plate immediately below which secures the balusters. The balusters are cedar and traditional in shape with square tops and bottoms about 2 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. The balusters and rails are primed with an oil based primer followed by two coats of a white exterior latex house paint. The balusters are secured to the top and bottom plates with hot dipped galvinized nails.
The problem seems to be that rain water seeps in the tops of the balusters through cracks or imperfections in the paint and for some reason cannot exit out the bottom despite the substantial clearnace above the porch deck.
We have considered placing small metal standoffs between the bottom of the baluster and the 2 x 4 bottom rail. These would esstentially be smaller versions of the standard base plate used for 4 x 4 posts. We are concerned that perhaps we are misunderstanding the problem and there is a better solution out there before we go to the trouble of making up 100 of these mini-standoffs.
Does anyone out there have suggestions on how to solve this problem???