I have a split entry home with a 2 storey 4×6 post holding up the corner of the house. There is a galvanic saddle with a post set in concrete. After 35 years, the post is getting more corroded. Should I retrofit the post support? I would like to sheath the post to make it 8×8 for aesthetic reasons. But the little support makes me a little nervous. Does Simpson make a product for retrofitting?
Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire
Replies
Greetings eth,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
Dang ether, Thanks a pretty important question. Rather surprising no one has given an opinion on the matter.
If you fail to get an answer then you might want to repost over at the JLC forum at the following address.
Cheers
http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
I can give you 'what I would do' if it's of any value.
My first step would be to hit the anchor with a wire brush to see if it is still sound. Sometimes a little rust can make things look worse than the really are.
If it is indeed beginning to suffer from structural degrading I'd replace it.
From your post it's hard to tell what that would involve. In a best case you have acess to both ends of the post. In that case jacking up the corner of whatever it is holding up just high enough to take the weight off the post shouldn't cause any interior damage.
Once the post is loose remove the nails/screws/lags attaching it to the post and remove the post. Hopefully it is the type of post anchor that attaches to a bolt and can just be replaced. If it is the type that is placed in the comcrete at the time of the pour then it is a bit more work but easily doable.
Cut the anchor off as close as possible to the concrete and with a grinder, grind it down flush. With a rotorhammed drill a hole for a 1/2 or 5/8" diameter long 'redhead' type anchor and attach a new post anchor.
Building the post out to 8x8 could be done with anchor replacement by simple replacement. If the current post is only 4x6 then hopefully it is supporting a fairly light load
If the existing anchor is in good shape the post can be covered to build it up but make sure the top is as waterproof as possible and that the bottom does not cover the current anchor. It needs room to stay dry and healthy.
This is indeed the post-in-a-puddle type of support and is starting to lose mass from rust, looks thinner. We are earthquake prone in Seattle. I have used the anchors that you set sill plates with. I would assume I would need 4 of these, one on each corner of a retrofit. My concern is shearing off in a quake. Would using and angled or flanged support simply anchored in and attached to the post be ok? That would leave the original in place as well.Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire
Assuming access to both ends of the post. Support load of post just enough for post to sound hollow when hit with a hammer. Remove nails or bolts at post base. Cut existing post about 12" up from existing bottom.Do not remove existing metal post base. Drill four 3/4" diameter holes at the four corners of the metal post base vertically into concrete footing. Now cut a section of sonotube from existing footing to wood post and slip up post and tack out of the way. Epoxy four #4 rebar into concrete holes. Attach new simpson post base to bottom of post. Lower Sonotube to existing footing. Pour concrete. Violla!
Good luck
Damn! Smartypants! What a great idea! Thats a download and print for me!Those who can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities- Voltaire